DESCRIPTION Measure Postcards CLIENT Self-promotion DATE September – November 2009 DESIGN CREDITS Measure Design and Illustration: Chad Johnston, Chris Malven and Austin Van Laar, PRINT CREDITS Offset: Holm Graphic Services Foil: Feiereisen, Inc. TYPE CREDITS Mercury by Hoefler & Frere-Jones

QUANTITY PRODUCED 1,250 PRODUCTION TIME 3 Weeks DIMENSIONS: WIDTH × HEIGHT × DEPTH 8.75 in × 5.75 in PRINT METHOD Offset Foil Stamp PAPER STOCK Neenah Esse Pearlized Latte 105 lb Cover, Smooth NUMBER OF COLORS 6/2 Spots Gold and Holographic Foils VARNISHES Flood dull varnish

As an excuse to get in touch with clients and peers, design firm Measure created a set of three postcards with a critterly theme that brings attention to their web site and their recent achievement of being featured in the I.D. Design Annual.

The bugs for the most part are a result of our interest in design in nature and the collaboration of science and art. As a visual metaphor they acted as gilded specimens to promote the portfolio on the website, a highly developed and complex eye to invite the audience to take a closer look, and a showy display to announce our recognition in the I.D. Design Annual.

While all three postcards share bugs, each one has a different visual effect, from the simple offset printed close-up of a fly’s eyes, to the gold gilded spots on the three bugs, to the groovy holographic moth. The latter two are certainly the more eye-catching, especially as the foils react against the light, shining differently at each angle. But according to Measure, it was the paper that brought the three postcards together.

The paper was an experiment that turned out to be what I consider the real success of the production end. We used Neenah Esse Pearlized Latte Smooth. The intent was for the pearlized finish to subdue the foil just a bit by bringing some subtle bling to the printed surface and also use the finish to create depth in a flat piece. The paper has a very hard surface and because the inks go down with minimal water on this particular sheet, they get a great richness and vibrance to them. On the backs we used the black to help control where the pearlescent would punch through and add a sense of depth to the piece. The light green ink against the black resulted in a subtle optical illusion that the type was floating above the surface. It was a slow process with several passes in the press to allow for drying on this sheet, but it performed brilliantly.