I belive I can fly...

perso / january 31th 2012 / 9:50 AM / from Fontvieille near Arles / Rodrigo et Gabriella 11:11

 

I now stay for some days at my uncle house. This is something which never happen before and we really start our journey of unusual things when we left our home. My uncle love to fly and he brings me in the air with this small plane... Even if I was not toally comfortable, I took some shoots... This is so graphice to see the world like this with all the lines and shapes... We are now in Provence part of France, near Arles... You can see on one of the picture the famous "Beaux de Provence".


 


I need a France map for a project I am working on so I customize to explain where I went and stay this month.

A is where we live in the vinyard and left 2 weeks ago / B is my friend place at "La pensée sauvage" / C is the home by the sea / D is where I am right now in Provence.
 


Bad news about the coasters / Home by the sea

perso / january 26th 2012 /11:10 AM from Fontvielle - near Arles / Editors

 

Every day brings his set of good and bad news... I get this message from Marek, who is my partner/printer : My machine broke last week, I do not answer any mail cause I am sitting all time in a studio and trying to fix it. We are waiting for a spare parts from Germany but it takes at least 3 weeks, I am trying to repare it here but there are not services for such machines in Poland. The worst is that costers 2/3/4 are ready, it is just the coaster 1 which is printed but there is nothing to cut them!!!

I did these coasters as a bonus for people who pre-order the calendars... as they werre not ready in time, I send the FB one and D&B cards instead... Then, they werre supposed to be ready in the middle of january, so I propose them for calendar order done from January 10th to 18th... I did not plan the broken machine ! So, I won't wait and this week I will send the calendars ordered since january 10th.

If you want these coasters, please email me your order number (for orders done from November 15th to December 25th or january 10th to 18th) and I will send them when they are ready ! If you want them and do not order the calendar at these dates, please contact me too.

The calendar is still available at www.letterpress-calendar.com


 

Last week, we housed in an apartment that is only used during the summer holidays by my family, located on the beach, near Sète. No internet, but walks on the beach in winter inspire me more than any blog! We now move to another location but cam back here soon.


 



Harmonie intérieure stickers SALE

identity / january 21th 2012 / 9:59 AM /from Montpellier / Gotye

 

While I order my stuffs, I figure out I have several stickers in stock. They are "mistakes" ! People order the size and color they want, and sometime we do them wrong... so we keep them ! These stickers are now available at www.harmonie-interieure.com at a special size, and we offer the post costs ! 1 copy of each is available !


 
www.harmonie-interieure.com/sale2012


No home, new life

perso / january 18th 2012 /11:12 PM

 

For someone who love home decoration, who sell wall stickers and decorative objects, it is a strange feeling to have no home anymore ;) Last week, we put everything in rentale place, and leave our nice home in the vinyard... It was hard to organize everything... My office looks less beautiful like this ;) One of our cat is ready to go...


 

After that, I went to visit my friend Thomas to work on the new tools for his project : www.lapenseesauvage.com. This place is amazing... I took this quick iphone pictures...



 


La penséee sauvage is a project I work on since 2006 if I well remember... I took several pictures, and we are now working on the 2012 presentation. My friends and his team propose amazing relaxing weeks, to help you to detox your body and took relaxing time with massages, and spa... A nice place too work...

www.fabienbarral.com


The coasters...

perso / january 11th 2012 /2:15 AM / Hans Zimmer Sherlock Holmes 2 soundtrack

 

It is almost 2:15 am, I am tired, but Marek send me the pictures of the new coasters, so I can't wait to share them with you...it is a 4 coasters set, round this time, no picture of the "1" as it is not ready... Each coasters is printed with a warm grey, from clear to darker...

My first idea was to send them for the pre-orders of the calendar, but as they werre longer to produce, it would have over delay the calendar delivery... Instead I sent the FB coasters & D&B card, BUT, if you order the calendar before december 25th and want them, please send me and email with your order number and delivery adress to get a set.

And, I will also send a set for any order done between today january 11th and next wednesday 18th (but it means you will have to wait a little as I do not have them yet...). Added of the special cuppon reserved to readers (entrer the coupon "graphicexchange" to get a 5€ discount), what are you waitting for ?


 

I want, for these coasters, to have the numbers and design to stand out by printing the background and have the design in white... And I am really please of the result (even if I am impatient to have them in hands).

A lot of people asked me about the wodden stamp... Have to said I ask a stamp maker in Nîmes to do it, and it is not any online service... And I am not sure this guy could sell one to you ;) ... The craziest is that he has a letterpress printer in his small shop and told me he does not use it to print, it is too complicate ! I show him the calendar and his reaction was "oh my god, it must me so long to print"... I guess he made more money with car licence plates...



 

I want to thanks all the nice articles about the project :
- Peleg top (I talk about graphic language, he talk about marketing language, but at the end, we speak the same language ;)
- Pepernstitch to have put it as daily pick, calendar selection, and to highlight several Harmonie interieure products these past weeks,
- beautiful hello blog, et pour les français, ce super post sur le carnet et la selection des calendriers de la cuisine du graphiste.



www.letterpress-calendar.com
(if you do not read what is written at the begining of this post, you may have missed something...)

 


The letterpress calendar, the pictures !

perso / january 5th 2012/ 00:20 AM / Hans Zimmer Sherlock Holmes 2 soundtrack

 

Between 2 boxes (why do I buy so much design books and home decoration magazine !!!), I found time to shoot the calendar in details... And as without you this project would not be possible, dear readers, I have an (other) special gift. Entrer the coupon "graphicexchange" to get a 5€ discount... I write it in small, to be sure only readers, not "whatchers" can enjoy it ;)

One of new thing for this year will be bigger images too. I used to have them at 800px, now, when possible, I will present them at 900... I also update my site www.fabienbarral.com with the project and also with the Excelsior latin identity done last year... and I put them on behance... now I can sleep !




 

I have to said, you need imagination to work in letterpress. Final print is so specific that you have think in relief. For exemple, for the little rounds with the month, I am really please how it stand out...



www.letterpress-calendar.com
(if you do not read what is written at the begining of this post, you may have missed something...)

 


2012 !
perso / january 1st 2012 / 11.44 PM/ Yann Tiersen

 

Happy new year !

First of all, let my wish you all an amazing 2012 year, very creative of course, but also full of these beautiful small moments that made great stories... As heard in Smith and Burrows "When The Thames Froze" :
The years go by so fast, let's hope the next beats the last.

And also want to thank you for your support, and feedback all over the days, weeks, months... years !


Reboot myself

If you are an usual reader from my blog, you know I often talk about rebooting myself... it is time to reveal everything now... I always try to be creative, but not only in my work (this is an evidence) but also in my life... And I need to get out of my "comfort zone"... it helps me to found inspiration.

I love to remember where I have create something... The letterpress calendar, for exemple, it was on the Uzes office I rent during the past 3 month, some of the excelsior latin tools werre created in the train to Paris... And I also remember which post I have done when visiting Boston or my friend Jordan in Califronia...

This is a picture of me in 2011 ! Trey Ratcliff took it when he visits us back in July... one of the best day of 2011 (see a commented detailed version on flickr).



But this is an image from the past... For 2012, I want to do more, I want to LIVE unusual things. I was very inspired by the One year project of Nathan & Katie, travelling across USA (and even Europe) to found inspiration... So, with my wife and daughter, we deceided to leave what we have and to try a different life... This week, we put everything in boxes and left our nice home. Firstly, we will visit friends and familly in France, after that we will fly away in march for 3 or 4 months period. Our first destination will be Bali, in Indonesia, to met craftsman and figure out what kind of product we can imagine with them... this is the IDEA, I will keep you updated on that of course...

Before that, I want to launch the new project "Mr-Cup". I can not manage so many projects at one time... a porftolio site, this blog, the harmonie shop, the calendars and much more... Mr Cup will be my one and only site soon... The shop will feature a lot of new stuffs, not only items I design and produce, but also ones I like and support, and even some unique objets I found and want to gave a new life...

I stop now, you have all the 2011 retrospective to see after this post if you took some holidays last week...


Today

perso / december 21th / 11.38 PM

 

Today, the calendars arrive ! 500 copies is heavy ! It is an unique feelingto finaly see in real what I have in mind... I guess it is what I prefer in my designer life ;) But, with the help of Frédérique (my wife) we have to quickly focus on preparing the packages... Even if they won't be under the christmas tree on saturday, we want to send them as soon as we can...



So, for each order done before christmas, we will send an FB coaster (with split fountain print, so they are all different) + the set of designers stickers + one card from the D&B collection. These cards werre done to promote to D&B collection at Maison et Objets few months ago, and they will be send randomly, as well as the 3 covers design. We want to send more, but it was so hard work for the calendar themselves...


 
It took me some time to number them too, while Frédérique put the white strip with Mr Cup stamp... But we are so pleased of it... Thanks a lot to all the people who already order it and too all who gonna order it now ;)


www.letterpress-calendar.com

 


Yeasterday

perso / december 21th / 11.38 PM

 

Yeasterday, I spent the day with a good friend of me, Olivier Girault, and his family. He has a wonderfull home, and is an painter, a true artist... I took pictures of him for a future project... we drink wine, eat good chesse, listen some old Genesis music...



The letterpress calendar : june & updates

perso / december 19th / 10.25 AM/ Smith & Burrows

 

The good news : the calendars are now all printed... and have been posted... they are travelling from Poland to France...
The bad news : they are travelling from Poland to France... and the tracking number of the packages only tell me that... no precise idea if they will arrive today, tomorrow or wenesday... Of course, chances to have them before christmas are decreasing considerably... I will email all the buyers about this situation later today.

Here come june... based and an old sky & stars map...

 
Thanks to CreativeMug and Typojungle for th enice features...

 


The letterpress calendar specials offer

perso / december 7th / 2.33 PM / Ben Howard Every Kingdom

 

Marek send me these amazing images, I am so pleased with the result... Letterpress printing really sublimate graphic design creation... I am so please to feel the same after several projects done with this process...



I want to propose to all graphic exchange readers a special dicount for the next 3 days only. Use the coupon code "lpresscal2012" to get a discount of 6€. This offer will end on sunday 11th at midnight.

I am also please to say, if post office is on our side, the calendar should be send next week... I keep my fingers crossed...

I also want to thanks :
- "A graphic life" for the small interview (but unusal questions... in french).
- Megan at the amazing Vintage oh my (she is also trying to get fund for her amazing project, will came back on it next week).
- the calendar took part of the amazing creative pro holiday gift guide
- and there is a special contest at the foxtrotter to win the Harmonie interieure wall sticker of your choice... it is in french but the rule is simple, just put a comment to the post telling which of our sticker you prefer and your color choice... good luck :)

 


The 3 covers the letterpress calendar and specials products offers

perso / december 7th / 2.33 PM / Ben Howard Every Kingdom

 

The 3 differents covers are now printed... I hope to be able to show you THE bonus of this edition soon, but have to wait a little myself to be sure it is possible ;)

I am also running a special offer for people who suscribe to the MrCup mailing list, a special coupon to get a reduction on the calendar... It will runs only for this week, it means it will be close on sunday 11th at midnight.


 
Order the calendar now at www.letterpress-calendar.com (only orders done before christmas will get special extra) and suscribe to get updates and special offers via mr-cup
 
Also, if you want to offer an harmonie interiéure sticker, only order done before december 12th will be guaranted to be received before christmas seeing time needed to produce them... The same delay has to be applied if you want posters as postal services are getting crazy at the time of the year and delay are not what they promise....

 


The letterpress calendar : may

perso / december 2nd / 6.16 PM / The Truman Show soundtrack

 

Here come may... The Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps have been published all over the design blogosphere, and as most people, I was amazed by these typographic composition... I want to use them for one of the number of this year calendar...

 

You can found much more informations and images of these maps on friends blogs : mama sauce, Annyas blog or Vintage oh my.

 

order the calendar now at www.letterpress-calendar.com (only orders done before christmas will get special extra) and suscribe to get update via mr-cup


The letterpress calendar : printing, printing, printing...

perso / decelber 1st / 3:08 PM /The last samourai by Hans Zimmer

 

I am please to get all this positive feedback for the calendar...

It was nicely highlighted on lovely promenade, Inspirarea, nicework blog, the amazing Eight hour day blog, it took part of the designworklife gifts guide and last but not least, it was published on the etapes blog... Being on Etapes is special to me, it is the most important french design magazine, and I never (for what I know) get published or even quote on this publication...

As I talk about publication, I am also please to see my latest buisness cards presented on FPO.

Here comes the latest picture of the 3td cover while printing... Will show you soon the final covers printed with both colors ;)




 

www.letterpress-calendar.com


Travelling : one day in Paris

perso / november 29th / 2:08 PM / from VSB Nîmes Office

 

2 weeks ago, I spend some hours in Paris between 2 meetings and took these pictures... For all who asked, I use 2 apps to do the effect on my iphone images. I firstly use TiltShiftGen to do color balances and focus, and then I put them in CrossProcess...


 


The letterpress calendar : alive, alive, my creature is alive...

perso / november 26th / 11:50 PM /Ibrahim Maalouf Diagnostic

 

Ok, I may lose my mind a little ! But I am so please to see this calendar coming to life... well to print...


 

www.letterpress-calendar.com


The letterpress calendar : why doing 1 cover when you can do 3 !

perso / november 22th / 11.47 PM

 

 

Instead of just one design, this year calendar will come with 3 different covers... 2 of them are printed at 200 copies, while the third one is limited to 100. They will be send randomly, unless you prefer one ;) The polymers are ready...


www.letterpress-calendar.com


The letterpress calendar : first "behind the scene" photos.

perso / november 16th / 11.03 PM

 

Marek, who print the calendar, send me the first pictures of the photopolymer plates.

For whose we need more info on this, these polymers are the modern version of letterpress printing. Instead of using metal or wood blocks, water-wash photopolymer plates produce a relief printing surface, just as the ones use for stamps, and you can do anything done digitally as long as it is vectorized file.

I am pleased to see so many relief and details on these polymer which announces some great impressions ...




Marek also send me these picture of the paper waitting for inks ;)
 

www.letterpress-calendar.com (only orders done before christmas will get special extra)


The letterpress calendar : april

perso / november 16th / 11.03 PM

 

Here come april... These old commercials facinate me... I love to watch wall covered with them in old phots... I do a creation based on this idea... I also use them for wall stickers, as a tribute for the ones painted on walls (we still can found a lot in French towns, have to present pictures on that too ;)

The ones used on the april page are based from commercials found a french magazine called "L'illustration", which was published every weeks from 1843 to 1944... which makes 1 century and 5294 issues !


pre-order the calendar now at www.letterpress-calendar.com (only orders done before christmas will get special extra) and suscribe to get update via mr-cup


The letterpress calendar : march

perso / november 13th / 00.22 AM

 

Here come march... I love hand writtings... I am always looking for old papers with personal messages from 20's. Postcards are the best, as there is always a very limited space... and at this time, they send postcards just to say "eveything is fine"...


 

I also have a this diary... April 22th : Emilie made me the nice surprised to visit me this afternoon, we spend a nice hour together... Tonight I went to bed at 8 to have nice dreams in my small bed... and this goes like this for everyday ;)


pre-order the calendar now at www.letterpress-calendar.com (only orders done before christmas will get special extra) and suscribe to get update via mr-cup


The letterpress calendar : february

perso / november 10th / 13.03 PM

 

Here come february... For this one, I use the same illustration as on the "Designers meant to be loved" poster (which is sold out now), because I always want to see how this will go with letterpress printing...



I have found this illustration in an old shop, a very strange shop... I feel like I was in the Diagon Alley in Harry Potter... This place was full of thousand things, chairs hanging from the ceiling, hundreds of books and cats everywhere ... and a large dog that guarded the door ... I was not even sure all that was for sale or if it was a private place... but the owner, an elderly woman as crazy as her shop, well know the value of all these things ... I found this picture in an old cardboard drawing, between old photos of Paris and uninteresting watercolors ... I loved all the details and especially floral illustrations ... The original is now in over my head on the wall behind my desk ...

pre-order the calendar now at www.letterpress-calendar.com (only orders done before christmas will get special extra)


The letterpress calendar : january

perso / november 9th / 4.08 PM / Piers Facinni - My wilderness

 

Here come january... I start with this page, my idea was to design nice numbers, as I have done for the sentenses posters, but I need to adapt this idea for letterpress...



I have thousand of illustrations in black an white, and I love technicals illustrations if mecanism as I use for this one... and as last year, I use blue colors for winter (january, february & march)...
pre-order it now at www.letterpress-calendar.com


Mr Cup

perso / november 9th / 10.02 AM / Piers Facinni - My wilderness

 

As a lot of people are curious about the Mr Cup project, I put online a page to let you suscribe to the mailing list and get updates on the project, as well as all my other projects...


www.letterpress-calendar.com / www.mr-cup.com

 


Pre-order the letterpress calendar now...

perso / november 7th / 10.57 AM / Piers Facinni - My wilderness

 

Here it comes ! The presale of the letterpress calendar are now open, you can order your calendar. As last year, we will do our best to have it ready for christmas, but will depend on how the sell goes as the production for this year is even bigger than last year.

Of course, you will get special items if you order it now. Another thing is that we are also thinking of doing different covers... will let you know as soon as we deceide if this is possible...

You may also notice on the cover that the project is presented by Mr Cup ;) Too soon to let you know what it is, a new project I work on for weeks now...


www.letterpress-calendar.com

If you notice any trouble with your order or bug, please contact me as we have build a new ordering process that gave you more option for post costs, and we haven't test all the countries...


Travelling

perso / november 3td / 11.50 1M / from VSB Rennes Office

 

I haven't post a lot this week because I am outside most of the time... I am shooting VSB windpower projects around Bretagne, near Rennes. I really like taking the train and being far from usual working day... I never suscribe to magazine, because I want to decide when I will read them... Train is always the best place for that, I feel like time is traped, you have hours to be sit and do something... I took picture of the latest Marie Claire Maison magazine to let you share this feeling of discovering a magazine... Tomorrow I will be in Paris for the day, and then I will be back home.


Last week I visited an amazing city called Rocamadour, I feel like I was in Minath Tirith... and fall is wonderfull. I also visit first man caverns with my daughter and it was amazing to see paintings done by man 25 000 years ago...

A lot of personal things, I hope it inspire you just as projects I post. Picture are still done with iphone, using the Cross Process app... for all who asked ;) The letterpress calendar will be on sell soon, still presenting the pages on flickr.

 


Letterpress calendar (Work in progress)

perso / october 23th / 6.02 PM

 

More "teasing" images on dribble... please leave comments (do not ask for invit, I do not have one)...


http://dribbble.com/fabienbarral

 


Letterpress calendar (Work in progress)

perso / october 19th / 4.08 PM / Peter Gabriel New Blood

 

More "teasing" images on dribble... please leave comments (do not ask for invit, I do not have one)...


http://dribbble.com/fabienbarral

 


Letterpress calendar (Work in progress)

perso / october 19th / 4.08 PM / Peter Gabriel New Blood

 

The presell of the letterpress calendar should start early november... I am working hard on it, it was difficult to start as this one to be better that the first one... I put some "teasing" images on dribble... please leave comments (do not ask for invit, I do not have one)...


http://dribbble.com/fabienbarral

 


Restart and reboot yourself (part 2)

perso / october 12th / 2.02 PM / Radiohead from the basement / from Uzès Office

 

When I talk about "rebooting" myself the other day, it goes also wth a new way to work... I work from home for the last 2 years, and even if I have a great office, I need to go out... A friend of a friend call me to ask if I want to share an office with him in the wonderfull city of Uzès... and it happen at the right moment... I am there today, just with the minimal stuffs needed to work...


 

See the archives page 15 | see all the archives

 

 

 
  My links
  portfolio
  HI stickers
  HI posters
  my cargo
  my dribble
  my behance
  my ffffound
  my flickr
  my cpluv
  my flickr favorits