print is tactile
The texture and tooth of paper, deep deboss of letterpress, shine of a foil stamp, or glisten of a spot varnish — these are the elements of fine printing that cannot be duplicated from a digital design.
The tactile nature of print design has always been a first love. Before majoring in Communication Design, I started out drawing, painting and printmaking. My maternal grandfather was a typesetter (my family buried him with his tweezers tucked in his front pocket). My uncle spent the majority of his career as a print estimator, ensuring jobs were profitable and managed properly. Two cousins started out as print brokers. Print is literally in my blood and the name Hagopian Ink stems from a love for the printed page.
But as time evolves with digital design surrounding our everyday lives, print is no longer the first medium clients jump to convey their brand messaging. The cost of printing and mailing has made fine print projects more selective in nature. But our luxury clients know they can communicate prestige in a more impactful way – something that cannot be conveyed through pixels on your monitor or through the screen of a phone. Education and non-profit clients realize print is still the most important medium to reach their audience. We fully believe that print is not dead. There is a time and a place for it, and it is alive and well.
Choosing the best paper stocks and print techniques for a print project can be just as important as the design itself. This week, we purchased tickets to the Art Director’s Club Paper Expo and look forward to meeting with top paper manufacturers and printers, while gathering new samples and inspiration. We hope to see you there!
