Year: 2013

People, this is not a joke or ploy to get you as excited about paper as we are. Not sure that’s possible. We saw this post on one of our trusty client’s newsletters – AVANT Card. They featured a story on Uniform, a UK brand communications agency who have designed a device that plays music which has been printed on a postcard.

Using an emerging technology to print basic electronic circuits and components onto any surface, the paper postcard is docked in the player and you control the tunes by pressing buttons on the postcard. The interaction is very tactile, like the old days when we had vinyl record sleeves (yes, we’re old enough to remember). A little different to the feeling of sliding your finger across a screen. We do get that each has its place. And any homage to the LP is a winner with us.

Title: A lighting design PointofView
Agency: Liquorice Studio (VIC)
Client: PointofView
Stocks: HannoArt – Satin
Printed by: Bambra Press (VIC)

This beautiful, show stopping, magnificently crafted book was created for PointofView, a design consultancy who specialise in lighting design, audio visual and theatre systems design. Liquorice Studio in Melbourne are the creators of the book which showcases 10 years of the lighting company’s amazing catalogue of past works. The result is luminous (sorry, we couldn’t help ourselves with that one).

Liquorice Studio took inspiration from PointofView’s current logo which incorporates a circle motif. They built on the concept of a viewpoint, using light and shadow to create imagery. They had some fun experimenting with angles, focus, light densities and surfaces – which all created a suite of different effects. This is also the method they used to develop a typographic image for each chapter heading.

The finished book is 324 pages and printed on HannoArt. The cover is on 150gsm over an 1800um board weight and the text pages are on 130gsm. “We were drawn to HannoArt for its smooth finish and reliable print quality. We also felt that its bright white colour was perfectly suited for a book about lighting design. We were very impressed with the crisp detail and the rich depth of colour in all the high quality images.”

A special edition ‘glowing’ slip case was developed and the book title laser etched, to align with the printed cover. Pretty cool huh?! We certainly think so!

Title: Poppy Calhoun stationery project
Stocks: Buffalo Board / Buffalo Kraft
Printed by: Print Corner (VIC) – A4 folio covers

Poppy Calhoun (whose name we just love) recently completed a project as part of her diploma of graphic design at Swinburne University. The items included a mini folio, CV, business card, letter head and envelopes. See above for a winning example of creating something eye catching on a minimal budget that looks amazing and reflects individual personality. Score.

Choosing Buffalo Board 332gsm was a point of difference for Poppy for both textural and environmental reasons. Combining this with a custom made stamp (from Simon Stamps in the USA) provided texture and personality and just the right amount of home made feel. She even stamped and hand cut all of her business cards and other branded pieces herself. She printed the letterhead on her home inkjet on the Buffalo Kraft 80gsm, used her local printer for the A4 folio covers which are printed in black and white, then hand stitched the binding using red thread.

A lot of work yes, but Poppy has clearly put her heart into this little suite of design goodness that we’re chuffed she’s used our stock for.

Part of Mohawk’s campaign ‘What will you make today?’ includes this video about designer Massimo Vignelli and his approach to book design. The short clip, created by Pentagram’s Michael Bierut and team, follows Massimo’s passion and unique method of designing books.

This video is an animation of one of Massimo’s classic designs showcasing architect, Richard Meier, as an example. Each page is drawn in pencil (as Massimo finds doing this by hand much faster than with a computer) and uses a grid as a guide for the initial layout stage. The grid determines the position of the photographs and “…is an integral part of book design. It’s not something that you see. It’s just like underwear: you wear it, but it’s not to be exposed. The grid is the underwear of the book.” Massimo explains while chuckling in the video.

Michael and his team at Pentagram created a corresponding journal featuring the grid, beautifully carried through to the front and back covers with a debossed effect applied. This limited edition journal is available from Mohawk’s website.

The ‘What will you make today?’ campaign launched last year together with Mohawk’s new identity. Stay tuned for more short clips planned later this year.

Agency: Lure Graphics
Client: The Catch Up Notes Co.
Stocks: Concept Vellum

The Catch Up Notes Co. is a new company specialising in stationery and one of our fave stationery items – sticky notes, recently approached Lure Graphics (a design studio in Melbourne) and asked them to create a brand new identity for their company. It was important to The Catch Up Notes Co. to draw attention to the paper and printing process. After all, stationery is their business!

After brain storming a range of ideas, Lure Graphics decided to amplify the sticker-like aesthetic of the branding and emboss the logo. Concept Vellum – Radiance 352gsm (now called Strathmore Premium Wove) was chosen for its warm tone and subtle texture, which complimented the rubine red and black hues perfectly. The paper choice, emboss and colour palette became a match made in heaven! Everything came together, demonstrating the attention to detail that The Catch Up Notes Co. is known for. Overall, Lure Graphics wanted to embrace the confidence in the brand and give it a fresh, strong presence that communicates professionalism. An element they bring to all their stationery notes.

Title: JPP Synthetic – H Grade is back!
Stocks: JPP Synthetic – C Grade / JPP Synthetic – H Grade / JPP Synthetic – T Grade

We had a lot of fun working on our latest promotion for JPP Synthetic, a range of polypropylene paper products. The big news is H Grade is back! JPP Synthetic is available in H, T and C Grades, all strong, durable and water resistant, yet each has their own unique qualities.

The promotion includes a target shooting set, water pistol and shelf wobblers. An A5 postcard was also printed to be included within the K.W.Doggett Fine Paper JPP Synthetic swatch. The original concept of this promotion came from Sam Barnes, the winner of a student competition in 2010. Sam’s unique design was re-worked to suit the announcement that H Grade is back and this is what he came up with!

JPP Synthetic is a high tear resistant product, with superior printing and drying capabilities. H Grade features a clay matt coating on both sides of the sheet. Print it with conventional printing processes and inks and deliver end uses like menus, maps, shelf wobblers, plant and industrial tags or labels and point of sale signage. H Grade is also suitable for folding and hole punching, as well as packaging applications.

T Grade has a semi-gloss finish and is similar to C Grade which has a matt finish, but is slightly denser. This  makes T Grade whiter, more opaque, flexible and difficult to tear. C Grade is stiff with a cardboard type quality and suited for applications that require rigidity, such as book covers and food menus. The entire JPP Synthetic range is suitable for both indoor and outdoor purposes.

If you’d like to know more about our JPP Synthetic range, contact our Business Development Manager and synthetic expert, Chris Jackson on (03) 8470 2244.