Finkner Studio has created a book about books, or more specifically the papers used in books, and named it simply: Paper In The Book. Filip Birkner and Matúš Buranovský who run the studio pay a lot of attention to the tangible aspects of a book: “its tactility can be as important for us as its readability. Too often we come across praiseworthy initiatives whose final forms do not proudly represent their contents. We do wonder; is it because of the low production budgets or ignorance. Or is it just a routine or are printers, publishers, and designers unaware of the broader selection, offered by paper mills and their suppliers?”
With these questions running through our heads, we as graphic designers came up with an initiative called Paper in the book. It opens up this theme and will spread more awareness about the importance of paper choices and how they can influence individual book projects. – the designers write.
The 400-page book contains compiled interviews with 10 Slovakian book designers, accompanied by a 32-page visual gallery repeatedly printed on a selection of twelve papers, to showcase how different contents behave when printed on different papers
Paper in the book is a non–profit initiative, run in the designer’s spare time, whose benevolent intent is to improve the book design scene in Slovakia. As the first step in the project, Finkner Studio approached and spoke to 10 renowned book designers, including Pavol Bálik, Boris Meluš, Ľubica Segečová, and others. Who provided valuable thoughts and ideas on the topic, sharing their views on their favorite papers. (These interviews are published in the publication.) These answers, supplemented by the Finkner Studio’s own choices, a spectrum of papers in different shades, roughness, and prices was selected.
The selection includes Fluo Poster Pink and Yellow 90 gsm, GardaPat 13 Klassica 115 gsm, GardaMatt Art 100 gsm, Garda Recycled Print 100 gsm, Sappi Raw 115 gsm, Quatro Gloss 115 gsm, Pergraphica® High White Rough 100 gsm, IQ Print 70 gsm, Munken Print Rough 100 gsm, Impact Natural 115 gsm, Crush Corn 100 gsm, Color STYLE Recycling Diamond 120 gsm, Bulky 2.4 53 gsm, and SuperYupo 158 gsm.
(…) we want to show, how different contents do behave when printed on different papers. Readers will then be able to see clearly, how different colors, shapes, text, or other details work offset printed on different papers, the studio explains.
“Later in the process, we received a variety of contributions from our favorite Slovakian artists, photographers, and illustrators. This material is printed repeatable on selected papers. This way we want to show, how different contents behave when printed on different papers. Readers will then be able to see clearly, how different colors, shapes, text, or other details work offset printed on different papers”, the studio explains. All designs showcased in the book were offset printed with Pantone printing inks (available at Europapier Slovensko) on the various papers, ranging from coated, uncoated, recycled, upcycled, etc. While a special binding was used, so the reader can re-build and reorder the book according to their needs and wants.
The project was originally presented in August 2021 in Bratislava during the open discussions with the publishers and other paper, book, and design enthusiasts, to who the studio will address the printed copies.
All the photographers and designers who contributed to the Paper in the book-book:
Filip Birkner and Matúš Buranovský, Pavol Bálik, Boris Meluš, Aurélia Garová, Ľubica Segečová, Kristína Šebejová, Samuel Čarnoký, Matej Vojtuš, Pavlína S. Morháčová, Tereza Maco, Dorota Brázdovičová, Peter Fabo, Filip Frankovič, Hana Garova, Jakub Choma, Raptor Koch, Deana Kolenčíková, Martin Lacko, Lena Luga a Denis Baštuga, Martin Lukáč, Oto Lupták, and Josef Ondrík.
To purchase your own copy, visit the Finkner Studio website and follow the instructions.
