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How comic books have seen off their arch-enemies
The unique nature of the printed comic sector’s consumers is helping to protect it from the challenges of rising production costs, the internet and digital devices. Quite simply, fans want to display the books on their shelves
Thanks to the large collector community of ‘pannapictagraphists’, comic books once looked set to be one of the last bastions of ink on paper.
But, as with many other printed forms, over the past decade, the internet and digital tablet devices have eaten into the market share of comic books, causing many publishers and comic shops to disappear. Over the same period, the number of pannapictagraphists has dwindled, with fewer now making the Wednesday morning pilgrimage to their local comic shop (the day new issues arrive).
It sounds like a depressing state of affairs, but is all this Doctor Doom and gloom misplaced? After all, last week, over four days, more than 130,000 people were expected to go through the doors of the annual Comic-Con in San Diego, one of the biggest comic showcases. And, in recent months, comic publishers have employed controversial tactics that have helped to revive flagging sales of ‘floppy’ comics, with even grander initiatives planned for later in the year. So, is the death of the printed comic nigh or is this merely another twist in the form’s evolution?
For the full article see here: http://www.printweek.com/Printing/article/1082547/how-comic-books-seen-off-arch-enemies/
Star Wars Pixel Posters…
A series of pixel posters from the Star Wars universe from the very talented Michael B. Myers Jr.
See more of his work here: http://www.drawsgood.com/9923/147085/gallery/star-wars-pixel-posters
Anyone For Paper Eyelashes?
These paper eyelashes were inspired by the art of Chinese paper cutting and are quite something.
The things we do for fashion can be extraordinary, and sometimes damaging to the environment and our health. But for once here is an interesting fashion statement that promotes the environment, rather than harming it.
Stained Glass Windows Go Modern With Pantone Color Swatches
Architect Armin Blasbichler’s house in Italy is an adult’s playground, with doors inside doors inside doors (just like in Willy Wonka); doors on ceilings and Pantone color swatches arranged as a particularly-colorful stained glass window.
As you can see in the gallery, the exterior of the three century-old house has been decorated with musls, or log stacks, which are apparently very popular in South Tyrol where Blasbichler’s home is situated. Check out the gallery for an enviable glance at a very modern home set amongst the Dolomites.
See the complete article here: http://gizmodo.com/5824764/stained-glass-windows-go-modern-with-pantone-color-swatches/gallery/
Large Format printed images used in an RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden
A first in garden design awaits the expected 150,000+ visitors to this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show (24th – 28th May) with the integration of stunning, large format printed images to create a unique urban garden at the show. The images, the work of contemporary landscape photographer, David Anthony Hall are incorporated into the external landscape – Thompsons Plein Air Gallery Garden (Stand PW42 Pavilion Way) – being created by Thompson’s Galleries to showcase Hall’s work and to demonstrate the harmonious link between art and the creative outdoor space.
Measuring up to 3m x 1.5m, the panoramic images have been produced on a Canon imagePROGRAF iPF9100 large format printer by Canon UK’s distributor, Surrey based Velmex Distribution. Printed on 260gsm photo gloss paper and then face mounted on to Perspex (i.e. sandwiched between a piece of Perspex and Dibond or an aluminium backing sheet) and wall hung for the display at Chelsea, the images, according to gallery owner, Sue Thompson, ‘show how art can be an integral part of the structure of a garden.’
A Canon user from image capture to printed output, Hall shoots his images on a Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and uses a panoramic technique to capture a multitude of shots that go into the one final image, which he later weaves together in his digital darkroom. The sheer scale of his work makes it ideal for wide format printing and, for Hall, the high end Canon imagePROGRAF devices are the printers that showcase his images to best effect. Hall comments: “By integrating my images into the concept garden, I’m hoping to challenge convention and stimulate a debate around the placement of art outdoors. I also want to show how it can brighten up difficult outdoor spaces, including courtyard gardens, by adding depth, colour and a focal point to these areas.
At the end of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, David Anthony Hall will donate all the proceeds from the sale of Bluebells Woods, a focal work in the garden, to the Children’s Acute Transport Service (CATS), a London based ambulance service for critically ill children.
Jersey paper claims royal wedding photo ‘first’
Jersey’s only newspaper, the Jersey Evening Post, has claimed to be one of the first in the world to publish with a photo of the royal wedding.
The paper started the printing presses late so it would be available for sale with a photo of the married couple.
Carl Walker, Jersey Evening Post news editor, said he hoped the souvenir edition would be a keepsake.
The newspaper left the JEP offices at 1255 BST and was on sale at the first location in St Helier by 1305 BST.
Photos of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge were sent straight to the JEP offices from Westminster Abbey.
Mr Walker said: “It is such a huge occasion internationally, nationally and locally, we felt our special souvenir edition needed the happy couple on the front page.
“Due to the proximity of our printing presses, in our office and how close we are to town we took the decision to delay the printing presses and hold the front page.”
See the full story here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-jersey-13240926
Stephens & George revealed as Royal Wedding Programme printer
Merthyr Tydfil-based sheetfed magazine printer Stephens & George has been revealed as the company responsible for printing the Official Programme for the Royal Wedding.
Details of the programme’s production were kept under wraps by the Royal Household until this morning, when it released a free electronic version in two formats, as a page-turning Ceros edition and as an Apple iBook.
Profits from the sale of the programme, which is priced at £2, will go to the charitable Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry.
Antalis McNaughton supplied the 17 tonnes of Novatech Coated Matt paper (250gsm cover, 150gsm text) used for the programme, while Stephens & George printed the 150,000 A5 copies that will be sold on the day at locations in Green Park, Hyde Park, St James’s Park and Trafalgar Square.
“In production terms the job was relatively easy – it’s 24 pages plus cover and 150,000 copies,” said Stephens and George group managing director Andrew Jones. “The main thing was that once the job went into production we had to be very careful regarding the security.
“So any waste sheets off the press and off the folders were cut up and put into our bailing system and then after stitching any waste or bad copies were cut up and put into our waste extraction management system, after that the product was shrinkwrapped in fifties to be delivered today.”
The programme was designed and produced by Haymarket Network, with reprographics by Haymarket Prepress, distribution by IVS Group and digital edition by Ceros.
See the full article here: http://www.printweek.com/Business/article/1067452/Stephens—George-revealed-Royal-Wedding-Programme-printer/
Printing Office
Beatrice Warde was a believer in the power of the printed word to defend freedom, Warde wrote and designed the famous Monotype broadsheet This is a printing office (1932), using Eric Gill’s Perpetua typeface. Rejected the avant-garde in typography as introspective, believing that classical typography proved a ‘clearly polished window’ through which ideas could be communicated. The Crystal Goblet: Sixteen Essays on Typography (1955) is an anthology of her writings.
This is a Printing Office.
Crossroads of civilization.
Refuge of all the arts against the ravages of time.
Armoury of fearless truth against whispering rumour.
Incessant trumpet of trade.
From this place words may fly abroad, not to perish on waves of sound, not to vary by the writer’s hand but fixed in time, having been verified by proof.
Friend, you stand on sacred ground.
This is a Printing Office.
by Beatrice Warde
Digital or litho printing – how do I choose?
Over the last 15 years, digital printing technology has come along in leaps and bounds, and quality wise there is now not a great deal to separate the two processes.
From a printer’s point of view, digital printing is by far the easiest option, as anyone who is comfortable with working with a computer and laser printer can be trained to operate a digital printing machine, whereas a skilled litho press operator takes many years to learn his trade and is worth their weight in gold!
Early digital machines were no substitute for litho printing, as the quality wasn’t anywhere close to traditional litho printing available in today’s market and was used for throwaway jobs like leaflets, dance tickets and luggage tags etc. These days, by using HP Indigo and Xerox iGen machines although the print quality is not quite on a par with litho, the results are perfectly acceptable for many people and for many purposes. Digital machines can now handle thicker materials, textures materials, self adhesive and even recycled and FSC certified materials, whereas previously only very thin paper & boards were printable.
Print colours are still a big issue. The industry-standard colour matching Pantone system is still not achievable with a digital press. I don’t care what the manufactures claim, just ask your supplier to print a sheet out in orange (Pantone 021) and see how it compares with a litho printed piece, it will look very different! So if your corporate colours are important, litho printing still can’t be beaten!
The first question you should ask yourself before deciding on either of the two methods is how important to you is consistent colour across your corporate brand?
Achieving colour consistency across all your business stationery and promotional items is a technical business. Just think of the differences in materials used across items such as business cards, letterheads, glossy leaflets, plastics, vinyl and corporate clothing and you’ll understand the headaches involved in getting colour to look consistent on all the different materials.
What Characterises a Good Screen Font?
The features that define a good screen font include:
- low contrast and simple strokes with a consistent weight and thickness
- generous x-height
- generous width and letter spacing
- generous punch width (space within letters)
With those points in mind, you should be in a position to begin looking beyond the common Web fonts. So, what are the design principles you should bear in mind when thinking about typeface choice?
Read the full article here: http://designfestival.com/what-characterizes-a-good-screen%c2%a0font/
