Print media–dare we say “classic” media–is the tried and true way to communicate with….well, everyone. Nowadays, the speed at which printed materials can be produced is astonishingly fast: sometimes even faster than digital designs. The examples below present some of Brad’s recent work in this incomparably tangible medium.
BOOKS
Magic Matters by Robert E. Neale
A magic book, a research tool, a scholarly text. This is what was presented to Brad by magic book publisher Larry Hass, professor and head of Art and Theory at Magic Press. The book featured content by notable magic philosopher and performer Robert Neale in an exploratory way, combining tricks, ideas, and theory. We chose to design the volume in a way that suggested structure and erudition but that was also playful, in keeping with the text itself. Simple yet elegant, the book’s presentation was intended to minimize distraction and lend the text and illustrations the full attention they demanded and deserved. Magic Matters, which is on sale now, has been well received and was deemed a great success for its design by both the author and publisher. See inside this book.
d
Bamboozlers Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 by Diamond Jim Tyler
Famed Texan magician “Diamond” Jim Tyler put together a whole book full of quick and easy gags and tricks that anyone can learn. His big idea was actually quite small: he wrote the book specifically for a print format about 3.5″ tall and 2.5″ wide, just a bit bigger than a business card!
Jim envisioned Bamboozlers to be something like a handbook, or even a magic “bible.” For the book’s binding we selected a thin, black, leather-bound cover with black ribbon and silver-edged pages, and we formatted the tiny tome in an antique style, referencing old gambling and magic books that were printed in block type and constructed entirely by hand. The challenge was making sure the book’s diminutive size could properly accommodate the text and illustrations associated with each trick, but we found a way. In fact, “Diamond” Jim’s book was a great success, so much so that we even designed a second edition of Bamboozlers. See inside this book.