It was love at first sight. I could hardly believe my eyes, but two of my all time favorite combinations were staring me right in the face: kraft paper paired with copper metallic ink. Oh Mohawk, you had me at hello. I was thrilled when I got the brand spanking new Mohawk Carnival + Via swatchbook last month. I didn’t think things could get much better with one of my “go-to” budget friendly grades…until I got the current copy of the Mohawk Maker Quarterly Issue No. 5 – PERCEPTION.
Timed to coincide with the new swatchbook release, this issue of the Maker Quarterly seemed to be tailor made for me. Once I got past my excitement of the cover, I turned the page and dove into the piece centered around the impact of art + design on perception. “We may all see the same scene, yet tell a completely different story. The interpretation part of perception is where things get interesting”…I’ll say.
I was intrigued by the article featuring Debbie Millman’s take on how design and branding influence our behavior. She gives a Cliffs Notes version of the evolution of branding, from its beginning in the late 1800’s with the Trademark Registration Act to the recent evolution of experiential branding (think Starbucks) and now as brand disconnector.
I also particularly enjoyed the feature on Levi’s and its evolution as an icon. Before I got into this industry, I was a rep for the Lee Co. and was in awe of how Levi’s dominated the market. No matter what Lee did, there was no way they going to change their perception (I remember one retailer saying there was a “stigma” associated with the brand – try selling around that one). Levi’s perception is the exact opposite, it’s as personal as it gets with their brand. Ask anyone and they’re sure to have some memorable experience with Levi’s – for me it was bleaching my 501’s in my dorm room freshman year.
The article I most enjoyed was the one featuring one of my favorite sites, PRESENT/&/CORRECT. I’m a huge fan of their products, ranging from vintage inspired office supplies and desk accessories to stationery. I want every single thing on their site.
This edition of the Maker Quarterly is a bit of a departure from past issues, not only does it feature a slight format change with the addition of half pages, the use of color is predominant. Past issues have been very clean, this one ranges from kraft to soft colors to a very punchy blue vellum – appropriate for the article on color and impression. Packed with 28 pages of engaging content on a range of tactile papers from the Via and Carnival lines, The Mohawk Maker Quarterly Issue No. 5 is like an early Christmas gift for paper enthusiasts.