[Alyson Kuhn] Yesterday’s post showcased the Deborah Butterfield catalog recently designed by Stefan Bucher, printed at Typecraft Wood & Jones. When David Mayes {print rep extraordinaire is an inadequate but pithy way to refer to him} was describing the press-finessing for the Butterfield project, he mentioned in passing that he and Stefan had previously collaborated on a catalog for a David Hockney show. I found the particulars of that project so interesting that they warrant a post of their own.
Stefan was able to go to “the source” when he designed The East Yorkshire Landscape by David Hockney in 2007 – and I don’t mean the English countryside. The coffee-table catalog printed at Typecraft would be the print debut of the artist’s new oil paintings, so color accuracy would be even more critical than usual. Stefan says: The color calibration was done by David Hockney’s staff in his studio in Los Angeles. They set up a system to calibrate and proof the files with the actual paintings right there, under correct lighting. Typecraft provided a “color target” printed on their equipment, which Hockney’s staff used to build their color profile. So, they could adjust the files accordingly.
David Mayes adds: This shortened the color correction process considerably. The big benefit is that the files Typecraft received from the studio clearly defined the artist’s intent for the printed result. This is a rare luxury. However, it does not eliminate the accommodations and adjustments that still have to happen in pre-press and on press, because of variables their process can’t compensate for – how the signatures are arranged, what paper is used, and how the press feels on the day of printing.
In addition to photographs of the paintings themselves, the catalog includes glorious installation shots of the exhibition at L.A. Louver in the Summer of 2007. Printing was delayed specifically to accommodate these images, which literally add another dimension to the catalog.
David mentions that the book’s large format – 9″ tall x 15″ wide – was a challenge for the case bindery putting it together. He also mentions that a “dozen or so” spot colors were used on full-page solids through the book, and it proved desirable to double-hit some of them. Including, as I learned from Stefan’s blog, the hot pink on the inside of the high-gloss dust jacket.
One of my favorite details, and you can see for yourself on Stefan’s blog, is this: Since we’re dealing with landscapes, all the painting details are anchored by horizontal hairlines that align with the horizon in each painting.
David and Stefan saw eye-to-eye that this project demanded the very best production values. Stefan comments: It’s easy to design something beautiful, and to specify gorgeous materials, but it takes a passionate, aesthetically ambitious client like Peter Goulds and his team at L.A. Louver to see it through as they did. And he sums it up: This catalog celebrates David Hockney’s 30-year relationship with the gallery, so they let us pull out all the stops. This was a once-in-a-lifetime project.
Photography: Stefan Bucher and David Mayes.
Alyson Kuhn, the editor of Felt & Wire, hopes to visit L.A. Louver by July 3. Their current group show includes works by both Deborah Butterfield and David Hockney. Goody.
