Studio Culture

Studio Culture is the publication produced by this year's graduating students from the Kingston School of Art at  Kingston University's Art and Design Faculty.

To accompany their end of year show, they produced a publication which is a visual diary of ideas in their final year, an insight into the way they worked and played, emphasising the studio culture which has been developed on the course.

There are two publications. There is a fold out broadsheet (above). The size is 225x160mm which folds out 640x450mm. This is used both as a poster and also has the details of all the individuals on the course. The folded broadsheet is inserted into the main 'Studio Culture' booklet as you can see in the below image...

Click on images to enlarge

Above is the front cover and below shows the front and back cover opened out. The size is 232x165mm, portrait and is saddle stitched. It is a 64pp 'self cover' publication.

The paper used for both parts is our Shiro Echo Bright White 90gsm. Shiro is a 100% Recycled text and cover paper from Favini and as I'm sure you will be able to see from the images below, it prints beautifully. The publication is printed offset litho in CMYK throughout.

Click on images to enlarge

It's a very interesting insight to the final year of the course. It is well written with articles by students and tutors.

Click on images to enlarge

Centre spread:

...even though it's a 64pp, because it's on 90gsm it flows beautifully.

Design is by Ellie Game, Caiah Morash, Harriet Payler, Karen Tsang, Amber Ng. It was Ellie Game who dealt with the paper (me) and also with the print production with Paul Martin at Jigsaw Colour printers.

This really is an excellent publication and so much more engaging than most 'end of year show' publications. This is a far more insightful piece of literature.


http://kingstongraphicshow.co.uk/
http://www.jigsawcolour.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 05.10.2017

Jobs from the past - Number 96

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...

Oyuna - Womenswear Autumn/Winter 2010

Founded in 2002 by Oyuna Tserendorj and launched with a capsule homeware collection, OYUNA was born out of a desire to showcase cashmere, and more importantly Mongolian cashmere in a contemporary manner. Growing exponentially, OYUNA was soon stocked in some of the world’s most prestigious department stores and boutiques alike, culminating in the launch of a ready-to-wear womenswear capsule collection in 2009.

This was one of the first look-books they created. The size of the publication is 220x170mm, portrait and is saddle stitched.

The images have lots of detail but many have dark shade garments (as this is Autumn Winter!) and therefore it was important to retain as much detail, especially in the dark areas. This is the reason that Omnia was chosen rather than a regular uncoated board, Omnia gives the uncoated look and feel but with great colour reproduction.

The 4pp cover is printed on Omnia, White 200gsm and the 16pp text is on Omnia, White 150gsm.  

It has just the right feel and flows well in the hand.

The founding values of OYUNA have never faltered, with meticulously sourced cashmere now sitting alongside the finest cotton and silk. The reproduction of these garments is really important and as you can see from the detail below, it is truly impressive...

Graphic design is by April. Printing is by Chadbon Printing based in London.

https://oyuna.com/
http://www.studio-april.com/
http://chrischadbonprinting.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 02.10.2017

National Poetry Day 2017

Today is National Poetry Day! The annual celebration that inspires people throughout the UK to enjoy, discover and share poems.

National Poetry Day was founded in 1994 by the charity Forward Arts Foundation and today it enjoys the support of the BBC, Arts Council England, the Royal Mail and leading literary and cultural organisations, alongside booksellers, publishers, libraries and schools.

...so what better day to write about a wonderful new poetry book, which just happens to be printed on our paper!

Tom Sharp is Creative Director, copywriter, co-founder of The Beautiful Meme,  a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts ...and Tom is also a poet! This is his latest publication titled 'English Pan'.

This is a 32pp publication which is 215x153mm, portrait and is singer sewn using black thread. It is printed in just one colour throughout.

There are twelve poems in the publication, all written by Tom Sharp. The superb illustrations are by Shaun Campbell.

The paper used for the 28pp text is our Neptune Unique Softwhite 120gsm, which is an uncoated off-white, smooth (yet tactile) text and cover paper - just the right material for black type to look brilliant on.

The 'cover' however, is a different matter and is actually on a brand new material in our range called SIXTIES and is 60gsm. It is a fine quality, similar to our Offenbach Bible in many ways but with one major difference - unlike a genuine bible paper which has a high opacity, this new paper has the same translucency as a tracing paper - but it feels like a normal paper! ...as I hope you can see from the picture below:

Wonderful use of a material for a cover - unexpectedly lightweight, covering up; yet revealing the title and it works superbly with the singer sewing:

Each one is hand numbered and a limited edition of 100 and my thanks to Tom for sparing me a copy.

The design is by the studio at The Beautiful Meme. Print and finishing is by Kingsbury Press.

https://nationalpoetryday.co.uk/

http://www.thebeautifulmeme.com/

http://kingsburypress.com/

http://www.studioscamps.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 28.09.2017

Punchline Tag

I first met Erika Rennel Björkman when she was working at Pentagram in John Rushworth's team back in the mid nineties (I know that's quite a long time ago now!). Even though Erika returned to Sweden with her young family we have still stayed in touch and she now lives and works in Stockholm.

Here is her range of her quirky and original "Punchline Tags" which combine a gift tag and greeting in a unique self-standing concertina card - and I think they're great (...they aren't even on our paper and I still think they're great!)

Erika now has an on-line shop here and you can read more about them here:

http://punchlinetag.tictail.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 26.09.2017

Manufactory

Yesterday, I popped into Old Spitalfields Market to an event that is part of the London Design Festival 2017. For this event Kingston School of Art’s Design Departments has migrate en-masse to the old market. They've reshaped the metal stalls as makerspaces and are inviting in locals, visitors, schools and businesses to re-imagine the Market together. It is Kingston's first whole-School event run by tutors, students and recent graduates and it runs 21–23 September at Old Spitalfields Market - so you can still catch it now - on today and on Saturday.

...and why should you go? Because there are 31 activities including live Signwriting (by Josh Hallam Holden who I met and is a very nice guy) to making chairs out of rubbish, a scribe and the wonderfully named Megatron.

Of particular interest is the "Paper-Print-Bind" section run by tutors Rose Gridneff, Andrew Haslam and Simon Goode.

Using waste card and paper collected from the Market itself, you can experience the process of book production from start to finish—through paper making, letterpress printing, and bookbinding.

Here is Simon Goode demonstrating handmade papermaking:

 ...and here is a visitor participating - she is actually couching (pronounced ‘coo-ching’) which is the term papermakers use to describe transferring a newly formed sheet of paper from the mould to the drying felts, which serves to remove the moisture:

 ...and a finished sheet of paper that I made!

Below is Andy Haslam printing on the Farley proofing press

...and Simon Goode getting visitors involved in book-making

These processes were historically prevalent in this area of the city - particularly towards Clerkenwell and are now used in the workshops at Kingston School of Art. Working with pre-digital processes gives their students a deeper understanding of materiality within graphic design. Well done to Kieran O'Connor for all his hard work co-ordinating the event.

..and a quick plug for the paper! the A2 size 'maps' are riso printed on our Redeem 100% Recycled 80gsm - lovely.

Why not go along today or tomorrow and have a go and connect to these traditional, locally significant methods of making, and take away your very own sketchbook in which to develop ideas for a productive future for Spitalfields!

www.manufactory.works

Posted by Justin Hobson 22.09.2017

The Bristol

The Doyle Collection is a carefully curated collection of eight Irish family-owned luxury and urban hotels. Each hotel has a strong identity that is closely connected to its location. Set in the city's vibrant harbourside, The Bristol’s contemporary exterior overlooks the busy harbour. With 187 well appointed guest rooms and suites, this is a wonderfully luxurious hotel.

Branding agency, Brave New World  undertook an extensive re-branding exercise of the parent brand and of each individual hotel. The work included everything from strategy to interior design, website, high-profile advertising campaigns and the literature for each hotel.

Click on images to enlarge

The size of the brochure is 260x185mm, portrait and is saddle stitched. The cover is printed on an uncoated 300gsm board. 

The brochure is saddle stitched using three stitches:

The text material chosen was our Omnia, which would beautifully reproduce the photography with the rich interiors and exteriors superbly  ...and it looks wonderful! The 20pp text is on Omnia White 150gsm, printed offset litho in CMYK throughout.

Click on images to enlarge

Image reproduction is paramount but it was also important that the publication also projected the tactility of the interiors and in the image below the detail of the wedding venue and the reproduction of the fine voile used on the chairs. An ordinary feeling silk or gloss coated paper wasn't an option, so Omnia fitted the bill perfectly.

Omnia is a very bulky paper but with a 20pp text and the saddle stitching, it lays nice and flat allowing each spread to be enjoyed without 'fighting' against the binding.

Branding and creative direction is by Brave New World. The designer on this project is Caroline King. Print by 21 Colour, based in Glasgow.

https://www.doylecollection.com/hotels/the-bristol-hotel
http://bravenewworld.co/
http://www.21colour.co.uk/
http://www.carolinelking.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 20.09.2017