Mohawk Blog

Materials Matter: The Bell Museum Case for Support

Words

Casey Fisk

Photography

Rebecca Gatto

February 13, 2020

Woychick Design awakens a sense of discovery with colorful, and awe-inspiring photography on tactile uncoated papers.

The Bell Museum is Minnesota’s natural history museum and planetarium. For almost 150 years, the Bell Museum has been on a mission to ignite curiosity and inspire wonder by exploring our connections to nature and the universe and creating interest in bettering the future of our evolving world.

Having recently moved into its beautiful new building on the Saint Paul campus of the University of Minnesota, The Bell Museum needed a new case for support from the public. To do so, they asked Woychick Design and copywriter Diane Richard, 2 Below Zero to help them create a brochure

front cover of Bell Museum Case for Support on purple backdrop

Because the brochure was calling upon the community to help support the museum, Woychick Design wanted the design to to embody the same sense of discovery and wonder that young and old alike experience when visiting the museum.

The design called for colorful, and awe-inspiring photos so Woychick Design wanted to print on a 100% recycled sheet that would print with extreme high-fidelity and vibrancy. Additionally, they wanted a tactile difference between the full-size and short pages to enhance the sense of discovery for people as they look through the brochure.

Vertical shot of a page with a short sheet

Picture of a collection of botanical specimens as featured in the Case for Support

With these parameters in mind, Woychick Design’s intent led them to Mohawk Options Smooth 100% PC White and Mohawk Loop Feltmark White (both from the Sustainable Collection). The photos printed beautifully and the bright colors on the short pages really “pop,” creating a visually stunning, modular system of materials to support fundraising efforts for The Bell Museum.

inside view of the Bell Museum Case for Support

Production Notes

Print Process

Die Cutting

The cutting of paper into decorative shapes or patterns using a steel cutting die.

Materials + Techniques

Varnish Coatings

A petroleum-based sealant applied by a standard inking unit on press. It can be specified in matte, dull, satin or gloss and applied to the entire sheet or only in selected areas. Matte and dull varnishes are recommended for uncoated papers. (Gloss and satin varnishes can make images appear uneven or mottled.) Varnish darkens inks on uncoated paper—making solid blacks blacker‚ but will not provide any other visual effect.

Bindery

Saddle Stitching

Folded signatures are nested, placed over a "saddle" and stapled together through the center fold with wire staples.

Offset Printing Capabilities

4 Color

CMYK printing uses the four process color inks—cyan, magenta, yellow and black—to reproduce a broad spectrum of colors and tones and is made possible by repeating the halftone process for each color.