Print Design Podcast

HO HO HO Designer friends! Here is our list of the gifts we think should make it onto your Christmas Wishlist this year!

I honestly can't believe it, but the holiday season is upon is! Costco said it was Christmas 2 months ago, Starbucks went Christmas 3 weeks ago, here we are!

THE LINKS:

Awesome Puzzles - 313 Gifts

Gradient Puzzle - CLICK HERE

Silly Gifts - FireBox

Henry the Desk Vacuum - CLICK HERE
Book - "100 tricks to appear smart in meetings" - CLICK HERE
Book - "As per my previous email" - CLICK HERE
Snoop Dogg Cookbook - "From Crook to Cook" - CLICK HERE

TouchScreen Winter Gloves:

Moshi Digits Glove - CLICK HERE
Canada Goose Workman Glove - CLICK HERE

Magazine Subscriptions:

Communication Arts - CLICK HERE
Juxtapoz - CLICK HERE
Umber - CLICK HERE
GDUSA - CLICK HERE

Fonts + Textures:

TrueGrit - ProCreate/Photoshop/Illustrator Textures - CLICK HERE
Brethren Fonts - CLICK HERE
Zilker Font by StayGray Pony Boy - CLICK HERE

Pencils:

Blackwing Pencils - CLICK HERE

Prints + Merch:

 Moniker Press - Riso - CLICK HERE
Porchlight Press - Letterpress - CLICK HERE
Studio On Fire - Cards, playing cards - CLICK HERE
Never Made - Poster Designs + Slick Merch - CLICK HERE
Happy Impulse - Art Prints + Pins - CLICK HERE
Field Notes Press Sheets - CLICK HERE

Books:

Invisible Creature - Face the Music: Twenty Years of Album Art - CLICK HERE
Lincoln Design - Logo Mayhem - CLICK HERE
Lincoln Design - The Chop Up Newspaper - CLICK HERE
Open Road Ski - The Man Behind the Maps by James Niehues - CLICK HERE

Warming Coffee Mug:

Ember Heated Mug - CLICK HERE

Pantone Books:

Studio Collection - CLICK HERE
Solid Formula Guide - CLICK HERE

Socks:

SAXX Underwear + Socks - CLICK HERE
Happy Socks - CLICK HERE
Brother Vellies Cloud Socks - CLICK HERE

Astute Graphics Plugins for Illustrator:

Get the Plugins  - CLICK HERE

SSD Drives:

SanDisk SSD - CLICK HERE
Samsung SSD - CLICK HERE

Cricut Machine:

Cricut Maker 3 - CLICK HERE

MacBook Pro:

2021 14" and 16" models here - CLICK HERE

GlowForge Laser Cutter:

LASER CUTTERS! - CLICK HERE

Tesla Model X: 

Zoom Zoom, build yours - CLICK HERE

LEGO (for adults):

NASA Lego - CLICK HERE
Vehicles Lego - CLICK HERE

Another brilliant craft beer label design, but this time with a custom box! This weeks guest is Michael Burgland @atomicmutant who was a graphic designer with Surly Brewing.

We are specifically talking about the Surly 15-anniversary beer label and custom box. The box was printed by the amazing crew over at @studioonfire using @mohawkpaper

This project is a great example of why I love craft beer label design. They usually come with some much design freedom, creative freedom. Also in the episode we get into the story about how Michael came to own 3 studios at the same time, as well as some video packaging that he had the opportunity to design.

THE LINKS:

Craft Beer Label Design Course - Learn Craft Beer Label Design HERE

Michael Bergland Instagram - @atomicmutant

Surly Brewing - @surlybrewing

PRINT SPECS:

Box
Stock: 100# Mohawk Strathmore Premium Wove Cover - Egglant
Print Specs: Silver Hot Foil Stamp with Emboss
Finishing: Die-cut box with autolock bottom and locking tuck top
Printer: Studio On Fire - St Paul, MN @studioonfire

Label/Shrink Sleeve
Stock: Clear Shrink Sleeve
Print Specs: PMS + White + Silver Metallic Ink

This week we are diving into the unboxing experience printed and designed for Manner Goods - A Modern Man's Subscription Box.

I'm lucky enough to have two guests in this episode, Austin Dunbar from Durham and Carlie Simoncelli from Rove Companies. Durham is the talented design team behind the branding for Manner Goods, and Carlie is a marketing pro that hustled to bring it all together. From selecting materials to getting creative on the production side to make a great unboxing experience.

We also talk about some early memories of print and design and just have a great conversation!

THE LINKS:

Manner Goods: https://mannergoods.com/

Durham Studio: https://durhamstudio.com/

Free Guide and checklist to prep your files for print: FREE GUIDE

Craft Beer Label Design Course: CLICK HERE

Print Design Academy YouTube: YOUTUBE HERE

Print Design Academy: https://www.printdesignacademy.com/

This weeks guest is Blake Stevenson, or you might know him from IG as @jetpacksandrollerskates. A fellow Canadian!

We are talking all about Craft Beer Labels in this episode. You know I love Craft Beer Label Design. During this chat Blake shares stories behind some design work for Elora Brewing and how the label design system has evolved. We also get into label design work he submitted to Collective Arts Brewing.

Blake also has a great story about coming across print as a young kid, pretty cool stuff!

The Links:
Craft Beer Label Design Course

Print Design Academy

Jet Packs and Roller Skates Website

Elora Brewing Co Website

Collective Arts Website

Jon Contino Book - Brand by Hand - Mentioned in Episode

This weeks guest is Jaime Evans from Foil Co. @foilcoltd They are the incredible minds the most diverse foil selection and options available in the market.

During this episode we do a deep dive into the creative foil piece they created that was motivated by the Japanese concept that refers to the reason for living, Ikigai. Part of the unique looks of this project were created by happy accidents. Designed by Studio DBD @studiodbd

We also talk about Pokemon Cards, how print literally saves lives, and a bunch of other design and print stuff. Jaime is a blast to talk to and the mission behind Foil Co and their products is so brilliant, very easy to support and relate to. Also a bunch of great one liners in this one. 

Foil Co on Instagram

Foil Co Website

Studio DBD Instagram

Print Design Academy YouTube

Print Design Academy Instagram

Print Design Academy Website

This weeks guest is Nick Van Der Walle. He is the Founder and CEO of Astute Graphics. Astute Graphics has been putting out incredibly helpful and time-saving plugins for Adobe Illustrator for more than 20 years!

This is not a sponsored episode or a sales episode at all. This is a bit of a selfish episode. I personally wanted to know how Astute Graphics Plugins could help Graphic Designers specifically with Print Design.

Nick walks us through how the company is named after a remote control car, which plugins can help print designers and how, while also just having a great conversation about print. We also have some good laughs!

Dig into this one and go check out Astute Graphics at the links below. No affiliate links at all. Just sharing a company doing great things for all Graphic Designers!

Astute Graphics: https://astutegraphics.com/

Astute Graphics IG: https://www.instagram.com/astutegraphics/

Print Design Academy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PrintDesignAcademy?sub_confirmation=1

Print Design Academy: Where we are teaching designers to be experts in print design. https://www.printdesignacademy.com/

This weeks guest is Jay Ferracane. He is the talented graphic designer behind angrybovine and the awesome print project we are talking abou tin this episode.

The episode is a deep dive into the Answer MotoCross Catalogue. We talk about how this project came to be, and some of the roadblocks they faced bringing it to life through the pandemic in 2020. It involved a number of different photographers around the US creating photo assets for products and active shots. 

We also talk about awesome action figure packaging we remember from our younger years and Jay's first print design project which resulted in a reprint. Learning right? 

You can check out Jay on Instagram here @angrybovine

YOUTUBE: Click HERE Print Design Academy

Learn about Craft Beer Label Design HERE

In this episode, I share 3 reasons print and print design is more and more important. I share with you why people are literally craving printed experiences!

It could be direct mail, a great branded lookbook, great packaging, or any other type of tactile brand experience. I share why it is increasingly more important to have print design as a tool in your designer tool box. 

Mentioned in the episode: 

Craft Beer Label Design Course

Print Design Academy YouTube

So your customer has approved your label design, amazing! Now you have to send it in for print. Do you know what to check for before sending that file to the printer?

In this solo episode, Dave talks about the things you need to check and possibly change in your file to make it print-ready.

For a detailed screenshare look at these things, check out our YouTube video here: https://www.youtube.com/c/PrintDesignAcademy?sub_confirmation=1

This weeks guest is Simon McGowan. He is the Head of Design with Wolfson Brands and Muscle + Health Magazine based out of Glasgow, Scotland. This episode is a deep dive into editorial and publication design for the creation and first few issues of Muscle + Health Magazine. We talk about how the idea for the magazine actually came from some Instagram carousels they were doing. Simon shares with us the specs of the magazine, how many copies they print, the original purpose of the magazine, and where it is heading now. Plus, all the other awesome fun we have on this show. Simon is the real deal and this conversation was awesome. I know you are going to dig it! Check out the magazine on IG @muscleandhealthworld and check out Simon's IG @simon_mcg