I recently attended a Sappi presentation on the newest addition to The Standard, a series of guides for the design industry. The Standard on Special Effects is the fifth volume and chock-full of incredible printing techniques. The event benefitted 826 Seattle, a nonprofit organization dedicated to tutoring and helping kids with their writing skills.

Our host Kit Hinrichs, a man with 40 years in the design industry, walked us through the guide telling stories about process and showing some of the preliminary sketches and concepts. Above, see an early sketch and the final spread of left, metallic ink with a gloss varnish, and right, the lenticular effect. The lenticular effect makes the eyeballs look like they are rolling around and looking right at you. Creepy!

The 64-paged guide, as one could imagine, took some time to pull together: 6 months from concept to press, 3 weeks on press check, and 6 weeks of printing. One of my favorite pages is a pirate illustration by Bill Sanderson printed with thermography, a raised-ink technique set with heat.

If you want to get your hands on a copy of The Standard, go here.