Jobs from the past - Number 110

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...

Villa Frankenstein 2010

Journal of the British Pavilion, 12th International Architecture Exhibition

In 2010 the British Pavilion, for the British Council, was transformed into Villa Frankenstein by muf architecture. Drawing on the work of John Ruskin, the British Victorian social critic and historian of Venetian architecture, the pavilion acted as a stage for drawing, discussion and scientific enquiry.

Villa Frankenstein enabled an exchange of ideas between Venice and the UK, examining the city’s relationship with the UK and the situation of Venice as an archipelago that has given birth to some of the most iconic architecture in the world. In all of his writing, John Ruskin emphasised the connections between nature, art and society. He also made detailed sketches and paintings of rocks, plants, birds, landscapes, and architectural structures and ornamentation.

This is the publication to accompany the exhibition and the size is 260x163mm portrait, saddle stitched. There is a 4pp cover with a 32pp text and a centre CMYK 8pp section on a coated paper.

Photographic section, printed in CMYK on a coated paper... 

The 'Made in Venice' theme was continued through a series of separate installations in the outer galleries of the pavilion, including a 15 square-meter slice of salt marsh, showing a close‐up view of the native flora and fauna of the Venice Lagoon.

Click on images to enlarge

Printed offset litho throughout in two colours, blue and black (plus the CMYK centre photographic section). The paper used is our Favini SHIRO Alga Carta, White, chosen because it was in keeping with the sustainable nature of the project, because it is manufactured partly using algae harvested from the Venice lagoon, combined with recycled and FSC certified fibres. Algae blooms at the end of Summer in the Venice lagoon as the warm water combines with pollution and must be harvested to maintain the lagoon's eco-balance. The cover is on 300gsm and the text is on 120gsm and the relationship between text and cover is just right, it flows superbly:

Birds eye view...

If you aren't familiar with Shiro Alga Carta, the specs of Alga are actually visible in the sheet as you can see in the detail below:

Click on images to enlarge

The publication was published by the British Council. Design is by Axel Feldman at Objectif, a London based studio. Printing is by Papergraf based in Padova. 

http://www.objectif.co.uk/
http://www.papergraf.it/papergraf/en/

Posted by Justin Hobson 03.12.2018

Wynkyn De Worde Society

Some readers of this blog may know that for this past year, I've been chairman of the Wynkyn de Worde Society. Founded in 1957, the society takes it's name from William Caxton's journeyman, Wynkyn de Worde. After Caxton's death, de Worde set up his shop in Fleet Street, which therafter was for centuries perhaps the world's most famous centre of printing and publishing. This was in the 16th century, and the majority of people couldn't read - not just books but even shop signs. Wynkyn de Worde set up his shop under the 'sign of the sun' and it is this mark which the society uses today.

Throughout the year I have arranged a series of speakers, including Naomi Games, Michael Johnson, Jeremy Leslie, Luke Gifford and Stewart Drew. I also arranged a summer visit to Berlin, which was kindly hosted by Erik Spiekerman.

At the November Luncheon, I was presented by the committee and society with a gift, in thanks for being Chairman. It is this wonderful paperweight, hand-cut in slate by the Cardozo Kindersley Workshop.

Scale - 125mm diameter

David Kindersley, lettercutter, sculptor and inventor, started his workshop near Cambridge in 1946, having been apprenticed to Eric Gill. He was joined in 1976 by Lida Lopes Cardozo, beginning a partnership which lasted until David’s death in 1995. Today, the workshop is run by Lida, his widow, with her husband Graham Beck, it consists usually of two lettercutters and three apprentices.

This beautiful paperweight was made and cut by Hallam Kindersley, David's son

The circle is a universal symbol representing notions of totality, wholeness, the infinite, eternity and timelessness which perfectly links this wonderful piece to me and the past as David Kindersley was Chairman of the society in 1976, and Lida Cordozo Kindersley was Chairman in 1989. A wonderful gift and a great connection with the past and the heritage of the Society.

Below is an interesting interview with David Kindersley from 1976:

http://www.wynkyndeworde.co.uk/

http://www.kindersleyworkshop.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 30.11.2018

A Suit to Travel in

The Paul Smith brand (and person) has become synonymous with classic British tailoring and style. Renowned for well-made, good quality, simple cut clothing. Paul Smith designs are renowned for a splash of vibrant colour, a floral print or the signature multi-coloured stripes but they are equally known for the fabric. A suit to travel in is 100% wool and has stretch and crease-recovery properties that mean the suit will always look good, whatever the journey.

The finished size is A5 (210x148mm) portrait and it is a 6pp gatefold folding out to a finished size of 210x441mm

Below image showing outside, spread out flat...

Below image showing inside, flat

There is a piece of the fabric tipped in on the centre panel.

Birds eye image below showing the format...

The material chosen is our Omnia 320gsm which gives it that dead matt, tactile feel but with great reproduction, especially with the mono images and cool flat grey

You can see in the image below, how the Omnia has retained all the detail in the dark areas in the jacket...

Creative direction and design is by the in-house design team at Paul Smith. Printing is by Leicester based Greenshires with Richard Dalby handling the project. Beautifully printed and finished - a really well produced piece.

www.paulsmith.co.uk

http://www.greenshires.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 27.11.2018

British Book Design & Production Awards 2018

Yesterday evening,  I was lucky enough to be at the British Book Design and Production Awards which is hosted and run by the British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF) at London's Mountcalm Hotel in Marble Arch. A very lavish and swish occasion

I was kindly invited by Fenton Smith from London print company Boss Print, who were also one of the sponsors and printed the awards catalogue. Below is pictured Fenton (left) together with photographer Giles Revell, who's book 'Cartographic Colour' published by Concentric Editions was a finalist in the awards

On arrival, the nominated entries were all out on display and it was a truly wonderful array of books and catalogues. 

The evening was opened by Charles Jarrold, Chief Executive of the BPIF...

 ...a gathering of over 200 people from the world of publishing, print and design - and a few paper people in there as well!

Congratulation to all the finalists and award winners. You can read more about the entries and the winners here: https://www.britishbookawards.org/shortlist-winners-2018/ Below shows all the winners on stage...

Boss Print sponsored the category for 'Self Published Books' and they also produced the awards catalogue and the exquisitely produced boxes, in which the catalogues were locked away until the awards concluded and the keys were distributed so everyone could get their hands on the lovely catalogues.

Click on images to enlarge

It was a great evening - good company and food and my thanks go to Boss Print for inviting me and it was great meeting up with many other old friends on the table too.

https://www.bossprint.com/

https://www.britishbookawards.org/

Posted by Justin Hobson 23.11.2018

ISTD 90 Invitations

Founded in London in 1928, the ISTD turned 90 this summer. The Society has always been run on a voluntary basis and in June they organised a special celebration to recognise the huge contribution made over the years by board and committee members past and present.

The wonderfully substantial A5 invitations are hot foil blocked on our SUMO black 2mm thick board.

The invitations are simply hot foil blocked in metallic silver foil on both sides.

Click on images to enlarge

Below is an image of the blocks used for the hot foiling

Hosted at the iconic De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill on Sea, the event was an informal evening of friends, food and typographic fun provided by Andy Altmann, of Why Not Associates who gave a very amusing talk about the influence of seaside town humour and typography within his work  

As you can see from the image above, 2mm thick is really thick!

Playne Design executed the 90th anniversary identity, designer on the project was David Coates. The invitation was hot foil blocked by Pureprint, who have only just brought pre-press services such as hot foiling and UV varnishing in house.

https://www.istd.org.uk/
https://playnedesign.co.uk/
https://www.pureprint.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 20.11.2018 

Talkin’ ‘bout my g-g-g-generation

Here's a talk which is well worth getting tickets for... 

Design Educator Glen Robinson has been connecting generations of graphic design students and graduates with one another for over a decade.

Together with past students Rick Banks (Face37), Marianne Waller (CNN Digital) and current students Rowan Collins and Olivia Bush (studying Design for Publishing) they will share some personal insights from their creative lives and loves.

The talk is on Tuesday 27 November and the tickets are only £12.50 (concessions available)

You can read more about the talk here:
https://www.sbf.org.uk/whats-on/view/talkin-bout-my-g-g-g-generation/

You can buy tickets here:
https://billetto.co.uk/e/talkin-bout-my-g-g-g-generation-tickets-314532/select

Posted by Justin Hobson 16.11.2018

Carriage Works

Once a booming Victorian industrial town, Swindon’s reputation has suffered greatly since the Second World War. Swindon Borough Council recently commenced an ambitious regeneration plan for entire town. At its heart is the Railway Heritage Quarter, made famous by Brunel and Gough’s Great Western Railway in the 19th century.

The entire area is known as the Great Western Works (GWW) and the Carriage Works is a development for the tech and innovation business hub within GWW.

Size of the publication is 297x250mm, portrait with a 4pp cover on Omnia 320gsm and a 12pp text with two throw-outs (16pp total) printed on Omnia 150gsm.

Picture below shows the throw out...

Click on images to enlarge

The material chosen for the publication is our Omnia. This material has a high bulk, required as effectively this is only a 20pp brochure. The solid yellow, almost looks fluorescent, it is so vibrant. The photography and the CGI's have reproduced brilliantly on the Omnia.

Even though the 150gsm text paper is bulky, it still rolls and flows nicely in the hand without feeling too stiff and rigid....

Birds eye view, showing the two throw out pages:

Click on images to enlarge

A really nice feature is the singer sewn binding, which you can see here on both the exterior and interior of the publication.

Above showing exterior stitching (on the outside spine) and below showing the interior stitching on the centre pages.

The pantone special yellow is so vibrant!

Art direction and design is by Bell Integrated. You can read more about the whole project here: https://www.bell-integrated.co.uk/portfolio/great-western-works/. Printed offset litho throughout. The excellent print, repro and finishing is by Gavin Martin Colournet, based in London

https://www.bell-integrated.co.uk/
http://www.gavinmartincolournet.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 13.11.2018