2024

We hear about “user experience” (or UX) all the time these days, usually in relation to websites and apps, but of course it plays a major role in print design, too. This is something we were reminded of recently during the creation of this, the ultimate Foil Cheat Sheet, an indispensable resource from PaperSpecs and […]

There’s always been some of the American “can-do” spirit about Field Notes. When designer Aaron Draplin couldn’t find a simple notebook, he created one and, with the help of designer Jim Coudal, transformed it into the ubiquitous tool of students and creatives everywhere. No surprise, then, that in the latest edition of their Field Notes […]

If there’s one thing rarer than great design, it is great design in aid of a good cause. This was the second thing that occurred to me after coming across advertising agency LRXD’s “Gift of Water” New Year’s Box; the first, of course, was “wow!” “LRXD wanted to pass on our health and happiness values […]

There is nothing quite so magical as taking a walk during a crisp fall day, the trees a kaleidoscope of colorful leaves that also crunch satisfyingly beneath your feet. It is a time of year enchantingly captured in Peak Color, a holiday card mailed by Brilliant Graphics to remind current and potential clients that their […]

Creativity is never effortless; some people just make it look that way. How else to explain “Once Upon a Time,” the latest calendar creation from Sabai Sabai Design, the same team who brought us 2017’s super-popular Junglendar?  In that charming piece they used laser cutting to bring several animals to life; this time around we are introduced to just […]

If you’re a lover of beautiful, imaginative print design, chances are you’ve noticed that the humble playing card has been enjoying something of a renaissance in recent years. Often, though, that beauty and imagination are reserved strictly for the tuck box alone, with the cards inside usually resembling the same ones you grew up with. […]

When you’re trying to catch the eye of the discerning consumer in the crowded gourmet chocolate bar market, you can’t afford to be modest; your packaging really has to make the sale, and fast. In her characteristic get-to-the-heart-of-it fashion, Jennifer Morla of Morla Design transformed the staid packaging of K+M’s confections into a thing of […]

Nothing grabs a client’s attention faster than a whiff of hand-crafted elegance. And if you can sweeten the deal with a bottle of premium spirits, so much the better. For its 2018 annual client gift, Ellen Bruss Design (EBD) used its recent branding and packaging work for client Branch & Barrel as the basis for a […]

Sometimes it seems there is no end to the number of super-creative wine and spirit labels out there. While I adore the way so many designers have used color, die cuts, and even embossing and engraving to make their clients’ products stand out, occasionally I have to wonder “Where do we go from here?” And that’s […]

From wedding invitations to great tomes on history, one of print’s most vital roles in today’s digital world is as a physical reminder of the events that shape our lives. And as demonstrated so profoundly by this unique book, it can also remind us that life’s darkest tragedies still contain seeds of strength and renewal […]