More than just a label...

Imagine your assignment for a packaging class: use one sheet of paper to make a 3D wine label. Sounds interesting, doesn't it? After seeing some student work in an article I found I just had to share it with the rest of the paper enthusiasts out there! So check out the full article on The Dieline blog.

Cheers!
Jess

Paper Boats

In the year 2000, as Matthew Reinhart was completing his second pop-up book, Pop-Up Book Of Nightmares, he was asked by Melcher Media to do some paper engineering experiments with a new plastic paper. Melcher Media is book production firm or packager and acts as a small publishing house imprint to develop new books in a variety of formats. Once the book is developed they bring it to various publishers who will then take on the product and get it to the bookshelves.

Taking advantage of the obvious properties of the plastic paper, Reinhart was able to create a few early models of boat hulls before moving onto new projects. Just think of it – paper boats in dazzling colors and shapes that can have a lifetime of action on both bathtubs and backyard ponds.

The book found new life under paper engineer Willy Bullocks (credited for the design of the excellent Max's Machines Pop-up Book) and the final result was released in 2001.

The Amazing Book Of Paper Boats 18 different boat patterns printed on waterproof paper for the viewer to cut, “fold and float”. The book also provides some history to the boat designs as well as explicit directions for constructing your watercrafts. Since I just received my copy this week, I have yet to test the buoyancy of the designs but I can always start with the ‘Ocean Liner’ which bears a resemblance to the Titanic so if I spring a leak it will look planned.

- Kyle

A good find...

I was in a bookstore in my neighborhood this weekend and I stumbled upon a book that grabbed my attention. What can I say it was the color that got me. I am a sucker for contrast and that dusty blue is hands down my favorite hue. Not to mention the neat red symbol on the cover.



So I bought it for a whopping 10 dollars! Getting it home are realized it from 1904, which makes it 106 years old! Oldest thing I own. I looked more closely and found it was written by a guy named Hugo B. Froehlich, A former instructor at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn - my Alma Mater.



The book is full of beautiful Art Nouveau images and poetry, as well as simple techniques for improving your drawing and color skills.




This book is such a good random find that I am really happy to own.

Have fun at your used bookstore.

Simon

A new year & a little peek into the future...

Hi pop-up fans!

Been a CRAZY BUSY winter - and everyone in the studio has been scrambling to finish up our fall projects and get started on the next ones. It never seems to end, but we (at least I) like it that way!

Encyclopedia Mythologica: Gods and Heroes releases in a few weeks - more peeks of that book to come next week. As always, I've already moved onto my next project and here's a little sneak peek at what's (hopefully) coming in Spring of 2011...

First the sketch -



- then the color art.



XO Matthew

Blog at last!

I wanted to showcase my new favorite website - Strange maps...

It has all kinds of maps and graphs and information exchanges - if you are into that kind of stuff - I, of course, am. Just demonstrate the depth and variety of this oddly intriguing blog, here are two choice entries of late:

Potential of White Christmases This Year...



and Nebraskan Looking At Nebraska Looking At Nebraska.


Enjoy!

Simon

UPS Holiday

I know this is a little late but I just received a link to an excellent pop-up advertisement. This is a holiday spot for UPS that builds on the ingenious animated cardboard campaign that was created by Psyop, a multimedia design firm that takes it’s name from the mysterious government organization. Be sure to view the other amazing UPS Store animations at their website or Youtube channel.



What I love about many of the current digitally animated pop-ups are the attention to details and the creator’s desire to follow the physics of actual books. Psyop found a good middle ground when they developed these explosive environments and then asked me to consult on merging them with traditional paper engineered mechanics. It was exciting to work with the team and I can take no credit for the imaginative vision and impeccable execution, but you bet I will be keeping an eye on them to see what magical worlds they create next.

-Kyle

One thing I've discovered...

One thing I've been discovering about paper engineering is that the principles can expand to other materials really easily. For example, this spoon folded from...wood?


- Shelby

Bling Bling!

It has been a bit of time since we've all blogged last, but I figured we should start this year's post with some great news:

I just got ENGAGED! Needless to say, I'm very excited.

Planning the wedding, however has proven quite a daunting task...

XO!

Jessica