Drawbridge - issue 19, Volume 2

The Drawbridge is an interesting publication and one that is hard to describe. It isn't a magazine, newspaper, journal, or even periodical. It is described as an "independent quarterly of thought, wit and reflection giving equal focus to literature and visual arts" and has just been subject to a radical transformation.

The Drawbridge originated as a full-colour newspaper format (I wrote about it in my post in December 2009: http://justinsamazingworldatfennerpaper.blogspot.com/2009/12/drawbridge-15.html). It is now a book-sized publication (195x260mm Portrait with 12mm spine). The content now forms the basis of quarterly exhibitions curated alongside each issue but still with a theme for each.

Cover photograph: Flights by Dave Anderson, 2004

Photograph: Charles, Vasa, Minnesota, 2002 by Alec Soth

Photographs: Falling in Trees 1 and 2 by Elijah Gowin, 2006

Main drawing: The Chair, project for an installation by Davide Bignami, 2008

Photograph: Athens, Greece, 2004 by Jim Goldberg.

...and a flattering report from design commentator Rick Poynor:
"Changing a magazine's format is always risky. It's such a fundamental aspect of what we perceive it to be. The Drawbridge's transformation is particularly startling. Indeed, it might rate as one of the most dramatic changes of visual direction ever ventured by a literary magazine. Or any kind of magazine." Rick Poynor, Design Observer

The re-design has been carried out by Creative Director, Stephen Coates. In the same way that he used the newspaper format with great effect, he has equally made illustration and photography work in this format by leaving (and creating) lots of space.
The specification is 4pp cover on StarFine White 300gsm and 142pp text on StarFine White 115gsm. The printing deservedly remains with London printers, Push (given what an excellent job they made on the previous issues printed on Redeem 100% Recycled 70gsm)

I wish Bigna Pfenninger (Editor) and her team, much success with the new format.

http://www.thedrawbridge.org.uk/
http://observersroom.designobserver.com/rickpoynor/entry.html?entry=24748
http://www.push-print.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 03.03.2011

Jobs from the past - Number 17

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...

Irwin & Jordan brand book - 2007

This is the brand book for the (then) newly established luxury womenswear brand Irwin & Jordan. This was a new venture and as such, did not have a lavish budget but a need to convey their brand message which is one of "quality, discernment and a quiet approach" (as stated in the introduction).

 

It goes without saying that to produce an impressive piece of literature on a small budget requires all the creative stops to be pulled out, as it was on this project. Only 150 copies were required which dictated that litho printing was really unviable, but five years ago, digital was less advanced and there were fewer printers willing to try different materials. However, one printer was willing to give it a go...

The publication is A3 portrait is size (297x420mm) and is a 12pp self cover using our Redeem 100% Recycled 100gsm, giving it a deliberately floppy and raw feeling. The reproduction, however, is of the highest quality and this being one of my very first forays into the world of digital, everyone was truly delighted. The material perfectly complimented the line illustrations whilst performing equally well with the photographic images.

There are some key reasons it doesn't feel like a digital job: 1) the design and illustration- subtle and muted, not zingy 2) combination of the different material 3) it wasn't an A4 size piece 4)  it utilised a different binding method is "side sewn" (or singer sewn), stabbed through the whole text, in the brand colour (detail pictured below).

The brand book was designed by London agency Exposure. The designer of the project was Matt Jenkins and it was he who envisaged this large scale format working so well - you can judge the scale with the pic with the hands below. Matt has now moved on from Exposure and works freelance. Kristie Morton was the production manager who oversaw the project.

The printer that produced the job was Alderson Digital (a division of Alderson Brothers Print Group). Gail Ashworth was then in charge of the digital division (although she has since moved on) and Neil Scott was the operator that actually ran the job. The brochure was printed on an HP Indigo 3050 using 7 colours and was hand finished. I believe the material was not sapphire treated, in this particular instance.

The piece was written about in PrintWeek 29th November 2007 (which is why I have so many details about the job!), so the last word goes to her..."the end result is testimony that exceptional digital results can be printed on unusual materials" said Gail Ashworth, Digital Operations Director.

Gail Ashworth now runs her own marketing consultancy: gail.baytreemarketing@gmail.com

http://www.irwinandjordan.com/
http://www.exposure.net/
http://www.mattjenkinsdesign.co.uk/
http://aldersonprintgroup.co.uk/digital.php

Posted by Justin Hobson 01.03.2011

Max Lamb - The Vermiculated Ashlar

Photo by Philip Sinden

Last year, for the first time, the London Design Festival worked with HSBC Private Bank both as sponsor and collaborator. The partnership included a design commission: a one-off piece of design for the bank's St James's office which was unveiled at the V&A during the Festival.

British designer Max Lamb won the competion to carry out the commission. Inspired by the castings gallery at the V&A, he created a cast replica of part of the Bank's central office at 78, St James' Street, Lamb then hand-carved the piece using a hammer and chisel into a the shape of a bench.

The piece is called the Vermiculated Ashlar.

Pentagram were commissioned to produce a piece of literature documenting the project in words and images.  

 

The end result is a book of 150x200mm, portrait with a 4pp cover and a 52pp text. The cover is debossed with the original patterning from the casting taken from the building and used to create the piece. Although it's very obvious on the cover, it's quite hard to photograph but the pic below hopefully gives the idea:

The cover material used is Neptune Unique SoftWhite 250gsm and the text alternates in sections between Neptune Unique SoftWhite 155gsm and Colorset Light Grey 120gsm, two quite different papers which work in juxtaposition given the rough and smooth nature of the architectural piece itself.

To read more: http://www.hsbcprivatebank.com/video/maxlamb/maxlamb.html

The project was printed by Gavin Martin (with Gary Bird officiating!) and as you can see here, they've made a beautiful job of it. 

Partner in charge of the project at Pentagram was Domenic Lippa and the designer was Jeremy Kunze. Thanks to Jez for sending me a file copy and a nice note.

http://maxlamb.org/
http://www.pentagram.com/
http://www.gavinmartin.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 25.02.2011

Open Books 1

Yesterday evening I went to a private view at the Royal College of Art of an exhibition and book launch. The subject: To exhibit and to show the book

The aim of Open Books is to collect and highlight some initiatives which opens up minds and give cause for reflection.


“This is a book about exhibitions. The exhibitions are about books. They are also exhibitions about exhibitions of books. This unstable series of relations between form & content & between subject & object unfolds further in many of the books on show in the exhibition Open books. This book about books & about exhibitions about books results in endless repetition. It is a self-reflexive structure playing with infinity. That is why it remains open.”

The picture below shows the exhibition area (sans people!):

...and here is the actual publication, edited and produced by Sophie Demay and Charlotte Cheetham, designed by Sophie Demay and Lola Halifa -Legrand. The book is wiro-bound with a red wire and is 190x135mm, portrait. It is printed in 1 colour on a Risograph machine by Hato Press. The materials used are our Colorset Suede, Indigo 270gsm and a wide selection of our other text materials (the beauty of wiro means that you can use many different materials without being limited by producing in 4pp sections).

 

...and here we all are having a jolly time at the viewing!

The project was sponsored by Laurence King Publishing.

http://www.open-books.tumblr.com/
http://www.rca.ac.uk/
http://www.hatopress.net/
http://www.laurenceking.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 24.02.2011

Harvey Nichols SS2011

This is the new Spring/Summer lookbook for upmarket retailer Harvey Nichols. In many ways this could be described as being a fairly "conventional" piece of literature, in so far as it is A4 Portrait and that the 24pp text is printed on a fairly typical printers "house" silk. However, there are some features which makes it a really excellent and unusual piece.

The 4pp cover is printed in 1 colour Litho, in silver, on Colorset Dark Grey 270gsm and this is covered in a dustjacket. The dustacket is printed in one side only on our Clervaux 1 sided 110gsm, which is an uncoated material with two sides, a smooth and a rough side. The jacket is cut 25mm short on the head allowing the "real" cover to be seen.

The design of the jacket has Women's fashion on the front and Men's fashion on the reverse. Below shows the inside of the jacket, inside front cover and page 1 of text...

The print and finishing is by Pureprint - and they've achieved an excellent result with the litho silver on the cover (above).

Art direction and design is by Jonathan at Studio-Baron. The job has a look and feel of real quality without it being either too lavish or "over the top"! Thanks to Jonathan for sending me a copy and a lovely note...

http://www.harveynichols.com/

http://www.studio-baron.com/

http://www.pureprint.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 21.02.2011

Caruso St John Architects - Invitation

Just when you've written about one invitation on Offenbach Bible (see below), another one turns up as well!

This is an A1 folded to A4 invitation for Architects, Caruso St John, celebrating twenty years in practice.

Reproduced on the front of the invitation is a painting from the National Gallery titled "Landscape with Cephalus and Procris Reunited by Diana" by Claude Lorrain, 1645, painted when he was 45 years old. John Constable described Claude as "the most perfect landscape painter the world ever saw", and declared that in Claude’s landscape "all is lovely – all amiable – all is amenity and repose; the calm sunshine of the heart". What architect wouldn't want to be associated with such an accolade?

The invitation folds out showing thumbnails of a variety of their work over the last twenty years and printed on the reverse of the numbnail is the name of each project. Being printed on Offenbach Bible 60gsm, which has the lightweight feel and a little show through, it is possible to match up the pics with the titles.

The invitation was designed by John Morgan Studio. It was printed and finished by Gavin Martin Associates.

...and thanks to Michael for the note and for sending me a copy.

http://www.carusostjohn.com/

http://www.morganstudio.co.uk/

http://www.gavinmartin.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 23.02.2011

Macallan Invitation

This is a really beautifully designed and well executed invitation. It's been a difficult one to photograph, so you'll have to go with my description!

This invitation, from Scotch whisky manufacturer Macallan is to a VIP viewing of a exhibition titled "Masters of Photography: A Journey". Albert Watson (awarded the prestigious Royal Photographic Society’s 2010 Centenary Medal) was invited by The Macallan to weave a visual narrative of the long and romantic journey beginning in the bewitching forests of Spain (where the oak for sherry barrels is grown) and ending at The Macallan’s spiritual home in Scotland.

Sitting by the envelope in the picture above, it might look like a fairly standard invitation but it is anything but ordinary.

The finished size of the invitation (as you see it below) is 140x175mm. The printed card is 128x163mm but as you can see from the picture below, it is held in place with two angled die cuts...

...and as you can see below, the card is held into a large format print, folding out to 420x525mm.

The photographic print is printed on our lovely Offenbach Bible 60gsm with the 'mono' image being reproduced in CMYK. The card insert is on Matrisse 250gsm, simply printed in black only and hot foil blocked in silver.

Design is by BOB Design and the designer on the project is Tom Green.

Print, foiling and hand finishing was done by Robert Young at R.Young & Son ...and we (at Fenner Paper) made the bespoke black envelopes (160x195mm) out of Notturno 140gsm.

Thirty-six individually customised bottles of The Macallan dating from 1946, were produced for the project. Each bottle is paired with a signed, one-off, specially commissioned Watson platinum print and will be sold at a reserve price of £10,000! At the private view were David Bailey, Bianca Jagger and Mary McCartney but sadly Justin Hobson was unable to make the event. The exhibition is now touring around the world.

http://www.themacallan.com/
http://www.bobdesign.co.uk/
http://www.ryoungprint.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 17.02.2011