Field Notes Launches New Collection of Letterpress Notebooks Designed by Nine Printers Across the United States

Inasmuch as

Concept documentary

#typography #notebooks #composition #video

September 17, 2020

Grace Ebert

For its latest limited-edition series, Field Notes commissioned nine typography workshops to capture the nation’s diverse perspectives and stories through pocket-sized design. united states of Typography is a pastel collection of memo notebooks featuring renderings of small window displays, geometric patterns, and various slogans, including nods to the upcoming presidential election. Each contains 48 pages of graph paper.

To coincide with the launch, the Chicago-based laptop maker filmed a short documentarydirected by Steve Delahoyde, capturing the processes and history of the art form. The printers involved, which include Genghis Kern, Full circle press, Mom’s Sauce, Brad Vetter, spring press, Ben Blount, Erin Beckoff, Rick Griffithand Star shaped press— talk about the generosity of the printing community, the challenges of support and the endurance of traditional characters and equipment. They also detail the tactile process of designing and creating their contributions.

For the special collection, Field Notes sent the independent printers cover paper of a different color and asked them to use the same two inks, Rhubine Red and Process Blue. Using a variety of vintage metal, wood, laser-cut, and photopolymer plaques, some producers submitted two designs, which were randomly added to the packs. “There is so much history and tradition in every hand-printed piece, and we wanted to honor that while showcasing the phenomenal work that modern practitioners of the craft produce,” said co-founder Jim Coudal.

Support Colossal by collecting a pack of three Field Notes usa typography in the colossal shop.

#typography #notebooks #composition #video

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