In case you didn’t realize it, I like to share. If you follow P&P you probably already know that. I just think the most effective way to help educate about paper as it relates to print and design is to share my experiences with full disclosure – the good, the bad and the ugly. So when the team at Domtar dished about the problems they encountered producing their newest promotion Share on Cougar, I knew I had to see it for myself.
Designed by Squires & Company, Share on Cougar is the fourth and final installment of the series Dream, Journey, Live, Share – on Cougar. The cover definitely caught my attention, with a sculpted blind emboss and deboss, its a fab demonstration of the paper’s tactile beauty. Upon opening the book, we’re greeted with the question Why do we share? Sporting a solid black with knockout type, this is a great example of the sheet’s formation. Exploring all the reasons we share, the first part of the piece features photography, demonstrating the versatility of the paper and its ability to handle heavy ink coverage.
The second half focuses on work by designers and agencies that have been produced on Cougar. As an added bonus there is a Q & A included with each of the featured print projects; designers share their insights into their process, production, paper specification, medium and selecting a printer.
One of the things I appreciate about pieces like this is the inclusion of real-life projects. I’m always so curious about how a piece is produced and why designers choose the papers they do to communicate. For example, the creative director working on a project for Campari America was asked about the biggest factor for choosing paper: “Uncoated paper whispers while coated paper shouts. The client and the message usually dictate that choice.” While I’m not so sure I agree with the statement, I certainly appreciate his viewpoint.