Nobile Folios

I have just received a copy of this really exquisite piece of literature published by Sylph Editions in association with London art gallery, Piano Nobile.

This new series of publications are Monographic explorations of 20th and 21st Century masters. Each booklet explores one painting and one painting only. This picture by Mark Gertler is called 'Bathers 1917-1918' and is set alongside a story called 'Trees at a Sanatorium' specially written for this publication by Shaun Lewis.

There are several facets to this job which it is impossible to appreciate without actually handling the job. The size of  240x282mm just feels right (can't always explain that one!). It has an 8pp cover and a 32pp text. The material choice is perfect - it is Omnia Natural 200gsm cover and 120gsm text which again just 'feels' right. The material and the image work perfectly together with the subtle tactile nature of the Omnia and the brushwork of the painting. The binding is three hole sewn BUT with two lots - which looks great in the red thread.

The publication comes beautifully packaged in a folio box made using our Rib-Tone 1 sided. Comptletely unprinted (and therefore quite economical) the box is held closed by a locking tab and personalised with a belly band - the whole package looks great.

The project is designed and art directed by Ornan Rotem at Sylph Editions with assistance by Num Stibbe and in this job, even the typeface gets credited! 'set in Hoefler and Frere-Jones's Verlag, an affable Modernist typeface, drawing its inspiration from early 20th century rationalist geometric designs such as Futura'

The superb print and finishing is by Principal Colour in Paddock Wood.

http://www.piano-nobile.com/

http://www.sylpheditions.com/

http://www.principalcolour.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 20.10.2010

ISTD Stammtisch - 13th October 2010

Talking Books was an event held last Wednesday hosted by the ISTD (International Society of Typographic Designers) at The Russian Club Studios in London E8 . It involved a series of short presentations by a variety of speakers talking about a book of their choice. The speakers included Ken Hollings, Fraser Muggeridge, Caroline Roberts, Gary Bird, Lucienne Roberts, Hana Tanimura, Gilmar Wendt and me! 

It was a great evening which was amazingly interesting and diverse both in terms of the people giving the presentations and the books that they spoke about. It was very oversubscibed  and I should guess there were at least 120 in the audience.

This is me doing my talk...

Afterwards everyone got a chance to handle the books that had been spoken about (with cotton gloves on, of course!)

I can't give a complete transcript of the evening as it  would take far too long. The speakers were all excellent (probably with the exception of me!) and in particular Lucienne Roberts who spoke so passionately and coherently about her book on Sister Corita and CSM MA student Hana Tanimura about our book buying and owning culture - she's writing her dissertation on this subject  All in all a really interesting evening.

And I guess you're asking "which book did Justin talk about"? Well, in some ways it isn't a book at all - it could almost be described as a "de-constructed" book, as it has no binding! It's a job for the NatWest Media Centre at Lords Cricket ground produced for Future systems by Cartlidge Levene in 1999. Unfortunately I haven't got time to write about it fully now but it will feature as one of my "Jobs from the Past" posts (which is the first post of every month). But for now, here's one picture of it so you get the idea!

Finally thanks to the ISTD for hosting and arranging the evening. I thing these events are excellent and I think that everyone who's practising in this creative industry should make an effort to get to this sort of event once in a while. Otherwise we all exist in our own little work bubble and often don't get exposed to what else is out there and different ideas and thinking. Special thanks to Belinda Magee and Paulus Dreibholz and all at ISTD. For next event, email to stammtisch@istd.org.uk.

http://www.istd.org.uk/
http://www.helveticcentre.ch/

Posted by Justin Hobson 18.10.2010

Bookmarks

This is a set of Bookmarks which were commissioned by high street and online retailer Urban Outfitters as giveaways (with a purchased book, of course) for their Bookclub.    

 Size is 185x55mm. They are printed on Omnia 320gsm. Originally Chloé wanted to use our Flockage Litho 300gsm and the job was proofed on that, but given the wide range of different illustrative styles, it worked well on some but not so well on others, so Omnia which gives an uncoated and substantial feel to the bookmarks was chosen as it would work with any of the illustrations.

Design and Art Direction is by Chloé Wolfe-Cowen at Urban Outfitters. They are litho printed in CMYK with a single colour reverse. Print is by R. Young and Son in Croydon.

To see all ten bookmarks and details of the designers/illustrators names, look at www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/page/bookclub

...and thanks for the note Chloé.

http://www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/

http://www.ryoungprint.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 13.10.2010

Rupert Shrive - After St. Theresa

This is a lovely exhibition catalogue designed and produced by Jalloro for London art gallery, Morton Metropolis.

The catalogue shows the work of artist Rupert Shrive, for the exhibition titled "After St. Theresa". The catalogue covers his work including Sculptures, Configurations and Love Songs. His work is produced using mainly brown packaging paper which has been "scrunched up" torn and shaped to form these amazing artworks - so with that in mind, Rib-Tone which is one of our cover boards that looks like wrapping paper has been used to great effect on the cover.

The size of the catalogue is 150x210mm, Portrait, section sewn binding and the spine is 9mm.

The job has an 4pp cover with 95mm flaps on Rib-Tone [2 sided] 340gsm with a 80pp text on Marazion Ultra 170gsm. The Marazion Ultra was chosen mainly because of it's matt flatness which would reproduce the artworks well without a glossiness which would detract from the tactile subject. A simple but effective choice of materials.

 

Design is by Jalloro, who are based in London and the Creative Director on this project was James Robinson.

Print production is by Footprint Innovations based in Tunbridge Wells and the project was handled by Stuart Hillcock.

http://www.mortonmetropolis.com/
http://www.jalloro.com/
http://www.fpiltd.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 13.10.2010

Forward Thinking - Conference at St Brides

Today I received a printed note from Alex Cooper and Rose Gridneff (the joint letterpress gurus!) about a conference that they are helping to organise at St Brides on 19th November.

Looks like it will be an interesting day. Have a look at  http://www.stbride.org/events?show=letterpress_1

...and thanks for the lovely note (printed on some of our lovely paper!)

http://www.stbride.org/

Posted by Justin Hobson 12.10.2010

Johnston Works - Party time!

Last Thursday evening I was invited to a party at the Dining Rooms in Lots Road, Chelsea hosted by Johnston Works for friends and associates that work with them and it was a very jolly time.

Thank you to everyone at Johnston Works for making me feel so welcome and a special thank you to Kirsten Johnston (pic above) for inviting me.

Here are some very badly taken pictures of mine to record the event showing Remy Jauffret (below)

...and Stuart Simpson in thoughtful discussussion with Roy Killen from Push Print.

http://www.johnstonworks.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 11.10.2010

ISTD-Stammtisch 1: Talking Books

The International Society of Typographic Designers (ISTD) is pleased to announce the first of its Stammtisch* events: Talking Books. It is to be held next Wednesday (13th October) at 7pm at the Russian Club Gallery, 340-344 Kingsland Road E8 4DA

* ‘Stammtisch’ = German for ‘Regulars’ Table’, ‘regular get-together’.

The event is hosted in conjunction with the Helvetic Centre on the occasion of the Most Beautiful Swiss Books 2009 exhibition organized by the Swiss Federal Office of Culture. (All awarded books will be accessible at the event.)

Talking Books will host a series of short presentations by speakers from a variety of backgrounds, each of them talking about a book of their choice and their personal and/or professional relation to it. We expect stories about form, format, layout, production, history, content, structure, editorial quality, imagery, and much more. Most books presented during the evening will be available for the audience to see and handle.

Speakers include
Gary Bird (Managing Director of Gavin Martin)
Justin Hobson (paper consultant, Fenner Paper)
Ken Hollings (writer, editor, lecturer)
Fraser Muggeridge (designer)
Caroline Roberts (co-owner of Grafik Magazine)
Lucienne Roberts (designer, writer)
Hana Tanimura (designer, student)
Gilmar Wendt (designer, writer)

Talking Books is an open and free event, but will operate on a guest list basis. For further information or reservations please send an email to stammtisch@istd.org.uk.

...and yes you did read correctly, I am speaking! - so no rotten eggs from the audience please!
http://www.istd.org.uk/,
http://www.helveticcentre.ch/

Posted by Justin Hobson 08.10.2010