They folded it themselves and punched holes into which foam ear plugs were inserted. In the end they came up with a nice piece that should both get people talking and filter out the white noise of their competitors.

Then again it could be that this business card, designed by Leslie Plesser, is just a beautifully thought out piece.

In this simple, but stunning card, a well proportioned use of white space lays the solid foundation for a soaring asimetric architecture of airy typography and classic ornamentation.

Is it a serious work? Or maybe just a lark.

I believe that birth announcements are about as close as graphic design gets to fine art. Birth announcements are pieces which are designed from the heart with very little in-process critiquing done by the client.

And you can’t love a client, and wish to do right by them, any more than you can a new-born baby.

Allan Peters has done right by his client with his beautiful design of this card announcing the birth of his son. Printed 2 over 1 on 190 pound blotter paper this piece makes it clear that this kid is going to get all the love he deserves and that his parents are going to sweat the details.

And the blotter paper may be indicative of things to come.

You can see more of these pieces here and here.

My contact within the organization, Joe Isaak, made it easy to work with such a formidable group of people. In the end it was not difficult to print the job given the clean design that they presented me with and the Classic Crest 165 pound paper which was donated to AIGA by Neenah.

One of the members of the Travelers board of directors was stepping down after many years of working with the company and Carolyn Porter (of Porterfolio) was asked to come up with something special as a parting gift.

Carolyn had worked with me in the past on a presentation piece for Nelson Mandela and called me again to work with her on this project. She designed the book and worked with me to determine the structure of the box. 

The 18 page book is printed, letterpress, in 3 colors and is quarter bound in red leather with custom made marbled end sheets.

The modified clamshell box is covered in a gray silk cloth (as is the book) and is held shut with a one-of-a-kind stainless steel closure.

At the end of the journey we were all pleased with the outcome and were glad to have taken the road less traveled by.

And that has made all the difference.

While the movement focused on an examination of esthetics, with an eye open toward identifying a Black sensibility in arts and crafts that was distinctly separate from that of the current White culture, some of the great works of art of the 20th century were created.  During this period painting, music and literature underwent dramatic changes.

Publishing was not immune from the enthusiastic energy of change. Many of the most powerful works of African American writing were produced during this period and the printers of the time were not without their say. A number of works were produced using black paper and printed with white ink. 

This was, perhaps, an idea that was technically ahead of its time.

Although lithographic printing using paper plates was invented in 1914, the bulk of printed matter was still produced using the relief (or letterpress) process. With the letterpress process it is difficult to print effectively with either white ink on black paper or to print a flood of black ink with the type dropped out.

Perhaps this is an experiment that is worth investigating again. With the sophistication of offset printing and the advent of direct-to-print computer processes, as well as the invention of the digital book, a firmer technical foundation exists today to play with the relationship between black and white on the printed page.

Weather the paper or the ink is black or white, the strength one takes from the contrast between the two is undeniable. This business card designed by (and for) Kristin Krantz is fine example of the dynamic that is highlighted by the simple use of these two , I would say, primary colors.

The air in the garden level shop is moist and richly scented from shelves of freshly cut flowers. The windows onto the street are rippled with age but clean and bright.

The florist, who’s family’s shop has served generations from this slim brownstone in this close-knit neighborhood, smiles as she recognizes me.

Oh, wait. Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis? My mistake. (But can’t you just feel the long history of this brand new shop in Brad Surcey’s evocative card design.)

This is because it can tun out badly.

This business card, though, turned out just fine. For some reason the lighter shades of blue seem to work for this sort of thing better than, say dark brown.

I like the way that the thinner line of black presses deeper into the card than the larger areas of blue.

I will still try to discourage you from having me print work with large coverage areas, but sometimes . . .

The press performed well on its first outing and, even then, I could anticipate many decades of serviceable work coming henceforth from its jaws.  

Here is the latest letterpress invitation to be printed at the Nomadic Press. Produced for Wali and Kalisha, and designed by the groom himself, this oversized tri-fold piece is a 2 over 0 example of how to bring an invitation up to the size of the affection.

In designing and overseeing the production of the invitations to his own wedding, Wali finds that he has become a member of an elite group of men. In 20-some-odd-years of printing invitations at the Nomadic Press Wali is one of only 6 or so men who have been the go-to person, from the beginning of an wedding invitation project right on through to its end.

And this, I believe, bodes well for their marriage.