DESCRIPTION Fuszion 13th Anniversary BBQ Invitation CLIENT Self Promotion DATE July 2009 DESIGN CREDITS Design and Illustration: Rick Heffner, Fuszion Copywriting: Eric Stewart PRINT CREDITS Commonwealth Specialty Packaging TYPE CREDITS Aachen, found lettering and custom lettering

QUANTITY PRODUCED 500 PRODUCTION COST $1,500 PRODUCTION TIME 2 weeks DIMENSIONS: WIDTH × HEIGHT × DEPTH 6.875 in. × 9.3125 in. PRINT METHOD Silkscreen PAPER STOCK Chipboard NUMBER OF COLORS 2 spot

If we gave clever titles to each of our posts I would have titled this one “The Devil Wears Silkscreen.” Okay, maybe half-clever. But seriously, there is nothing short of devilish about this invitation by Alexandria, VA based Fuszion as they celebrate their 13th year in business. From the literal in its illustration of a devil to the metaphorical in its killer lettering and use of chipboard. One great aspect of this invitation is the contrast between the blunt texture and density of the chipboard with the glossiness of the silkscreen. Plus if you want to keep beating the recession you can punch a couple of holes in the eyes and, voilà, you have a Halloween costume.

For those of you considering printing your next project on chipboard, Fuszion art director, Greg Spraker, offers the following:

First, take the extra step of ordering ink drawdowns when using raw chipboard. The chipboard soaks in ink like a towel and has a darkening effect on color. There were other pieces associated with this that were not printed on chipboard and the colors were adjusted accordingly. Second, consider the gauge of the board. They’re available in various thicknesses and the end result can (and usually will) have a significant impact on mailing costs. Third, when mailing a custom die cut piece, always have it vetted by the local post office. It sounds like a no-brainer, but miss this and it could burn you. Again, it will add cost to the postage. But really, when it’s cool enough, who cares?