Typeface - The Movie

This Wednesday evening, I went to watch a film! I was kindly invited to the screening of a film called Typeface which was screened at the London College of Communication at the Elephant and Castle in London and hosted by Alex Cooper and Rose Gridneff at the Letterpress workshop at the LCC.

The film is directed by Justine Nagan and is about a rural US midwestern type museum and print shop. The museum is based in the old Hamilton Company's wood type manufacturing factory in Two Rivers, Wisconsin.

It is a fascinating film which not only gives a great insight into the roots and manufacturing of woodblock type and it's increasing use as a design and artistic medium but also documents life in small town America.

Follow this link to read about the film: http://typeface.kartemquin.com/

After the screening, there was a tour of the Letterpress workshop and some drinks!

Below is Alex Cooper talking to letterpress legend Bill Naylor.

It was a most enjoyable evening and great to see so many students and practising designers there.

Sandra Kemp, Head of College, is very supportive of the Letterpress Workshop and announced that they will soon be running Summer School courses which I think will attract a lot of interest amongst graphic designers.

Thank you to all those involved, especially Alex Cooper, Rose Gridneff, Sandra Kemp, Les Claridge and Millie Langlands.

http://www.lcc.arts.ac.uk/

http://typeface.kartemquin.com/

http://www.letterpresslcc.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 21.05.2010

New Brook Buildings

Here is a job which that just exudes fantastic quality of both print and finishing (oh, and of course a pinch of all right design as well!). The project is a brochure for a property called New Brook Buildings.

Size is 240x330mm. Key points of interest is the fantastic de-bossing on the front cover (which if you enlarge the pic below, you should be able to see). It is also "swiss-bound" (explanation below) and the text is stepped with divider pages (printed with mono imagery).

Below pic shows the Swiss binding. For those that are unfamiliar with this type of binding, it is essentially a section sewn or perfect bound binding method which has a "lip" of about 15/20mm of cloth wrapped around the spine. The cloth covered spine is stuck flat on the reverse of the text block with a strip of glue into a 4pp cover with a "freestanding" spine which means that the cover (which can often be very springy with normal adhesive binding) sits very flat.

The text is stepped and is very tricky from a production point of view, especially with this type of binding. This has been done exceptionally well.

Below is the opening spread - inside front cover on left, stepped text on right.

Some of the spreads below: 

Design is by London design agency dn&co who specialise in property branding. Creative Director is Ben Dale.

Print production is by Push and very nice it is too. Both "ink on paper" and finishing is superb.

Oh and I suuppose I'd better mention the paper! It's printed on our Omnia 320gsm and 120gsm which gives the job a tactile and engaging feel. As well as reproducing the images superbly, it has a high bulk and as a result, the deboss works superbly.

http://www.newbrookbuildings.com/

http://www.dnco.com/

http://www.push-print.com/

Post by Justin Hobson 20.05.2010

Poly Records use Deep Orange

Here's a really simple, effective job that's clear, clean and really well produced (and I also have a point to make at the end of this post...).

These are A4+ capacity folders produced for an US record label called Poly Records. They are produced on Colorset Deep Orange 270gsm and are silkscreened in white only. 

Design is by Maddison Graphic based in Ely and silkscreening is by Screenprint Colourworks.

Now, the point I want to make is that I get many people who won't look at less than 300gsm for a folder (many people want 350gsm plus) and the biggest problem is they won't actually look and feel different materials for themseleves and often make incorrect assumptions about how it will feel. It is quite true to say that a 300gsm silk coated probably could be a bit flimsy for a folder such as this. However using uncoated materials such as Colorset (and especially Colorset which has a very high bulk) means that lighter weight can and should be considered. Colorset 270gsm has a bulk of 370microns! This also serves as a good reminder about why it is worth getting a dummy made so you can actually get the look and feel of the end job - here ends the sermon!

http://www.madisongraphic.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 18.05.2010

Soccer Aid - World Cup 2010 Poster

Now some people might think this is a bit of a strange one to see on my blog as it's not actually printed on our paper BUT it's for charity...(and i'm hoping my reward will be in heaven)

This is a world cup poster which is being sold to raise funds for Soccer Aid, which is a UNICEF charity that raises money to help children around the world and is endorsed by Robbie Williams amongst others. http://www.socceraid.org.uk/.

This A1 size poster has been conceived and designed by David Watson/Trebleseven design.

The Poster was produced in collaboration with G&B Printers in Feltham and is printed on Phoenixmotion.

If you fancy one for the studio, please buy one - all poster sales will benefit Soccer Aid. To get your own copy, please contact david@trebleseven.com

http://www.socceraid.org.uk/
http://www.trebleseven.com/
http://www.gfsmith.com/
http://www.gbprinters.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 17.05.2010

Hero #2

Here is the second issue of the new zine called Hero which is aimed at bringing fresh new international male model talent to the fashion world - "THE FACES OF TOMORROW'S FASHION"

Designed, edited and published by duo James West & Fabien Kruszelnicki under the imprint Fall Press. As before, the list of photographers is too long to list unfortunately but there are some really excellent images.

Size is 210x275mm, portrait, perfect bound with a 4pp cover and 98pp text. It is printed on our lovely uncoated StarFine White 270gsm and 115gsm. As previously, print is by Push.

Here are samples of just a few spreads:

http://www.hero-zine.com/

http://www.push-print.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 14.05.2010

Tactical A.U. Identity

Here's a lovely new piece of identity work by D8 in Glasgow. Tactical A.U. is a new artists support and ‘creative realization’project which aims to develop, support and advance the artistic ambitions of Scottish based artists both here in the UK and abroad as well as continue to work with some of the most exciting and challenging artists in Europe.

The letterheads are on Colorset Ash 120gsm, printed 1 colour litho and "Microdot foil". The business cards are on Trojan Whiteback 400gsm with black foil and 'Microdot' foil and 3mm forme cut radius corners.

This is a really good example of mixing materials with great effect. With many of projects I work on, people are obsessed about having everything matching (including self ashesive labels!) Sometimes this is necessary but quite often if the identity is strong enough, mixing the materials used can be a really positive asset to the identity.

Print and foiling by Ian Stopford at IST http://www.istprintingservices.co.uk/

Design by David Coyle at D8 in Glasgow and thanks for the lovely note as well (you'd never guess that their letterhead was on Colorset Solar!):

http://www.tacticalau.com/

http://www.weared8.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 12.05.2010

London Design Festival 2010

This is an invitation to a press conference in May announcing the plans for the 2010 London Design Fesitval.
The A4 size invitation (top left hand section of above) folds out to an A1 size poster (as above). It is printed on our Offenbach Bible 60gsm, which as regular readers of this blog will know, not only prints exceptionally well but folds beautifully and the paper has a lovely "rattle" in the hand. Perfect for a job like this. We also supplied bright red C4 envelopes for them to be sent out in.

Design is by Pentagram.
The designer is Beatrice Blumenthal from Domenic Lippa's team. Production by Kevin Purdy and print is by Principal Colour. Printed in two colours, black and red.
http://www.londondesignfestival.com/
http://www.pentagram.co.uk/
http://www.principalcolour.co.uk/