Jobs from the past - Number 167

Regular followers of this blog will know that my first post of every month is a "job from the past" so that I can show some of the really good work from years gone by and this one is from 2013

AMC² Issue4

Archive of Modern Conflict is an independent publisher based in London and this is issue 4 of  their series of journals. (their books on photography and art have won or been shortlisted for many prizes). This is a truly beautiful book, which is just a delight to hold and leaf through.

 

AMC² issue4 comprises photographs from Collected Shadows, an exhibition curated by the AMC for Paris Photo 2012. The works span a period from the early 1850s to the present day and are by photographers both known and unknown, amongst them Bertha Jaques, Gustave Le Gray, Robert Frank, Willi Ruge, Paul-Émile Miot, Johann Böhm, Ferdinand Quénisset, Mario Giacomelli, Eugene Atget, Josef Sudek and many others, while subjects include earth, fire, air, water and ether as well as divinity, astronomy, meteorology, flight and dance (these words from AMC books)

The size is 230x200mm, portrait and is perfect bound. The publication has an 8pp cover on StarFine White 200gsm. The text is made up using "French-folded" sections on Marazion Ultra 90gsm which gives it a sensational light feel and flows beautifully in the hand. The book has a 14mm spine.

The book has 140pp or printed pages (which I would normally describe as 70 x 4pp French-folded sections) - this actually makes 280pp but because the other side is unprinted and the ends are bound, each 4pp = 2pp. It's a bit tricky but if you think about it, it makes sense. French folding with a material like Marazion Ultra 90gsm feels fantastic because the weight of the material lets the pages flop and flow beautifully. The 8pp cover (pictured below) on Starfine 200gsm contributes to the soft feel. 

The picture below shows the foredge with the "french-folded" text

The book is printed by a Belgian printer, Die Keure, who are based in Bruges. They are one of the most renowned European book printers and they print for many of the high end publishers in Europe. The print and binding is superb on this book. It is printed CMYK throughout but most of the images have a mono/sepia reproductions and it's hard to get the consistency of look and feel in one publication from multiple image sources but this is an admirable result.

 

The designer is Melanie Mues, who I have worked with for many years. It was great to have the opportunity to work on a book project together, especially one as exquisite as this. 

https://archiveofmodernconflict.com/amc2-journal-issue-4/
https://www.muesdesign.com/
https://www.diekeure.be/printing/en/

Posted by Justin Hobson 03.10.2023

Manuel Canovas

This is the gorgeous brochure for the Trianon Collection from luxury brand Manuel Canovas, based in Paris. Trianon is a range of wallpapers and fabrics based on paintings, drawn in Chinoiserie style, by Jean-Baptiste Pillement in the 18th Century.

The size of the publication is 240mm x 170mm, portrait and is saddle stitched, printed on our StarFine White. 4pp cover on 300gsm and 8pp text on 200gsm. Printed CMYK offset litho and hot foil blocked in gold metallic foil on the cover.

StarFine is a quality, uncoated paper and as the images show, image reproduction is excellent. The detail of the wallpaper and fabrics is stunning - great detail for an uncoated paper, colours are bright and vivid.

The brass wire used for the saddle stitches is a really lovely touch - which brilliantly compliments the gold foiling on the cover.

Click on image to enlarge

Manuel Canovas is one of the Colefax group brands and this beautiful piece of literature has been created in house at Colefax & Fowler. Print production is by Pureprint

https://www.manuelcanovas.com/
https://www.colefax.com/
https://www.pureprint.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 21.08.2023

Villa Saletta Book

This is one of the most wonderful books to have appeared on this blog, it is quite simply stunning. Villa Saletta is a 1,760-acre estate in the heart of Tuscany, featuring an historic borgo, three luxurious holiday villas and a boutique winery. The estate was purchased by British investor, Guy Hands around 15 years ago and it is used both as a family holiday home and is also being developed with apartments and houses as a resort for Tuscany loving guests.
This superb case-bound book is bound in leather. The size of the book is 300mm square and has 284pp text pages given an overall spine thickness of 35mm.

The book which is subtitled 'History in the Making' is divided into seven chapters, explaining the history, the estate, the wine and produce and the vision for the future...

In the centre of the book there is a gatefold throw out showing a stunning panorama of the Italian countryside surrounding the Villa.

The one thing that has struck me about this publication is the space. It is unhurried and nothing is crammed in. Photography by Richard Waite is allowed the space to breath and it really makes the most of the wonderful images.

It is printed offset litho throughout in CMYK. The paper chosen is our StarFine, White 170gsm. StarFine is a quality, uncoated paper and as the images show, image reproduction is excellent. The solids chapter dividers, photographic images and the illustrations all look equally stunning - a great amount of detail for an uncoated paper.

One of the chapter divider spreads, the terracotta colour is made out of CMYK, not a solid special colour.

Image below shows the head and tail bands and the way the text moves. The edge of the book is gilt edged in gold.

The below image shows the thread in the centre of the 24pp sections...

Below image shows the ribbon marker and also the gilt edge binding.

The book is published by Terra Firma Holdings Ltd. Photography is by Richard Waite.

The truly stunning printing and production is by Stuart Van Den Bergh at Intaglio Communications who are based in London.

https://www.villasaletta.com/
http://www.intaglioltd.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 20.02.2023

WPF Therapy Literature

WPF Therapy began life in 1969 as the Westminster Pastoral Foundation at the Methodist Central Hall in Westminster. They have grown to become a significant national provider of psychodynamic counselling, therapy and training and are based in a modern, purpose-designed centre in London Bridge. WPF provide affordable therapeutic services to promote mental and emotional well-being, provide training and educational opportunities for therapists and cares, engaging in research into mental health and raising awareness of mental health issues.

This delightful information pack has been thoughtfully designed and produced. The outer 6pp folder is 225x115mm with a 10mm spine, printed offset litho in solid grey (special pantone colour) with type reversed white out and hot foil blocking in bright yellow, gloss, pigmented foil.

Printed on StarFine 350gsm it produces a really nice 'solid' square pack.

Below picture shows the folder open, with "Making life feel better" also hot foil blocked.

...and this is where is starts getting clever! The below picture shows the folder open with a capacity pocket on the middle panel. In the pocket is an array of the WPF lead colours used in the identity, all at different angles.

If you take out what appears to be a booklet, it is as below.

BUT ...and here's the clever bit, it's five individual 6pp leaflets, all die cut at angles that just hold together, without binding, that make up this one 'booklet' like so..

with the beauty being that they can still be used as individual leaflets, or as one booklet. Incredibly simple and extremely effective. The image below shows the individual leaflets.

Each of the 6pp leaflets is printed on StarFine 200gsm, which is the perfect weight, heavy enough to hold together to make the booklet without being too 'springy'. All print is offset Litho and the colours are all made out of tints, not specials. The image below shows the reverse of all the individual leaflets:

There are also appointment cards also printed on the StarFine 200gsm in the same colour references.

The identity and design (including the website) is by Playne Design who have studios in London and Hastings. Creative Director is Clare Playne.

This is just an excellent example of a well thought out and well executed piece of print. Good consideration of the format, materials and printing processes is where this job scores most highly. It's not lavish or expensive and it's entirely appropriate for the client.

Printing and the tricksy die cutting is by Banbury Litho.

https://wpf.org.uk/
https://playnedesign.co.uk/
https://www.banburylitho.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 16.09.2022

Repeat Repeat

Freelands Foundation was founded by Elisabeth Murdoch and is based in Camden, London. The Foundation’s mission is to support artists and cultural institutions, to broaden audiences for the visual arts and to enable all young people to engage actively with the creation and enjoyment of art.

The multidisciplinary group exhibition, Repeat Repeat, was curated by Freelands Foundation Creative Director Henry Ward. The show investigates ideas of daily practice and repeated routine while addressing questions relating to domesticity, parenting and occupation. It features internationally recognised artists alongside creative individuals who would not necessarily call themselves artists.

This is the literature produced to support the exhibition. The portrait format publication which consists of a 4pp cover on Colorset Flint 270gsm with a 24pp text printed on StarFine White 150gsm.

The cover on 100% Recycled Colorset Flint 270gsm is beautifully debossed and hot foil blocked in matt white foil.

The text pages are printed offset litho in CMYK on our StarFine White 150gsm, an uncoated text paper which has printed beautifully, with the solid and the images looking brilliant.

Birdseye image below...

The saddle stitching is nice and neat and the job sits nice and flat.

The publication is designed by Utile. Creative Director is Nicholas Duggins and designer is William Lyall. Print is by Identity Print, based in Paddock Wood with Paul Martin handling the project.

You can read more about the exhibition here.

https://www.freelandsfoundation.co.uk/
https://utile.studio/
http://www.identityprint.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 10.07.2021