Impressive: Printmaking, Letterpress and Graphic Design

by Robert Klanten, Hendrik Hellige (Editor)

Today's graphic designers, illustrators, and typographers are rediscovering old
printing techniques and handcrafts. They are inspired by passion for the unique; the feel of different papers, press cuts, and embossing; the brilliance of printing inks; and the originality of book binding techniques. The book Impressive presents the results of this passion.

Today's fascination with old-fashioned printing presses and techniques started with individual designers and smaller collectives that created one-of-a-kind printed material by hand for special occasions, such as weddings or birthdays. Impressive features these artists and their personal work as well as a broad range of business cards, invitations, stationery, and publications that are designed and produced in a way that is both nostalgic and contemporary. Historical styles
from the Victorian grandeur of floral elements and adornments to the aesthetics of classical modernism are used and referenced as well as combined and reinterpreted in unusual ways. Traditional and more exotic techniques such as silk-screen printing, stamping, woodcut, or linocut are used. What counts is doing it yourself.

Impressive investigates the interplay between traditional handiwork and current trends in graphic design. The work collected in this book shows how relevant and exciting the modern use of traditional design forms can be and how much it can inspire the visuality of the future.

Genres: Design, Art

240 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2010

About the author

Robert Klanten has been a key figure in the global creative industry for more than a quarter of a century, helping to reimagine the way we approach publishing. He has driven over 800 publications and commercial projects.
Robert is the CEO of gestalten, the company he founded in 1995. Under his leadership, gestalten has established itself as a pillar in the field of contemporary visual culture, design and architecture, by immersing its readers in creative landscapes, cultures, people and art. gestalten regularly collaborates with the biggest names in the creative world and is known and loved by millions around the globe for its iconic books.
He has shown how creativity has no limits in the digital age: through inspiration, inclusivity and promoting understanding; and by connecting the global and the local through storytelling.

Reviews

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can thank Etsy for my new artistic creations. Yes, of course I am currently mostly plagiarising for my flat to look lovely jubbly, and sometimes it's ridiculous when I see prices like 50 Euros for something that it takes me just two hours to do – ok, to replicate aka steal somebody’s creative self. I know, I should just really blush now and put a paper bag over my head and spin myself until I find some wall to bounce off it in agony, because sh*t, you are mentioning your plagiarising like something normal. As much as you are condoning it, you are as well giving it wind under wings. Well, some of us are not as creative as one would like to be, so we need to do this. It is as well easier to talk plural when I am basically just talking singular – about myself.

But the truth is, I’ve never been really good with my hands. As a leisure pleasure it was or my voice, or photography or any other art performance that wasn’t connected with my left and right hand. And now, when finally some things settled down in my life, I’ve found creating art as something that makes me really happy.

And I think it’s really difficult to be good at few things equally. Luckily, I’m happy with my job so I come home rather satisfied and fulfilled, but on the other hand, I’ve come to a conclusion that I am more and more interested in so many things that it’s hard to find time and balance with all the things that I want to do. In the same time I feel like I am creatively going back into my early 20s, when I had all those ideas but buzzing around was something I had to do, and now when basically I am entering 30s ideas are just more vivid and easier to catch and actualize.

When before it was University, singing, partying, travelling and emotional avalanche, now things more get along with security, stretching my body and mind, acceptance and exploring my life as an independent adult with my own financial injection that allows me to pursue some things that were before neglected because speed of life and craziness were calling me. I finally put effort into some things without them being called duty or obligation, but just me enjoying new hobbies.

I sure don't take myself seriously as much as I did, and I sure don't act as seriously as I sometimes have to appear to be, much along because I have a really serious job that acquires authority, sharpness and leadership attitude. But it's a job, I can handle it, it's not a basic me. Basic me is currently into graphic art, collage, colours and dimensions. Among other four/five completely different and active self-fulfilled fields.

This book is full of impressive design forms and I purely envy some of the creators. But, at least I started. It was here inside of me for a long time, and geysers of creativity started mingling to surface.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting more graphic design and less illustration, can't say it was almost half of the book, but it has a good proportion of it. Not that i mind but when i bought the book i was expecting something different. Nevertheless, it's a good book with beautiful works a good source for inspiration.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful tome filled with examples of contemporary letterpress design. Full review here: http://pikaland.com/2010/07/24/review...

[Marlaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful letterpress work
a must have for letterpress artists and wannabes