DIY :: Chalkboard Paper

I was doing some shop comparisons and recording results. What a fun challenge to find not just the least expensive paper route, but also authentic. I needed to find some chalk paper and realized that most of the chalk paper sold are digitally mastered pdfs. Which got me thinking... Why pay for a digital file when the possibility to make my own shouldn’t be that difficult? After all, I only needed a small quantity and the essentials I already have: black card stock, white chalk pencil and a fixative to prevent my work from rubbing off. It worked!

PENCIL SHAVING ON BLACK CARDSTOCK,
CHALK PENCIL & FIXATIVE FOR ADHERING
DIY CHALKBOARD PAPER

Is Graphic Design Art?

So there’s a question older than “why are we here”.  Is graphic design art? Some say it depends on whether the project functions for the sake of monetary gain versus existing for its own sake. But maybe it’s about the scope.

PROTOTYPE, PLAY AT WORK.
EXPERIMENTS WITH HANDLETTERING
DRINK MENU 

Turntable Tuesday :: Paper Chase

What is the most important factor when designing a stationery project? Some would say the concept others would say resources. I would have to say paper a lot of times. It communicates feeling, craftsmanship and richness that is hard to convey with ink and ideas alone.

Italy is an old country and along with it come craftsmen from generations down. They have their methods, and imbue soul into what sometimes seems a soulless market place. This is indeed why we, paper lovers, are so inclined to them. They are elusive, plainly dressed and always at the dinner table to share a story.

DETAIL WINTER WEDDING Piedmont, Italy
 Letterpress silhouette bride and groom
Magnani’s Etrusca - textured Italian paper

Turntable Tuesday :: A Typecase Made with Amore

The end of the day can be an accumulation of, well just that, the end of the day. There are some habits I try to keep even with a newborn soon to turn one, like walking at the golden hour listening to my favorite podcasts.
Today on my routine walk was Radiolab’s tribute to renowned neurologist Oliver Sacks. On my normal route this evening, crossing a barrier gate I’ve crossed over a number of times before, I noted the word “nice” printed on it as part of the insignia.
I’m not sure how to come full circle with this Tuesday post except for the loud and clear message of love. The things we do and make for each other, not just on certain days, but base a life on it, like Mr. Sacks did. You base a life betting that the person you come into contact with will have a good share of it and at some point at that golden hour it will come back full circle, and it does.

MY TYPECASE MADE WITH LOVE 

Turntable Tuesday :: Ephemera Flag Tags

If you are a paper lover, chances are you have saved some type of beautifully designed ephemera along the way. I know I have! Some of my absolute favorite types to collect are paper sample booklets. They are such a great source of inspiration, as mentioned in a previous post. They are usually beautifully designed by agencies with the sole aim to showcase the companies paper. They are wonderfully tactile, and most times humorous telling the story of something or someone around the theme, paper.

Why not put some of this collected ephemera to work and create something for your own stationery needs? In this instance, I used some paper from an old sample booklet I had by International Paper featuring Beckett Paper’s 'True Felt'. Petrick Design designed a booklet with truth quotes foil stamped or engraved. With them, I cut out flag tags, punched a hole and added a paper cord.

FLAG TAGS :: MADE FROM EPHEMERA PAPER

"BEAUTY IS TRUTH, TRUTH BEAUTY.
THAT IS ALL YE KNOW ON EARTH,
AND ALL YE NEED TO KNOW."
JOHN KEATS

“THE TRUTH IS RARELY PURE AND NEVER SIMPLE."
OSCAR WILDE

How to Sketch Ideas

For some of us sketching might mean doodling on a napkin, for others it means saving visual inspirations on a mobile application (Evernote comes to mind) or perhaps Pinterest. But it all starts with an idea and then evolves into visual form.  Brainstorming the big idea is the hard part, but it’s also the most stimulating for me.

After the big idea and visual doodling, mock it up.

Print tests: checking out lay out and best paper for this project :: Stay Tuned!