What is ...Laid Paper?



What is ...Number 11

Regular followers of this blog will know that in the middle of the month, I publish a "What is ....? post. The article covers various aspects of paper, printing and finishing in greater depth. However, many of these subjects are complex, so these posts are only intended to be a brief introduction to the topic.

What is ...Laid Paper?

Modern day laid paper is a simulated effect to re-create something that was charcteristic in handmade papers. When paper was made by hand, a frame with a wire mesh was used. The crude wire mesh formed a pattern in the paper and it is this pattern which is now synonymous with the term 'laid paper' today. It was quite often combined with the papermakers mark, which has translated today into what we understand as a watermark.

Today, what is considered as a 'traditional' laid pattern consists of a series of wide-spaced lines (commonly 25mm apart) which are called "Chain Lines" and more narrowly spaced lines which are at 90 degrees to the chain lines, which are called "Laid Lines"

 

Typical machine made Laid paper pattern.

The laid pattern is created during the early stages of paper manufacture using a "Dandy Roll", This skeletal roll made from copper wire with a laid mesh pattern, skims the top side of the paper on the machine at the point that the paper is still very wet. The pattern is pressed on the surface whilst also displacing the fibres causing areas of higher and lower density, this has the result that the pattern is apparent both on the surface and on looking through the sheet. The picture above shows the Dandy Roll on the paper machine and the picture below shows a close up of the mesh type nature of the skeletal Dandy Roll.

There are many types of Laid papers which can made. The Chain lines can be closer together or further apart or only chain lines, as in what is often called "broad laid", pictured below.

...and here are two types of what are often described as "Antique Laid" or "Rustic Laid"

It's worth pointing out that machine made Laid papers are made to a specific orientation, which is dictated by the direction of the machine. The chain lines run parallel to the machine direction and the laid lines run horizontally across the width of the machine.

In recent decades, Laid papers have been used as 'prestigious' stationery although arguably the look is now seen as a bit cliched. It is rarely, but occassionally, used as text and cover papers but often used as end papers.

Posted by Justin Hobson 18.11.2014

Jo Malone - Michael Angove

Jo Malone is a London based company renowned for British bespoke fragrances for Women, Men and the Home. Michael Angove who specialises in refined highly detailed chinoiserie wallpaper has created exquisite, bespoke designs for Jo Malone London inspired by Blackberry & Bay and Orange Blossom. This is the literature for this limited edition home collection.

The 8pp, self cover, booklet is 150mm square and is saddle stitched. Reflecting the tactile, natural subject matter, the paper chosen is Modigliani Candido 260gsm - it is a feltmarked paper with a texture reminiscent of a watercolour paper.  

The reproduction of these softly rendered images on the Modigliani is just right, while the inside back spread (below) reflects the style of the brand packaging in a signature cream box with black corners - packaging which defines quality and an understated style.

Art direction and design is by the Jo Malone design team. Print production is by Mark Pitman at CPI Colour based in Croydon.

www.jomalone.co.uk
http://cpibooks.com/uk/commercial/

Posted by Justin Hobson 17.11.2014

There's a new Elephant in the room!

This is the invitation to the launch of the special 20th issue of the art culture magazine, Elephant. Astrid Stavro and Pablo Martin of Atlas Studio have overseen a fairly comprehensive redesign of this highly revered publication.

The invitation at the event last month in the Riflemaker gallery is designed by Esme Winter, a London-based designer partnership creating lifestyle accessories and stationery.

Esme, working with Richard Sanderson produce items that are crafted with hand-binding, weaving and beautiful print. You can see their work here: http://www.esmewinter.co.uk/

The A6 invitation is printed letterpress in two colours, black one side and dark blue reverse. The board chosen for the invitation is our new Crush Citrus 350gsm. This is our lovely new paper from Favini, made using agro-industrial residues from the processing of citrus fruit in Italy and replacing up to 15% tree pulp. You can read about it here:
http://www.favini.com/graphic_specialities/en/crush-prd-26.php

 

Printed letterpress at LCBA in London and thanks to Simon Goode at LCBA for taking the time to send me some file copies.



 

...and here's the magazine the event is to launch:

http://www.frameweb.com/news/there-s-a-new-elephant-in-the-room
http://www.esmewinter.co.uk/
www.londonbookarts.org

Posted by Justin Hobson 13.11.2014

Guardian News & Media 2014 sustainability report

This is the printed summary of the Guardian News & Media sustainability report. The whole 2014 report is available online http://www.theguardian.com/sustainability but this is the printed report produced to give out to staff and partners.

The size of the report is 148mm square, saddle stitched and has a 4pp cover and 16pp text. The publication is printed on our Shiro Echo, Bright White which is 100% recycled and also carries FSC certification.

The report is beautifully illustrated by Laurent Cilluffo.

http://www.laurentcilluffo.com/

Design is by the in-house design team at The Guardian. Production handled by Leon Abrahams.

Print is by Cantate, a division of the John Good Group and thanks to Jason Maclaren at Cantate for sending me file copies.

www.theguardian.com/sustainability
http://www.laurentcilluffo.com/
http://www.cantatecommunications.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 11.11..2014

Beautiful Wedding Invitation

This is a beautifully produced invitation for a wedding held this summer. Katherine Heaton is Account Director at Johnson Banks, so the invitation designed by her colleagues in the studio was bound to be something special.

The invitation and supporting items are all 140mm square. The items are all printed on our Colorset, Natural (100% recycled). The main invitation is triplexed 350gsm which makes it over 1.5mm thick.

The invitation is gilt edged in gold which makes the best of the thickness and looks just beautiful. 

The 140mm square cards all fit into the 155mm square envelope that we also keep as a standard size in the Colorset range.

Print production for the invitations and supporting cards is by Pureprint. All items were digitally printed using an HP Indigo press.

The wedding and reception was held at Voewood, a renowned arts and crafts house in Norfolk which is owned and run by the celebrity antiquarian bookseller Simon Finch.

www.johnsonbanks.co.uk

www.pureprint.com

www.voewood.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 06.11.2014

Jobs from the past - Number 61

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...

HRP Textile Conservation Studio 
Five Year Review 1991-1996

This is beautifully produced report produced by the Historic Royal Palaces in 1996. It has a fantastic, tactile quality and the design makes the most of the rich subject matter which the palaces have at their disposal. Based at Hampton Court Palace and originally managed by the William Morris Company, the studio now plays an integral part of the conservation efforts of the HRP.

Size of the brochure is 297x210mm portrait and is perfect bound with a 4mm spine. It has a 4pp cover with a mixture of text papers, combining an uncoated feltmark paper with a high gloss 'real art' paper. The cover features a 55mm square cut out which allows the detail from the 'Departure of Abraham' tapestry from 1540 to show through.

The paper used for the cover is Dali Neve 240gsm on the cover and a combination of Dali Neve 160gsm and Concorde Pure Brilliance 135gsm for the text.

One of the things that makes this a really special publication is the choice of materials used. From a range of different papers shown to the client, the feedback was that "Dali is the paper which most represents the tactility and weave of cloth". I recall that Dali was selected over other linen embossed papers, which were regarded as far too 'Faux'

You can see from these pictures showing the close up detail, how well the detail of the tapestry reproduces and how the subtle feltmark pattern is both tactile and visual conveying the image of woven cloth.

The image reproduction of the high gloss coated paper (Concorde Pure Brilliance 135gsm) is superb - remember, this was in the days when a transparency was scanned, colour separations made and film produced before plates were made - nothing digital going on here! ...and the result is superb. This piece of print looks so fresh and outshines many pieces of print that I pick up and handle today.

Design is by Big Active www.bigactive.com. The designer who worked on the project was Mark Watkins. In 2001 Mark left Big Active moving to Derbyshire, where he established his own studio called LUCK.

 

The job was printed by a company called Penshurst Press based in Tunbridge Wells. Sadly the company is no longer around, however Alan Flack and Martin Darby who worked at there (and produced this job) went on to form their own printing company called Principal Colour and their work still features on this blog from time to time.

Just one final thing I've noticed - due to the mixture of text pages it has been perfect bound rather than section sewn (and PUR was only for longer runs in those days) - well, it is holding together perfectly, with no sign of degradation - not bad for nearly 20 years old!

http://conservation100.hrp.org.uk/about/
www.bigactive.com
www.thisisluck.com
http://www.principalcolour.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 03.11.2014

Pip MacCallum Identity

Imagist has produced the identity for a bridal shoe designer, Pip MacCallum, including printed stationery, with brilliant and stunning simplicity!

In the words of Imagist "During the development of the ideas, we noticed that Pip’s name has two of every letter, with the exception of the letters U and I. We thought this was remarkable, for someone who designs bridal shoes!"

The result is a design where these two individual letters are cut out - the device is used throughout the identity. On the printed material, the U and the I on the front of the literature is laser cut.

On the cards and letterheads the U and I are laser cut on the front and a simple ampersand is printed on the reverse, so that you read Pip MacCallum on the face, and U & I on the reverse ...very clever indeed!

The entire suite of literature is printed on our StarFine White. The letterhead is printed on 115gsm and the cards, postcards and swing tags are all printed on 350gsm.

Swing tag

The identity has been created by Imagist, a London based studio. Art direction and design is by Colm Roche and Rose Brissenden.

You can read more about the project here: http://www.imagistlondon.com/pip-maccallum.html

Although this is a simple piece of print, the execution has to be done well and this is done very well. Print production including the laser cutting has been handled by Paul McCarthy at Colt Press based in Essex.

http://www.imagistlondon.com/
www.colt-press.co.uk

Posted by Justin Hobson 30.10.2104