Graphic Design History Resources

We Made This is the design practice of Alistair Hall who's work has appeared on this blog many times before. He is also an author and an Associate Lecturer on the Graphic Design BA course at the School of Art at London Metropolitan University.

...and this is what he wrote on his blog:

"One of the things I’ve noticed each year though is that students often struggle when it comes to finding useful places to look for inspiration when they search online.* If you’re new to design, it can be hard to filter, to work out what you should really be looking at. The problem seems to be the massive gravity of Google Image Search and Pinterest, which exerts a pull that students find hard to escape."

The result is Alistair has created a list of some really great graphic design archives and resources, which you can find here:

https://www.wemadethis.co.uk/blog/2021/09/graphic-design-history-resources/

Alistair is not claiming this is an entirely comprehensive list, just a useful resource ..and indeed it is. 

As he goes on to say:

We’re at an exciting time in our industry’s history, when the established canon of graphic design is being questioned, examined, and reformed, so that it’s no longer the preserve of middle-aged straight white men. That said, the following list still leans heavily in that direction, partly because the industry leant heavily in that direction for many, many years. But great strides are being made, and as we look forwards, the industry is beginning to reflect the true diversity of society.

Thanks Alistair!

https://www.wemadethis.co.uk/blog/2021/09/graphic-design-history-resources/

Posted by Justin Hobson 23.09.2021

Thank you...

IST Printing are Hot Foil Blocking and Embossing specialists. Based in Glasgow, IST is run by Ian Stopford and he has a real passion for foiling and the finest print finishes. His work for clients based all over the country has appeared many times on this blog before.

Ian has just printed these 'Thank You' cards to send out with completed orders...

The cards are A6, Landscape (105x148mm) and are printed on our Shiro Echo 100% Recycled in Raw Grey and Raw Sand 350gsm.

Click on images to enlarge

The front of the card is hot foil blocked and embossed. On the reverse of the card, the details of the reorder number and the stock and foil type used...

You can see the detail of the superb embossing here...

Click on images to enlarge

Below you can see the wonderful hot foil blocking, which is using Foilco Black 7067NAB, which is a smudge resist foil. 

Dies are made by Metallic Elephant.

My thanks to Ian for sending me file copies and I know he is working on other items which he says he will send me...

https://www.istprinting.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 21.09.2021

De La Warr Pavilion - Join Us

This is the membership leaflet for the De La Warr Pavilion. The De La Warr pavilion is on the seafront in Bexhill in Sussex and is an iconic modernist building by the architects Erich Mendelsohn and Serge Chermayeff which opened in 1936. Following a major renovation in 2005, the pavilion hosts many shows, exhibitions and cultural events.

It is an A5 (210x148mm) portrait 6pp gatefold, folding out to 210x444mm. First spread below...

Folding out to...

Click on images to enlarge

Ostensibly, this is a just leaflet but this has been printed on Omnia 150gsm which means that rather than feeling like the vast majority of mass produced leaflets printed on a cheap bit of coated paper, this has real character and value. Equally the design and the wonderful flat colours sit nice and flat, really work to make this feel anything but a leaflet!

Above shows birds eye image. Below shows the solid cover around the fold which hasn't cracked at all.

The De La Warr identity and design (including the website) is by Playne Design who have studios in London and Hastings. Creative Director is Clare Playne. You can read more about the creation of the identity here: https://playnedesign.co.uk/our-work/de-la-warr-pavilion/#branding-modernist-cultural-icon

...and of course, like many cultural institutions, the De La Warr Pavilion has been closed for periods of time over the last 18 months during the Covid crisis, so what better time to support them and become a member! It is very reasonable and there are many benefits, which you can see online here...

https://www.dlwp.com/support/membership/

Posted by Justin Hobson 17.09.2021

TIC CC

TIC CC is a UK brand of performance cycling clothing. Created for road athletes looking to achieve extraordinary things, their products are defined by the finest technical fabrics, hours of development and testing time, and a unique ‘peloton style’ aesthetic. The brand is also passionate in their commitment to sustainability...

Make responsibly — protect the irreplaceable! As riders we see it as our duty to do all we can to reduce the harm, protect the irreplaceable and make a positive difference. We are as passionate about ‘how we make’ as we are ‘what we make’

This is the printed promotional literature for their SS21 collection, used both as a mailer and sent out together with orders. The format is a 16pp, folded concertina, as you can see here...

The finished size is 240 x 170mm, folding out to 480 x 680mm.

Click on images to enlarge

Centre spread...

The concept for their SS21 photo shoot was based around the notion of ‘where we have been and where we are heading’. "We are more aware of the fragility of the world we live in based on our recent experiences of the pandemic. But tough challenges can lead to reflection, empowerment and renewed optimism. It’s the human spirit in action. The photography captures the optimism and sense of progression for the TICCC brand. This is a positive year for us as 95% of the SS21 collection uses performance fabrics made from recycled fibres. No mean feat considering less than 10% of the worlds fibre production is made with recycled materials."

Fully extended spread...

folding out to...

Click on images to enlarge

Be the Change - main spread

Released this April, this promo focuses on their spring/summer collection which reflects the change we all need to be. It represents their commitment to setting new industry standards for sustainability.

...and what about the paper? Well it has to be 100% recycled and our Shiro Echo, White in 100gsm was chosen, not just because it is recycled but it would handle the high density black CMYK coverage and the fluoro orange would "pop" out!

...and it works beautifully.

Printing is by Identity Print in Paddock Wood and as I hope you can tell from the images, they have made a fantastic job. The solid black is amazing but still letting the images and the detail within them work.

Creative direction and design is by TIC CC and Hugh Miller.

Interestingly, having spoken to the company founder, Andrew Monk, about the project, I learnt that this is their first piece of promotional print. As an online retailer, all their information is available online, but he increasingly regards print as an important way of getting their messaging and brand across, which is great news. After all, in this virtual world, there's nothing as immediate as something physical you can just pick up and read.

https://tic-cc.com/

http://www.identityprint.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 24.09.2021

K is for...

This is a beautiful little book, which is a personal project for printer and bookbinder Katherine Anteney sent to my colleague Sarah Glennie. Produced in an edition of 200 of which 140 copies went to the Oxford Guild of printers. 

Size is 156x124mm, portrait with a 4pp cover and 8pp text which is cut short on the width at 156x124mm and is printed Letterpress throughout using this fantastic letter K in woodblock type.

The cover is printed on our Colorset (100% Recycled) Solar 270gsm and the text is on StarFine Natural 100gsm. Below image shows the front and back cover spread out...

A particularly nice touch is the use of a pink staple on the binding - one steel and one pink 

A really lovely little job and thanks to Katherine for sending it to Sarah!

https://katherineanteney.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 10.09.2021

Has Covid killed off business cards for good?

This is the title of an interesting article from the BBC News website focusing on new technology and the alternatives to a printed business card...

...and definitely worth a read HERE

I've written about business cards and the size of business cards before HERE

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58419842

Posted by Justin Hobson 07.09.2021

Jobs from the past - Number 142

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 projects from years gone by and this is from 2009.

Misfits - Channel 4 November 2009

This is a promotional Zine produced by Channel 4 to promote their series called Misfits, which is about five young outsiders on Community Service who get caught in a strange storm and discover that they have developed superpowers. This Zine was published as a promotional item before the premier which was aired on Thursday 12th November 2009.

I got a call from Alice Tonge at Channel 4 Creative who briefed me along with Keeley Pratt about the project wanted to produce a publication as close to a Zine as possible. The design and illustration can create the look but the materials are thing that clinch it!

Size is 260 x 165mm and it has a 4pp cover and a 24pp text.

Above you can see the high gloss cover - and this is where the Zine magic happens, because Astralux being a 'Cast Coated' paper it has a high gloss surface one side and is uncoated on the reverse, so you get the juxtaposition of the high gloss coated with the toothy uncoated reverse (printed purple) as I hope you will be able to see in the image below...

The cover is printed on a lightweight 170gsm Astralux 1 sided. Inside front spread...

The text is printed in CMYK, offset litho on our Marazion Ultra 90gsm. This is a lightweight paper with a matt coating but which has an amazing bulk, tactile feel and excellent opacity for 90gsm. It feels just right for this project, reprocing the illustrations and flat cover with the zine look and feel...

Centre spread...

The 24pp text just rolls and flops like a Zine would do on a lightweight paper 

This is the perfect facsimile of a Zine. It's one of those projects I look back on and feel that the end result hit the brief perfectly. Art direction and design is in house by 4 Creative with Alice Tonge as creative director and Keeley Pratt as producer. Print production is by Tag Worldwide and the print and finishing is by Principal Colour based in Paddock Wood, Kent.

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/misfits

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

Posted by Justin Hobson .02.09.2021