me's blog

By Greeley Dawson

When was the last time a design really popped out at you? Even though we all love a good design, the printing process plays just as much of a role in a great piece of work.

The printing press brought literacy to the masses in the wake of its invention over 500 years ago. The old school printing method used a technique known as letterpress to physically stamp, or emboss, the surface where ink was applied. There have been all sorts of advancements in print technologies since then, but the art of letterpress is still alive.

Today letterpress is becoming more popular and appreciated than ever. The prominent physical impression left behind by letterpress is a hallmark of its sophistication and craft. Although some of the newer technologies are faster, more efficient and more appropriate for certain projects, letterpress still stands to be the most sustainable, non-toxic and high quality printing method out there. More importantly from a business perspective, there’s no question that it makes a huge impact.

Recently, several prominent design and technology commentators have questioned whether looking to the past has been stifling our generation’s progress in moving forward. An article in Vanity Fair’s January issue focuses on the harmful impacts of this trend, and an op-ed in the New York Times explores the pitfalls of nostalgia. It is true that through our leaps in technology, there have been great successes. But there have also been plenty of failures. Those failures create a good explanation for what appears to be trending backwards.

One major key to growth and success is looking to the past to better develop our future – to help us recognize our mistakes and improve upon them. This concept explains the changes we see in the world today. People today have developed a greater appreciation for sustainability, community, healthier and more pure living and a larger desire for the craftsmanship achieved by the human touch.

Printing has come a long way over the past 500 years. The new letterpress technology is now powered by electricity rather than muscle strength. The plates are carved by machinery rather than by hand. At SeeMeDesign, we believe this process makes such an impression that we chose to work with Henry & Co. to produce our new letterpress business cards.

Even if this period in time is ever compared to The Dark Ages, it's important that we all realize that it is necessary to look back in order to move forward. And oftentimes, the quality of the tried and true is superior to the latest trend.

Look at that beauty... it's the beginning of the SeeMeDesign business cards.

The letterpress and plate that made the imprint shown above.

Make the world green with envy! Now is your chance to win the 2012 HGTV Green Home at Serenbe. What is that, you might wonder? Every year, HGTV demonstrates the best and most efficient way to build homes that are eco-friendly, sustainable and designed for healthy living. But best of all, this green home will be given away to one lucky winner along with a car and some extra cash.

If you haven’t heard about Serenbe, it is one of the country’s first planned sustainable communities, located about 30 minutes south of the airport. The community is rich with artists, local and fresh-farmed foods and unique shops and restaurants featuring local finds. It’s a perfect fit for the HGTV Green Home.

This year’s home has all sorts of features designed to promote green living, from furniture made out of recycled objects, to energy-saving appliances, to a rooftop with six solar panels. The house itself will teach you a lesson or two about sustainable green construction geared towards an environmentally friendly, cost-effective and healthy way of living.

SeeMeDesign is pleased to have been chosen as the designer of the Serenbe’s HGTV Green Home website. Take a look. And while you’re at it, go ahead and use the site to book your tour. We did!

Ten amazing years in design. Now we think that's pretty exciting! When SeeMeDesign first launched ten years ago, we were just a small website with very little to back it. But time has done us well, and we have since grown into much more. The countless hours and energy devoted to rebranding our clients has built us into something new. 

With internal growth and an expanding client base, we have a lot of change to celebrate. All of these changes have lead us to the decision that now is the time to launch our own new brand. The transition will be gradual, but let us introduce you to our first big change.

Drum roll, please... say hello to our new logo!

Our clients spoke and we listened. We have added a writer to our staff, teamed up with all sorts of web developers to expand our Internet-based offerings, and partnered with several printers for more new and exciting products and options. We will even be moving to a new location very soon. 

To our clients, thank you for your loyalty. We couldn't have done any of this without you! It has been a great ten years since our initial launch, and we're looking forward to many more. In the coming months, you will see our gradual brand launch as we slowly implement this new brand into everything SeeMeDesign (including this website). As always though, client work is our number one priority.  

We are all very happy to see that the cobbler's kid is finally getting his new shoes!

Here at SeeMeDesign we’ve recently enjoyed dabbling in the world of finances. Fresh off the press are the American Stock Transfer & Trust Company’s Annual Meeting Planning Guide and Transition Guide. We handled the brand development, design and layout, copy editing and production management for both of the these pieces.

In past posts, you’ve seen mostly finished products. This time we thought you might enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at the printing process. Both of these guides were printed on a 6-color offset printing press. The oversized sheet pictured below is called a press sheet, which is how it all begins. As you can see, the press prints multiple pages of the guide on this giant sheet of paper. From there, everything is folded into what are known as composites. Finally, the pieces go to bindery where the edges are cut off and the books are bound.

We'd like to extend a big congratulations to our client, Circus Arts Institute, who is celebrating their 25th year in the Circus business. Lucky for us, this year will be bringing a new brand, and we have had a ton of fun being a part of its creation.

The Circus Arts Institute brand will be launching with this celebratory anniversary t-shirt. Order one of these beauties to support circus arts in Atlanta, and look out for more on these guys in the next few months. 

Serenbe will be ringing in the new year with the first edition of their very own calendar – celebrating all the reasons to cherish and savor Serenbe through the art of photography. This year's calendar was designed by SeeMeDesign and features photography by  a group of very talented artists including Robert Rausch, who has done work for Paloma Picasso and Elton John.

The calendar will be available for sale on Thanksgiving Day. All proceeds will go directly to support the Serenbe Photography Center. To place an order, call The Inn at Serenbe at (770) 463-2610 or email guestservices@serenbe.com. 

 T h e   b e s t   r e a s o n   t o   l i v e   h e r e   r e a l l y   i s   t h e   l i f e   h e r e . 

Aviary Organic Beauty Collective is Atlanta's first collective of organic beauty professionals. Tucked away at the Studioplex, one of Atlanta's most unique mixed use developments. Within their walls is an incredibly creative space filled with what feels like an artist's installation built with reclaimed wood from the tree farm of Chuck Leavell. And getting deeper, you'll find hair, massage and skin care professionals who are some of the best at what they do working in only the best ways with all natural and organic skin, hair and body products. 

 SeeMeDesign has been lucky enough to work with the Aviary since their start. We've worked with them to develop their brand, starting with the logo and going onto a web splash screen, menu of services cards, business cards, a full website, postcards, apparel and more. Below you will find a visual story – or shall we call it a fairytale – showcasing some of the work we've done together over the years.

{ It all Began with the Logo... }
 

{ Original Web Splash Screen + Service Menu Cards }

{ Website Design }
 

{ Event Invites + Newsletters }
 

{Photo Shoot including pieces of our work by Our Labor of Love }
 

{ Getting Fancy with the Chairs Covered with their Logos }

{ Aviary get recognition in the press regularly, including this issue of Atlanta Magazine's Best of 2009 }
 

{ And so it goes, happilly ever after. Still designing together... }
 

What is Serenbe? A 1,000 acre community located under 30 minutes from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. A national model for the future of balanced development in the U.S.—focusing on land preservation, agriculture, energy efficiency, green building, walkability, high density building, arts and culture, and community living for multiple generations. 

The Spa at Serenbe. Located inside of the charming community, the spa at Serenbe is open Wednesday – Sunday with a variety of services, including “Farm to Face” and “Farm to Body” treatments using organic ingredients coming straight from the Serenbe Farm to the spa table. 

Angels on Earth is an organization built with the sole mission of supporting cancer fighters and survivors through education, moral, emotional and financial support. We were lucky enough to be asked to design their logo.

Check out the poster design we've done for Serenbe Farms. Celebrate peanuts instead of pumpkins this year at their pre-Halloween festivities.