Print News Feed for Blog

Siltech

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 14:56:55 +0000

In a scientific world that is different to many others, Siltech operates to develop inks and lacquers. Genevieve Lewis talks to managing director Dr John Bannard

The Printing Charity supports craft of bookbinding

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 13:53:46 +0000

The Printing Charity has announced it is funding a new initiative to help promote the craft of bookbinding.

HP Latex R2000

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 12:54:36 +0000

Brian Sims reviews the impactful HP Latex R2000 and discusses the printer's capabilities as it celebrates its first year in action after its initial launch at FESPA Global Print Expo in 2018

Solutions, connections and…

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 12:54:36 +0000

Genevieve Lewis listens to print’s most influential trade associations and bodies as they consider key industry challenges and the steps print companies can take to secure a successful future

First ‘HP Indigo Digital Pouch Factory’ launched

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 10:40:41 +0000

A European print firm has expanded its production capabilities, creating the first so-called HP Digital Pouch Factory.

Giant Earth installation inspires action

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 09:53:20 +0000

Having been on show across the UK and the rest of the world, Bristol artist Luke Jerram’s giant artwork of the Earth landed in his home city over the weekend.

Making the creation of prosthetics affordable

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 08:54:45 +0000

HP’s 3D printing technologies is allowing one North Wales firm to affordably create “eye-catching” and “beautiful” prosthetic leg covers.

The Future for Web offset

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 07:53:59 +0000

There is ongoing change in this sector, so Genevieve Lewis asks: “with digital becoming increasingly popular due to improving quality, what does the future hold for web offset?”

The Colour House ink move saves it money

Mon, 19 Aug 2019 15:18:52 +0000

The Colour House has become one of the first UK businesses to use the Nazdar 204 Series inks introduced in May as a low-odour, plug-and-play alternative ink for Roland TrueVis SG and VG Series printer/cutters.

Durst targets labels sector with new appointment

Mon, 19 Aug 2019 15:16:45 +0000

Durst has appointed Peter Jones to the newly created role of labels business development manager for the UK and Ireland.

Eco packaging goes under the microscope

Mon, 19 Aug 2019 12:27:37 +0000

At this year’s Packaging Innovations and Luxury Packaging London, industry experts will come together to scrutinise the latest planet-friendly alternatives in packaging and print.

Brewing company announces new packaging plan

Mon, 19 Aug 2019 12:27:37 +0000

Molson Coors, one of the world’s largest brewers, has committed to new packaging strategy that will see the company make its packaging completely reusable, recyclable, compostable or biodegradable by 2025.

Fujifilm develops FUJINON UA107×8.4BESM AF

Mon, 19 Aug 2019 05:00:00 +0000

PPM delivers great looking wrap job

Fri, 16 Aug 2019 09:03:09 +0000

Project Print Management (PPM) has delivered an enormous building wrap at The Bromptons in London.

Tackling knife crime with fried chicken

Fri, 16 Aug 2019 08:53:57 +0000

New fast food packaging designed by the UK Government to tackle rising knife crime in the UK has been met with mixed reviews.

Mid West Displays to update 800 Dignity funeral homes

Fri, 16 Aug 2019 08:49:59 +0000

One of the UK’s largest funeral providers, Dignity Funeral Directors, has appointed Mid West Displays to update the window displays across its UK network of 800 funeral homes.

Typecraft buys Kongsberg X24 Sign Starter bundle

Fri, 16 Aug 2019 08:47:25 +0000

Cheltenham-based small- and wide-format digital printing company Typecraft will take delivery in October of an Esko Kongsberg X24 Sign Starter bundle that wlll allow it to handle more finishing in-house.

Kodak pushes eco print in China

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 12:12:51 +0000

Eastman Kodak Company has announced a new partnership in China that the company hopes will significantly increase adoption of its SONORA plates in the country.

IMMEDIATE MEDIA CO ANNOUNCES ABC RESULTS

Ashleigh Grady — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 11:59:22 +0000

14 August 2019: Immediate Media Co, the special interest content and platform company, has posted a combined ABC print and digital circulation of 1,680,394 for titles reporting January to June 2019.

Immediate’s portfolio of market-leading brands continue to perform strongly in their sectors: BBC Gardeners’ World magazine posted a 20% period-on-period growth, which included its May issue with its annual 2 for 1 Gardens to Visit Guide which recorded a 16% increase in sales year-on-year and a 24% increase in Retail Sales Value (RSV), generating over £1.2m on the newsstand.

Immediate remains the number one publisher in the Youth and Children’s market, with a 1.2% increase in circulation year-on-year across the portfolio, including a standout performance by Cbeebies Special which recorded a 6.3% period-on-period and a 4.3% year-on-year increase.
Immediate continues to be the UK’s leading magazine publisher in terms of subscribers, with 988,000 active subscribers*.
Tom Bureau, CEO of Immediate, says: “Immediate’s portfolio of special interest brands continue to perform strongly across all platforms. The outstanding performance of the May issue of BBC Gardeners’ World magazine and our Youth and Children’s portfolio demonstrates the enduring appeal of quality print titles on the newsstand.
Both Radio Times and BBC Good Food, the biggest weekly and monthly magazine brands in the UK**, have grown their reach with record-breaking digital audience numbers. And we continue to transform our business model, with the acquisition of specialist event producers Upper Street Events and River Street Events earlier this year, we have further enhanced our live events capabilities focused on specialist interest communities and now engage 26m consumers in the UK a month.”

Highlights for the ABC period Jan-June 2019:

Radio Times is the UK’s biggest-selling quality magazine and the most valuable on the newsstand, with a weekly combined ABC of 519,603.

Radio Times is also the UK’s biggest weekly subscription brand, with 252,146 weekly subscribers.
RadioTimes.com continues to attract new audiences with a record-breaking 18.2 million unique visitors in July 2019
Radio Times has the highest monthly total brand reach of all UK weekly magazines**.

BBC Gardeners’ World magazine’s circulation is up 20.2% period-on-period and down 1.9% year-on-year, with a monthly combined ABC of 204,588.

The title’s May issue, featuring its annual 2for1 Gardens to Visit card and guide delivered more than £1.2m in RSV on the newsstand, a 24% increase year-on-year with sales up 16%.

BBC Good Food, retains its position as the nation’s number one food media brand, reporting a combined ABC of 157,169. Following Immediate’s acquisition of BBC Good Food last year, the brand has gone from strength-to-strength across multiple platforms; including a record-breaking 25.5 million unique global users visiting bbcgoodfood.com in March 2019.

Immediate’s Food Portfolio, including BBC Good Food, Easy Cook and Home Cooking Series, alongside olive, continues to dominate the UK’s food publishing market, accounting for 79.9% of the market.

Immediate is the number one publisher in the Youth and Children’s market, with a combined ABC circulation of 692,839 up 1.2% year-on-year and down 3.6% period-on-period. Highlights include:

CBeebies Special recorded an ABC circulation of 53,210 up 6.3% period-on-period and up 4.3% year-on-year.
Mr. Tumble has seen exceptional growth, up 15.3% period-on-period and up 1.0% year-on-year to 24,967.
Pokémon magazine has also had an impressive period-on-period growth of 19.8%.
* Includes print and digital editions of Immediate Media Co brands, Lonely Planet and BBC Top Gear Magazine, published under contract for BBC Studios, plus titles not audited in this period.
** PAMCo July 2019

High profile speakers confirmed for Print Show

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 10:13:40 +0000

Organisers of The Print Show have revealed the full list of speakers for this year’s seminar programme, with highlights including Q&A sessions with Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Chris Eubank and Gregg Wallace.

New UK deal despite Brexit fears

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 09:01:27 +0000

Despite an air of uncertainty over the future of UK businesses following a No-Deal Brexit, Mustang Digital Marketing is not letting this deter it as it celebrates a new exclusive UK deal.

The Print Show speakers revealed

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 08:04:29 +0000

The full list of speakers for this year’s seminar programme at The Print Show (17-19 September a the NEC, Birmingham) has been revealed and includes Q&A sessions with Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Chris Eubank and Gregg Wallace.

Fujifilm's mirrorless digital cameras win the EISA Awards.

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Fujifilm launches “FUJINON UA18×7.6BERD” and “FUJINON UA23×7.6BERD”

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Adverset gets stand named after it at SAFC

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 14:08:32 +0000

Adverset has announced a three-year sponsorship of Scarborough Athletic FC, with the PSP’s branding having been installed across the entire 75m-wide fascia of the new Adverset Stand in time for the first game of the season on 17 August. Prior to the game, the stand will be formally opened by Mayor Hazel Lynskey.

Brett Martin presents Foamalux Calibre

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 14:05:10 +0000

Brett Martin will use Printing United (23 – 25 October) in Texas, US, to present the latest addition to its Foamalux range for the print, display and signage sectors - Foamalux Calibre.

Another new appointment at Memjet

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 14:03:28 +0000

Memjet is continuing its series of new appointments with Scott Leger joining as vice president of business development.

Mixing sustainability with luxury

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 11:54:37 +0000

Taking into consideration what the market is currently asking for in terms of sustainability and finishing, Metsä Board has released a new collection of samples which demonstrate that both can be achieved in one.

Addressing the legalities of 3D print

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 10:56:24 +0000

A US University has created a graduate course to tackle legal issues and concerns surrounding 3D printing.

YPP keeps its demo DGI HSFTIII

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 09:44:29 +0000

YPP Group - which includes Your Print Partner, Custom Gifts, Your Promo Partner, Santa Sacks and Event T’s - is keeping the DGI HSFTIII high speed sublimation machine it took on demo.

EFI appoints Jeff Jacobson as CEO

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 09:21:31 +0000

EFI has appointed its executive chairman Jeff Jacobson as CEO, replacing Bill Muir who is stepping down for personal reasons.

ONYX software certified for HP Stitch textile printers

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 09:19:59 +0000

Onyx Graphics has had its Rip software certified for the HP Stitch textile printer line.

Bridging the Gap Between Design Education and a Creative Career

Print staff — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 04:57:43 +0000

Chatting with Frankie Ratford, Founder of The Design Kids

Hagit Kaufman, VP of Design at Wix, and head of the largest multidisciplinary in-house studio in Israel, sits down to chat with designer Frankie Ratford, the Founder and Creative Directive of The Design Kids, a global online resource and local offline community for thousands of student and graduate graphic designers. Frankie is returning guest speaker at the Wix Design Playground in NYC.

Frankie Ratford at the Playground

H: We loved having you at the Playground last year and are so happy to be working with you again!

F: Glad to be back at the Playground! Last year the students were super sweet and really switched on, you guys did a great job of selecting a varied bunch of designers with different strengths. I was there right at the end and it was great to see their Wix portfolios taking shape!

H: You’ve traveled the world to build a global community what are some of the challenges you encountered in doing so?

F: I’m struggling to answer this, it was too fun! I designed my job around everything I’m good at and nothing I’m bad at, so put me in a room with 500 strangers and I’m happy! I love meeting and connecting with designers, it’s fun and easy for me. The challenging thing would be to work and meet with people all the time – as always, we just need more time. Subtle cultural differences are super interesting but just listen and observe and then it’s fine.

H: You are so good with people and giving them the right advice about their professional path. What are some of the burning issues creatives face in this industry and how does this color the counsel that you give?

F: The top three are confidence, industry knowledge and business know-how. Starting with confidence: 100% of the people I meet struggle with “am I good enough,” and the answer is always YES! You just have to find your way and your own strengths, and not compare yourself to others. As for industry knowledge, that’s why I set up thedesignkids.org – a place where you can research everyone within this industry and learn what they do. And finally, for business know-how – I’m working on it! No one really has their act together, it is about having a great attitude, putting yourself out there and doing your best. The rest will follow.

F: In your opinion, how does the Playground bridge the gap between design education and a creative career?

H: That question gets exactly to the point of why we started the Playground in the first place! While design education has come a long way since I was a student, I really believe that creatives need a solid professional core before venturing into the real world. Designers need to bridge the gap between what they learn in school and how they ultimately forge a career with skills such as client relations, communication, and the ability to market their talent. Programs like The Design Kids and what we are doing with the Playground are good examples of creative, non-traditional types of learning experience.

F: During this program you share tons of knowledge on web design with the students – why is web design a crucial tool for any kind of designer?

H: A strong understanding of digital imaging and presence is key! For a designer, knowing how to create a beautiful site and understanding how it is consumed will help them grow immensely in the creative world.

F: What type of designers do you look for to work in your studio? What traits and skills do they need to be successful in tech?

H: In my opinion a good designer is a good designer! Our studio has incredible design experts in product, 3D, branding, architecture, fashion, and visual experts – some of who have never received a formal design education. Our designers all bring inspiration and talent to the larger creative collective. Designers are like olive oil – especially in tech – they bind everything together! Our designers exist in every element of our products. They bring to life every aspect of the product development and truly speak to our consumers, which is the most important thing!

Learn more about the Wix Design Playground now!

The post Bridging the Gap Between Design Education and a Creative Career appeared first on Print Magazine.

Stats reflect gloomy UK high street performance

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 07:30:45 +0000

According to Reuters this morning, the number of empty shops in Britain hit its highest rate in four years in July, impacting those involved in the retail sector supply chain.

William Smith adds to its Interior Design Collection offering

Sun, 11 Aug 2019 08:13:10 +0000

Newly available from William Smith are two PVC-free additions to the Avery Dennison MPI 8000 Wall Film Series - now known as the Interior Design Collection.

FY2020/3 1st Quarter Financial Results of FUJIFILM Holdings posted on the FUJIFILM Holdings website

Thu, 08 Aug 2019 06:30:00 +0000

The Modern Monogram: A Historic Survey of Ciphers, Marks and Monograms

Nancy Sharon Collins — Wed, 07 Aug 2019 04:53:29 +0000

Centuries of Monograms

In my business, Nancy Sharon Collins, Stationer LLC, I create monograms and ciphers for clients and spend a good deal of time looking for historic inspiration. This article shares some of my research.

It is likely that modern monograms originated with the beginning of type, about 1450. This is when printers, print collectors and artists began creating marks identifying that their work, or collection, was distinct from everyone else’s.

Figure 1 – Illustration of a monogram in which the right stroke of the “V” depends entirely on the stem of the “R”. Monograms, such as this, are designs in which major elements are common to at least two initials. Ciphers are designs composed of one or more initial. However, for the purpose of this article, the more popular term “monogram” refers to both monograms and ciphers. These initials stand for Victoria Regina, Queen Victoria, and the symbol is officially considered a Royal Cipher.

Figure 2 – Self-portrait, Albrecht Dürer, 1500. Dürer was a prolific artist and engraver, his monogram is at left.

Figure 3 – A monogram entry in Les Marques de collections de dessins & d’estampes, first published in 1921 by Frits Lugt. Les Marques documents marks made by artists, collections and collectors identifying drawings and prints as their property. It is important to note that the early dates indicate this entry and most of the others were originally drawn by hand.

The Consumer Trade

As mercantilism and international trade developed in the 1600s and 1700s, consumerism grew.

Figure 4 – One can imagine the patron commissioning this painting also ordering a custom riding saddle with, perhaps, his monogram on it. The Allegory of Painting (c. 1666–68)—Johannes Vermeer, via Wikimedia Commons.

Holland led the way with intercontinental trade providing an economic boom in which the wealthy merchant class, burgeoning middle class, and visual arts flourished. Great Britain also championed expansionism, as did Continental and American concerns.

By the 1700s, elaborate monograms were advertised as added value on goods produced for those in new economic strata with expendable income, such as the international merchant class. As the century progressed, monograms became status symbols emulating royalty.

Figure 5 – Detail from A New Book of Cyphers, More Compleat & Regular than any ever Publish’d. Wherein the whole Alphabet (twice over) Confifting of 60 Cyphers, Is variously Chang’d, interwoven & reversed. Very Entertaining to ye Curious, & afeful to all forts of ARTIFICERS. [sic]. —Samuel Sympson, London. Publication date 1750.

Victorian Unattainability

Through the Victorian era, customization for anyone but the wealthy and growing middle class remained unaffordable.

Figure 6 – Page from The Lincoln Crest & Monogram Album, c. late-1800s. For those able to afford it, collecting other people’s monograms became a competitive Victorian sport, primarily in England, but also the Continent, and America.

Figure 7 – Close-up of page from The Lincoln Crest & Monogram Album. Packets of royal ciphers, crests, and seals were marketed by commercial printers and sold for collecting in fancy albums.

Figure 8 – Monogram and crest collecting was popular through the end of the 19^th century but waned with the advent of the First World War in 1914.

American Viability

The gloss of prosperity culminating in the Gilded Age remained until the First World War when global economies crashed. Curiously, the United States social stationery industry was able to sustain gains between, and after, World War I and II simply because engraving monograms provided a small but viable profession for independent-minded Americans.

Figure 9 – Engraved social stationery monogram style sheet ca. early-20th century.

Figure 10 – 1937 high school commencement invitation, Lyons, KS. Mid-20^th century, monogram styles such as this and Figure 11 were commonly used on personal stationery, class rings, and graduation ephemera.

Figure 11 – Hand engraved monograms for personal use ca. mid-20th century.

Figure 12 – The Jewelry Engravers Manual, R. Allen Hardy & John J. Bowman, 1954. Although these styles were intended to instruct hand-engraving monograms, they appear the same as monograms generated digitally today.

Modernity’s Mark

Through the 1950s and 1960s, monograms remained a popular symbol of prosperity for a growing, post-WW II, American middle class.

Figure 13 – Hand engraved social stationery monograms ca. 1940s to 1960s, New Orleans.

Figure 14 – Hand drawn pencil sketches for engraving social stationery monograms ca. 1970s, Noel Martin, Covington, LA.

Contemporary Culture

Today, monograms—and ciphers—are ubiquitous parts of visual culture, seen on costly handbags, bumper stickers, and inexpensive T-shirts.

Figure 15 – A quick Google search shows many monograms and, to my trained eye, many styles that look quite similar.

Today, monograms and ciphers are easily be created—free—by software, sometimes used only to sell commodities.

Figure 16 – Free monogram-generator from Mark & Graham, part of the Williams-Sonoma retail giant.

As a stationer, working with and studying marks as I have for decades, I find this accessibility ironic. Monograms, once drawn by-hand to identify, in a discrete manner, personal property, has become merely added decoration on it.

This article was originally published in July 2017.

The post The Modern Monogram: A Historic Survey of Ciphers, Marks and Monograms appeared first on Print Magazine.

Fujifilm completes acquisition of biogen's manufacturing site in Denmark.

Thu, 01 Aug 2019 01:00:00 +0000

Xerox Launches Suite of Compact Multifunction Printers with WiFi Direct and Mobile Printing

Thu, 25 Jul 2019 14:33:00 +0000

UXBRIDGE, U.K., July 25, 2019– Xerox announces a new series of three affordable print devices designed to enhance small office mobility, without compromising image quality, security or the user experience. Comprised of the Xerox B210 printer, and B205and B215 multifunction printers, the devices offer high-speed wireless connectivity, allowing users to print anywhere, at any time.

Each device features WiFi Direct technology that enables wireless printing without a router and mobile print functionality with Apple AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, Mopria and Android support. The series reaches print speeds of up to 31 ppm, while delivering high-resolution 1200 x 1200 dpi enhanced image quality.

Taking cues from the Xerox VersaLink^®and AltaLink^®series, the B215 also features a 3.5-inch touchscreen, giving users a smartphone-like experience.

“Small businesses and those working from home have the same desires for ease of use, functionality, capacity and productivity as those in larger offices. This series of lightweight, compact printers provides those capabilities at the right price,” said Terry Antinora, vice president and general manager of Workplace Solutions, Xerox.

These products are available across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) now and in the U.S., Canada and Latin America on August 6.

Click to Tweet

About Xerox

In the era of intelligent work, we’re not just thinking about the future, we’re making it. Xerox Corporationis a technology leader focused on the intersection of digital and physical. We use automation and next-generation personalisation to redefine productivity, drive growth and make the world more secure. Every day, our innovative technologies and intelligent work solutions—Powered by Xerox^®—help people communicate and work better. Discover more at www.xerox.co.uk and follow us on Twitter at @Xerox.

-XXX-

Media Contacts:

Sonia Panchal, Xerox, +44 (0)7713 191581, Sonia.Panchal@xerox.com

Note:To receive RSS news feeds, visithttps://www.news.xerox.com.

For open commentary, industry perspectives and views, visit http://twitter.com/xerox,

http://www.facebook.com/XeroxCorp,https://www.instagram.com/xerox/,

http://www.linkedin.com/company/xerox,http://www.youtube.com/XeroxCorp.

Prices, features, specifications, capabilities, appearance and availability of Xerox products and services are subject to change without notice.

Xerox^®, AltaLink^®, Powered by Xerox^®and VersaLink^®are trademarks of Xerox in the United States and/or other countries.

]]>

Notification regarding potential loosening of FUJIFILM GFX100 side shutter release “Lock” function.

Thu, 25 Jul 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Fujifilm announces the receipt of imported drug license for its oral synthetic quinolone antibacterial agent in China.

Thu, 25 Jul 2019 02:00:00 +0000

My Favorite Dummy

Steven Heller — Wed, 24 Jul 2019 05:38:13 +0000

There is nothing more satisfying than nostalgia that does not bring up personal memories of the immediate past. Nostalgia is an illness. I prefer nostalgia that is an appreciation of how and what things were done in the past. This point-of-purchase display of a nicely dressed gent sitting by an outdoor table in a modernist chair on a plot of grass, ready to sip a high ball and puff a cigarette, is the epitome of ’30s advertising elegance. They just don’t make them like this anymore—either in real life or clay. (See more here.)

Representing the myth of a simpler, more stylish America.

Subscribe to PRINT

The experts who write for PRINT magazine cover the why of design—why the world of design looks the way it does, how it has evolved, and why the way it looks matters. Subscribe to PRINT today, and get in on the conversation of what the brightest minds in the field are talking about right now—essential insight that every designer should know to get ahead.

Treat yourself and your team to a year of PRINT for $40—which includes the massive Regional Design Annual ($29.99 on newsstands).

The post My Favorite Dummy appeared first on Print Magazine.

Comic Book Review: Sword Daughter

Jason Tselentis — Wed, 24 Jul 2019 05:35:22 +0000

In Dark Horse’s Sword Daughter, writer Brian Wood and artist Mack Chater tell the story of Dag and Elsbeth. A father and daughter travel across sprawling landscapes during the time of Vikings, a tale of survival, full of hardships, war, and revenge.

Sword Daughter V.1 TPB collects the first 3 issues of this ongoing series. A murderous clan burned a village to the ground, leaving just 2 people alive: a father and his teenage daughter. https://t.co/sSERauPeK6 @brianwood, @mackchater, @blambot, Jose Villarubia, Greg Smallwood pic.twitter.com/U2UgIOmCBx

— Dark Horse Comics (@DarkHorseComics) November 29, 2018

Writer Brian Wood, who delivered the frightening, post-apocalyptic The Massive from Dark Horse, brings Viking lore to life with grit and authenticity. Mack Chater’s art captures beautiful, unscathed landscapes with attention to detail, portraying the lead and supporting characters as elegant heroes, and when warranted, ferocious combatants. It’s a story made for fans of Conan, Red Sonja, Excalibur, or The Lord of the Rings.

Sword Daughter: Swords, Lots of Swords

Sword Daughter wasn’t a title that I intentionally sought out but I’m glad that I got my hands on it. Months ago, I had an appetite for comic books taking place in the Dark Ages and Middle Ages. I had watched Conan the Barbarian (1982) again—I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen it—and asked my local comic book shop owner to recommend titles that have what Conan’s narrator would call, “days of high adventure.” Arduous journeys on foot, on horseback. Rivalries. Revenge. Epic battles full of swords, lots of swords.

Savage conflict epitomized by the palace battle scene from writer & director John Milius’ Conan the Barbarian (1982), co-written by Oliver Stone and based on the characters originally created by Robert E. Howard.

To hunt for comic books on par with Conan, I could have navigated through titles myself but there are so many these days, by so many publishers. Asking for recommendations helps cut through the clutter. Without hesitation the comic shop owner said, “How about Sword Daughter?” I purchased number 1, went home and read it, returning the next week to grab every additional issue. I also had the title added to my pull list of comics set aside each week for me.

Sword Daughter 001 comes out today! SUPER proud of this book, my first creator owned with @brianwood and @DarkHorseComics – If you are hitting the LCBS please give it a go! #ncbd #darkhorse #sworddaughter pic.twitter.com/4DOIuLrghK

— Mack Chater (@mackchater) June 6, 2018

Characters and Connection

Wood & Chater have delivered a gripping, epic story with characters you become attached to. The challenges that Elsbeth must endure are traumatic, her father faces his own horrors, and their unique relationship keeps you invested. Communication, time spent together, and the love they show each other—or at times neglect to show—comes across beautifully thanks to Chater’s art. During their revenge quest, many battles take place without Dag and Elsbeth saying anything at all.

Focusing on the art, seeing and reading each image, you can feel the fight scenes accelerating as you look at one panel and move to the next. Decelerating to study Chater’s art and its nuances, where each weapon begins to move, eventually landing damage, you feel the battle happening in slow motion.

Sword Daughter returns in SWORD DAUGHTER VOL.2: FOLDED METAL: https://t.co/eD1rvAF7Ch
Father and daughter continue their epic quest for revenge against the ruthless Vikings. Collects issues #4-6. Creators @brianwood @mackchater @josevillarrubia @laurenaffe and Ben Oliver pic.twitter.com/cowRMCf2Cx

— Dark Horse Comics (@DarkHorseComics) May 21, 2019

An Enduring Quest

Reading Sword Daughter, comparisons can be made to other stories that take place in the Dark Ages or Middle Ages, be it Conan or Red Sonja. The look and feel that Wood & Chater have created is also on par with Nicolas Winding Refn’s 2009 movie, Valhalla Rising starring Mads Mikkelsen as One Eye, who resembles Odin from Norse mythology. On another note—another continent, more specifically—Dark Horse marketed the series as “a visually stunning tribute to samurai cinema” and that essence is also present.

SWORD DAUGHTER #7: https://t.co/VDXMJ1Ayba
From all-star creators: @brianwood @mackchater @blambot Jose Villarrubia and @thisisbenoliver

Elsbeth hasn't forgotten the oath her father made: to deliver revenge upon the clan that burned their village. pic.twitter.com/dNnCKrpp7B

— Dark Horse Comics (@DarkHorseComics) June 4, 2019

But for this reader, Cormac McCarthy’s The Road came to mind the first time I read Sword Daughter. Winning a 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Literature, McCarthy’s book is about a parent and child who make their way through a dusty wasteland, enduring brutal hardships, desperate and fighting for survival. In The Road, as in Sword Daughter, humanity may be lost, trust is hard to come by, lives may be lost, but the love between a parent and child endures.

Portions of this review were typed with Conan the Barbarian’s soundtrack by Basil Poledouris playing in the background.

The post Comic Book Review: Sword Daughter appeared first on Print Magazine.

Brooklyn Street Art

Steven Heller — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 06:18:25 +0000

Alexander (Sasha) Brodsky is a young Brooklyn based illustrator and printmaker born in Moscow, Russia. These are his first portfolio pieces. He studied with Hernrik Drescher and Steven Savage at SVA, the former suggested I see his work. I was blown away by their emotional intensity yet conceptual simplicity. In a way, they reminded me of Ben Shahn’s gritty New York City photographs with a hint of George Grosz‘s sidewalk vantage point. The corollary here is powerful use of white space and an element for grabbing the eye. I hope that this sampling of Sasha’s work from two series is just the tip of a creative iceberg. He has had a couple of shows and is currently in a group offering in Moscow. The other day we spoke about his future as and his art.

You make prints do you consider yourself a traditional illustrator?

I use printmaking, which is a very traditional and old technique, but I often apply more contemporary ways of developing the illustrations to my process. But in a certain way, I do consider myself a traditional illustrator. I feel that the idea of printing an actual plate with an illustration directly into a book, like it was done in the early days of bookmaking is somehow very pure and true.

Your prints tell stories of Brooklyn, where you now live. Tell me what they stories are about?

I think that due to gentrification, every day the neighborhoods in New York and in Brooklyn in particular become more and more the same. The subtle character of each different place gets thinner. And the daily situations that the inhabitants of these places find themselves in change too. In the area where I’ve been living for the past five years the authentic atmosphere is still visible. And the stories I tell are of people who exist in that atmosphere and create it.

What do you want to achieve with your work?
I want catch and preserve the spirit of a place using my work.

You made a very beautiful book about some odd characters. Tell me about this one-of-a-kind piece of work?

The handprinted book I made is the first piece in my Brooklyn Field-Guide series. It observes the characters I encountered in the city from a point of view of someone who doesn’t know what people look like. These characters are presented as some abstract creatures that wander around trying to fulfill their daily needs. The etching plates with Illustrations are printed on rice paper and sewn together with transparent vellum pages that have text printed over them.

The post Brooklyn Street Art appeared first on Print Magazine.

Fujifilm releases long range surveillance camera with built-in lens “FUJIFILM SX800”

Tue, 23 Jul 2019 04:00:00 +0000

IMMEDIATE MEDIA CO PROPOSE TO INTEGRATE HUBERT BURDA MEDIA UK BUSINESS

Ashleigh Grady — Mon, 22 Jul 2019 13:20:20 +0000

Immediate Media Co, the special interest content and platform company, has announced a proposal to integrate Hubert Burda Media UK (HBUK) in to its Bristol business.

Hubert Burda Media UK publish four home interior brands: monthly consumer brands, HomeStyle and Your Home, specialist homes title Essential Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom (EKBB) and kitchen and bathroom trade title, Essential Kitchen & Bathroom Business (EKBBusiness). It also publishes two websites; kbbdaily.com, an award-winning online hub for kitchen and bathroom suppliers, and KBBArk.com, which inspires and connects homeowners with kitchen, bathroom and bedroom design professionals.

Immediate have been owned by HBUK’s parent company Hubert Burda Media since 2017. The proposal will see the production of the HBUK brands transfer to Immediate’s Bristol office where they will become part of its Bristol Specialist portfolio, with titles including Immediate’s existing homes and interior brand, Homes & Antiques.

Tom Bureau, Immediate Media CEO, says: “The Hubert Burda Media UK brands very much complement our strategy of focusing exclusively on special interest content and communities. We believe the proposal to integrate these brands into Immediate Bristol will maximise their long-term potential through being part of a bigger portfolio of home interest and lifestyle brands, taking advantage our existing systems and resources, and closer collaboration with our editorial and commercial teams to help drive further growth.”

Immediate is home to some of the UK’s best-loved brands, including Radio Times, BBC History magazine, Mollie Makes and Hitched, engaging over 26 million passionate consumers each month, offering them world-class content and innovative new products and services, including e-commerce and TV shopping. Immediate was named Digital Publisher of the Year at the 2017 AOP Awards.

The Dean of Design

Steven Heller — Mon, 22 Jul 2019 05:28:46 +0000

William H. (Will) Bradley (1868–1962) is an underappreciated American design pioneer overshadowed by other Art Nouveau and Arts & Crafts practitioners. But he was one of design’s earliest self-branded design entrepreneurs as author, editor, type designer and illustrator. His privately printed magazines and journals are precursors to the self-promotion journals that led to, among others, The Push Pin Graphic and Pentagram Papers. Although he has been written about in books and magazines, today’s generation has yet to embrace his talents. This Bradley website will offer some enlightenment.

For me this Typophiles festschrift for his 80th birthday is one of the invaluable small gems of my collection of his work. He died in 1962, just around the time Art Nouveau was returning as a retro style. I wonder how he felt about its resurgence.

The 2017 PRINT RDA: Enter Now!

Enter the most respected competition in graphic design—now open to both pros and students—for a chance to have your work published, win a pass to HOW Design Live, and more. 2017 Judges: Aaron Draplin / Jessica Hische / Pum Lefebure / Ellen Lupton / Eddie Opara / Paula Scher. Student work judges: PRINT editorial & creative director Debbie Millman and PRINT editor-in-chief Zachary Petit.

Draplin image: Leah Nash. Hische: Helena Price. Lupton: Michelle Qureshi. Scher: Ian Roberts.

The post The Dean of Design appeared first on Print Magazine.

New Doc By Nicolas Heller Tonight At Muddguts

Steven Heller — Fri, 19 Jul 2019 10:31:16 +0000

Stefanie Boyce is an artist. “To Know Me Is To Love Me” is her joyful story of making art. A new film by Nicolas Heller. World Premiere on Friday night (tonight) 7/19 at Muddguts Art Store, Brooklyn, NY: Join the celebration.

The post New Doc By Nicolas Heller Tonight At Muddguts appeared first on Print Magazine.

When Design Was An Offshoot Of Printing

Steven Heller — Thu, 18 Jul 2019 05:06:28 +0000

During the 19^th century an increase of printed materials fostered the rise in trade magazines. The content centered on information for the craft and profession. The Inland Printer was created in October 1883 “as a local trade magazine for the booming mid-western printing industry,’ states an entry in the Rockwell Center For American Visual Studies. It started small but within a decade this little monthly became the bible of the printing industry and has become a primary source of historical information especially regarding the burgeoning arts of type, typography and graphic advertising design. In 1894, The Inland Printer became the first American magazine to have a new cover designed for every issue. Some of the most influential of illustrators of the day created distinctive covers for the magazine, including Will Bradley and the brothers J. C. and Frank X. Leyendecker

These pages from a 1902-3 volume reveal the birth of communication arts as an industry in the United States — history in the making was made.

The post When Design Was An Offshoot Of Printing appeared first on Print Magazine.

Fujifilm releases FUJINON Lens GF50mmF3.5 R LM WR

Thu, 18 Jul 2019 05:00:00 +0000