Print Techniques Archives - Parse & Parcel - Delivering Paper Inspiration

Caffé Pagani – Coffee Packaging with an Emphasis on Tactility

September 18, 2018 by Jill DiNicolantonio

Packaging design is definitely not for the faint of heart, especially when we’re talking about coffee packaging. It’s not just the visual aspects that matter, packaging design needs to take a multi-sensory approach. While creatives labor over aspects like color palettes, typography and logo design – it’s the production that brings these elements to life. Thoughtful consideration should be given to every production detail – with function, format and structure driving design. From there, designers can take advantage of the supporting role that substrates and production techniques play in the overall design. This was the case with the coffee packaging for roaster Caffé Pagani created by Eskimo Design.

The Production Process – Topography Inspired Journal & Pencil Box, Set Part Two

May 21, 2018May 14, 2018 by Jill DiNicolantonio

In case you missed my previous post, this is part two of our post about the making of our topography inspired journal and pencil box set. I’m sharing all the details of the project – the good, the bad and the ugly. Part one was about the concept and design phase of the project. I thought narrowing down paper selections was going to be the difficult part, boy was I wrong. This post is where the production process begins and so do the hurdles.

Topography Inspired Journal & Pencil Box Set – Part One

May 15, 2018May 10, 2018 by Jill DiNicolantonio

Did you ever have an idea for a project you were saving for something really special? You know, the one you keep tucked away for just the right circumstances. For me it was the pencil box. Looking back, I definitely under estimated a few things about the project. My timeline was way off. And honestly, the production skills required for a packaging project are different than four-color offset printing. But if there’s one thing I know for sure, the only way you grow is by challenging yourself. So I dove in, head first. This post is all about the process for producing the Topography Inspired Journal & Pencil Box Set – the good, the bad and the ugly.

Neenah Inspires a Classic Retail Revolution

September 29, 2018April 10, 2018 by Jill DiNicolantonio

When it comes to developing a retail brand, most designers will tell you the devil is in the details. Making sure brand identity and messaging connect with its audience involves many elements that require thoughtful attention to detail – especially print collateral. In fact, it is scientifically proven that consumers form powerful, emotional connections through touch. It’s called haptics, and when thoughtfully incorporated into a retail brand’s print collateral, it has the ability to turn customers into brand loyalists. And Neenah is leading the charge, inspiring a revolution of sorts with its newest promotion. CLASSIC^® Retail Revolution is a resource for designers working with retail clients to help them see new and unique ways to use printed pieces as a tangible element of today’s retail experiences.

A Strong Relationship Between Designer and Printer

January 3, 2018 by Jill DiNicolantonio

There’s this idea that in order to produce high-quality print, one must have clients with deep pockets. I was a paper rep for many years and I can tell you some of the best print projects I worked on didn’t have huge budgets. In fact, it’s often just the opposite. Producing great print is not about having a great budget, it’s about having great relationships. You can tell a lot about the relationship between a designer and print rep by the quality of the project’s print production. When production details are so well executed they blend synergistically with the design, that’s the tell-tale sign of a strong relationship between designer and printer. And this was the case with the NewBridge 2017 Annual Report.

THE DESIGN COLLECTION – SURFACE ISSUE

September 29, 2018August 28, 2017 by Jill DiNicolantonio

The Design Collection by Neenah features luxuriously tactile and colored papers available for commercial printing. It houses 15 different papers in one place, and features a richly colored grades like Stardream, Esse, Oxford, So…Silk, Plike, Slide, Astroking and Wild. That’s only half the story. Texture is the other word synonymous with The Design Collection. With finishes like Canvas, Felt, Pearlized, Heavy Vellum, Hi-Tech and Diffused, creatives have plenty to choose from. Options are good, right? Sometimes it makes it difficult to decide exactly what paper to use with a specific technique. That’s one reason why we love samples so much. Creatives and clients alike are visual. Thankfully, there’s Neenah’s new lookbook, The Design Collection – Surface Issue.

Show Us Your Money, And Wallet – Legion/NSS Promo

August 7, 2017 by Jill DiNicolantonio

It’s no secret we’re big fans of the National Stationery Show. So when our friends at Legion Paper asked if Parse & Parcel would like to participate in this year’s promotion, we jumped at the chance. Last year was the first time we partnered with them on the promo and had a blast with it. For this year’s promo, Show Us Your Money, participants got to create their own money to help celebrate the occasion.

Oberlin Illuminated – a Print Sample with Spark

July 10, 2017 by Jill DiNicolantonio

With each issue of The Parcel, we like to include samples of “real-life” projects to demonstrate what is possible even under real-life constraints. We found a beautiful example we included in the summer issue of The Parcel. Oberlin Illuminated is an elegant, high-end photo book commemorating the end of a seven-year, $317-million fundraising campaign titled Oberlin Illuminate.

A Classic Brand Gets a Refresh – Neenah CLASSIC® Papers

April 27, 2017April 27, 2017 by Jill DiNicolantonio

By definition, the word classic means “serving as a standard of excellence : of recognized value.” In other words something that stands the test of time. Neenah’s CLASSIC® Brands have been around for 55 years. And that’s saying something in an industry that’s pretty fickle when it comes to paper grades with staying power. To give you some context, I started in the industry around the same time Survivor first aired. I’ve seen more papers come and go than torches snuffed out by Jeff Probst. So yes, it’s safe to say the CLASSIC® Papers live up to their name. But how exactly does a brand that is so iconic and classic undertake a refresh? Well, that was a collaborative process between Neenah Paper and Design Army that was a year in the making. I say it was well worth the wait because the results are stellar.

The Planner – a Stationery Endeavor

April 24, 2017 by Jill DiNicolantonio

I start my workday pretty much the same way, by grabbing a sheet of paper and scrawling out all the things I want to accomplish. My method is to write down everything in my head. Once it’s on paper I can stop obsessing and start working. Of course I am overly ambitious, and by Friday my desk is cluttered with piles of half completed lists. I needed a better way to plan my workday and projects. I tried tons of analog options. After spending a small fortune on pretty, but non-functional planners, I was at a loss. Nothing worked for what I needed. So I decided to take matters into my own hands and am so excited to share Parse & Parcel’s very first stationery endeavor – The Planner.