It may seem like a long way off on these chilly January days, but fashion designers are already showing off their spring and summer collections. So Calverts were really pleased to assist the lovely folk at Muji with their Spring/Summer 2012 Look Book.

Digitally printed on our Konica Minolta BizHub 8000 digital press on a beautiful off white uncoated stock called Olin Natural White by Antalis McNaughton, the 32 page booklet is bound with white wire stitches to compliment the natural look. The colours and shades of the clothes were quite critical, so we were happy to hear that Muji are over the moon with the results.

If you would like to do a look book or a beautiful piece of print, whether digital or litho, please get in touch.

Beatrice Warde was a typographer and propagandist for fine printing. Her manifesto, This is a Printing Office, was produced as a broadsheet in 1932 following years of work under the persona “Paul Beaujon,” whom she described as “a man of long, grey beard, four grandchildren, a great interest in antique furniture and a rather vague address in Montparesse.”  

When the executives at the Lanston Monotype Corporation in London offered Mr. Beaujon the post of part-time editor by mail in 1927, they were flabbergasted when Beatrice arrived in their offices to accept the position.

She was promoted to publicity manager in 1929, which was virtually unheard of in publishing at that time, and held this post until she retired in 1960.

Do you have your own manifesto?

What does it look like?

What does it say?

Email it to: mymanifesto@calverts.coop

We'll post them all with links back to your website and produce a digital art print for the ten best (please make it no more than one page!)

Besides printing manifestos we also design beautiful things for paper and screen.

To see samples and discuss your project please get in touch.

Just before the New Year, we printed Young Colossus, a visual narrative to accompany a mini album by Orlando Weeks. The accompanying CD of music tells the story of the characters in the book which was painstakingly illustrated by Robert Hunter.

We were intrigued to find out that Orlando is lead singer of The Maccabees, whose third album Given to the Wild was number one last week.

The book is designed and printed in three pantone colours, and printed on lovely Munken Pure stock on our Heildelberg 72F litho press, using Bio vegetable oil based inks, under Calverts ISO140001 environmental management system.

The booklet was finished with an eight page gatefolded cover, with die cut slits to hold the CD, and devilishly handsome black staples.

Freshly printed and delivered is the UK edition of Booyah!, a comic book about an irresponsible creature devoid of conscience.

Originally published in French by author and artist Loran the childlike graphics contain a lot of cartoon violence and it's recommended for teenagers or adults.

Printed in a neat B5 size by Calverts in CMYK throughout with vegetable oil based inks on Challenger Offset cover and (FSC) silk coated for the inner pages, Booyah is published by new comic book publishing house Sloth who are currently looking for authors and artists.

It's always nice to get good feedback and this is what Nicolas from Sloth had to say about his experience of working with Calverts:

"I just wanted to express how happy I am with your work! The final product looks incredible! That matt cover really give the whole item a nice feel. Please extend my thanks to all involved!"

Fixed is quarterly magazine focused on all that's happening within the fixed gear cycle community.

It's a beautiful mix of stunning photography, striking design, and passionate writing from contributors around the world. 

Calverts has worked with Fixed since it's first issue back in 2008 and the latest issue #10 launches a brand new format and feel, moving from a smaller B5 size to a deluxe 290 x 240mm international size with glossy cover.

The international context is important – issue #10 covers the fixed gear scene in cities such as Montreal, Barcelona, Amsterdam, and Kuala Lumpur, to name just a few.

If you're a converted fixie or just want to find out more about the scene then Fixed magazine is a must.

And if you're and planning to come to Calverts soon, let us know  – we should have a few reference copies in our samples library.

The Christmas tree in this image was produced by RapidformRCA, using a 3D rapid-prototyping process developed by MCOR Technologies that combines an eco-friendly water-based adhesive with standard A4 letter paper, each sheet cut by a computer-controlled knife to create wood-like 3D models.

The technology has applications across the design disciplines – from architecture to product design – and allows 3D design at 2D prices.

Designed by RCA alumni Kellenberger–White and printed by Calverts, the 3D card is a limited-edition production for friends and supporters of the RCA; the 2D card is on sale to the public. All profits go to the RCA Student Fund, which  supports students who would not otherwise be able to continue their studies at the College.

Cards cost £1.50 each or £10 for eight cards, and can be ordered by emailing the RCA shop

Humancraft showcases the work of artist Gina Czarnecki. This fascinating book is a selection of milestones in the evolution of the artist, threading together ideas of the body, mutation, ethics and mediation and illustrated through the mediums of painting, sculpture, audio-visual techniques, and animation.

Printed by Calverts at B5 size on 150gsm and 250gsm FSC certified matt coated paper which resists the harsh reflection of light often found on similar gloss or silk papers.

Corporate Social Responsibility is back on the agenda, as companies big and small are recognising the need to become genuinely accountable for their impact on the wider society.

The everyday operations of businesses have positive or negative effects on the local and global community and environment – for example, through their use of materials, supply chain policies, employment practice and energy use.
 

Calverts and the wider co-operative business community have been recognized as blazing trails in ethical and sustainable best practice for many years, so it was a real pleasure to team up with Heart of the City to produce printed materials in support of their own CSR campaigning and education work.

We printed two booklets on our litho press using vegetable oil based ink and one booklet on our digital press. All were on FSC certified paper and printed under our strict ISO 140001 environmental management guidelines.

You can see full answers to 35 questions about Calverts social, ethical and environmental policy and practice at http://s.coop/rx

Case bound book for Andrew Mummery Projects, just printed, looking really handsome and delivered in good time for a major 50-year retrospective of paintings and platinum prints by PaulCaffell  at Mummery & Schnelle.

We specified Marazion Ultra 150gsm – an unusual 'fat' matt coated sheet with an almost chalky surface – for the image and text pages; Colourplan Pale Grey 135gsm for the endpapers and Colourplan Pristine White 135gsm over 2250 micron boards for the case.

Reproduction and printing were litho CMYK with a spot litho gloss varnish to images only, using K&E's Bio vegetable oil based inks.

The book was section sewn and case bound by J. Muir, Greenwich, and we turned it round in 20 working days including proofing, retouching and lots of coffee drinking and pastry eating with Paul and Andrew.

Hard Cover: ISBN 978-0-9569040-1-0, edition of 200

Soft cover ISBN 978-0-9569040-2-7, edition of 800

A great example of what makes the UK comic scene so strong and vibrant at the moment, the latest issue of Solipsistic Pop is out now.

An ambitious package of printerly delights based on the theme of "maps", this latest anthology of UK comic artists pushes print, and printed comics in particular, in new directions with a breathtaking selection of print processes and papers.

At the heart of the package we have the main book – 80 pages of spot colour lovliness printed on Redeem 100% recycled, a natural coloured paper with excellent opacity which allows for printing on lighter weights of paper without the risk of show-through.

Wrapping around the book we have an intricate dust jacket, designed by Katie Green, which doubles-up as a map complete with teddy bears, ships, sheep, and Monopoly man top hats.

An additional three postcard sized comics extend the theme of maps and travel -  glow-in-the-dark ink adds a new context to one comic when you find a dark place to read it in, another lists a bingo checklist of  things to find in your area, and when you reach an appropriate destination the final postcard comic is printed on seed paper that can be planted once it has been read.

The entire package comes in a folder screenprinted with a blueprint, diagram-based design that fits perfectly with the cartological theme.

Solipsistic Pop's creator Tom Humberstone has written previously on  why printed comics rather than digital comics work for him and this latest edition of Sol Pop illustrates his argument perfectly.

Printing by Calverts and Henningham Family Press, Solipsistic Pop 4 is launched tonight at Concrete, 56 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6JJ.