Printing

Think Ink.

Designers that work with print, hopefully think about ink on a regular basis. Ink is the primary vehicle used to complete your printed vision. No matter what your work looks like on screen, the way it is printed, the paper it’s printed on, and the quality of the ink used will impact the final outcome. The video below isn’t new. It actually came out about 6 years ago, but it’s worth watching.

This short film by The Printing Ink Company in Canada takes you through the process, techniques and craft of ink creation. That’s right, the “Craft”, because making ink is a complex process requiring skills and experience to get the best results. The Printing Ink Company shares their methods used to create every color in the PANTONE spectrum and beyond. The challenges they face getting it right, and the attention to detail they put into making every can of ink.

This is a must watch for art students, designers and everyone else in the business that is designing printed materials.

Alphabets of Wood.

I’ll admit it, I’m a type junkie. I have been for a long time, and there is no 12 step program to cure me of this affliction. It’s part of being a graphic designer, and someone who has spent the better part of his adult life playing with, using and building with typography to create something new and unique.

This morning when I was out on the Hamilton Wood Type Museum website (yes there is a museum dedicated to wood typography) I came across a book for sale that will be going into my reference stack asap.

“Alphabets of Wood. Luigi Melchiori and the history of Italian wood type” is the most recent addition to the latest wave of books dedicated to the history of wood type used in printing presses before digital, and before metal type became the standards of the day. It is also the first book to seriously look at the historical and cultural significance of Italian wood type manufacturers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

“This book sprung from an encounter with the life and work of Luigi Melchiori, a skilled craftman who lived and worked during the late ninteenth and early twentieth centuries in Crespano del Grappa – a small community at the foothills of the Alps in the Veneto Region. It is a tribute to a maker of alphabets of wood. The authors, James Clough and Chiara Scattolin, develop a private and professional artist’s profile, the history of the wood type and its progressive use in typography. The archive “Luigi Melchiori” is part of Tipoteca Italiana’s collections.”

1-of-1 Porsche’s and More.

As someone who’s formal eduction, training and work experience is in the filed of art and graphic design, I have a profound appreciation for the work of 1-of-1. The posters shown below have a flattened refined look that will stand the test of time. The visual simplicity highlights the car’s silhouette . There is just enough detail to keep things visually interesting without detracting from the aesthetic of the automobile, or the overall visual design. Limited color pallets and flat graphics help to enhance the overall feel of the posters themselves. The designer has worked closely with each client to capture personal details that really make each print one of a kind.

1-of-1 is the brain child of Australian designer Steve Schenko and it grew out of the creation of a one off print of one of his advertising clients Porsche 911 GT3. That single poster caught the eye of a number of automotive enthusiasts and the rest is history. Well history in the making since he is just starting out. Right now Schenko is open to taking commissions on poster designs for your personal automotive or motorcycle baby. The posters are one of a kind images printed on 310GSM artist stock paper, and signed by the artist.

How To Make A Book.

Most of us don’t really think about what goes into making a book when we pick one up. The beautifully shot and edited video below shows in exquisite detail the art of making a book by hand. This video has such a nice look to it, and it really let’s you appreciate the craftsmanship of something made by hand.