Jonny Banger, designer and owner of subversive fashion label Sports Banger, invited young people under the age of 16 to express their feelings about the pandemic by designing a poster using the letter sent by Boris Johnson to the nation’s homes in March 2020, advising households to ‘stay at home’, as the medium. The overwhelming response received has led to an exhibition and production of a 352-page book; The Covid Letters – A Vital Update is a unique printed book documenting the artwork and sharing the remarkable insight into how children feel about this extraordinary moment in time.
Jonny Banger, designer and owner of subversive fashion label Sports Banger, invited young people under the age of 16 to express their feelings about the pandemic by designing a poster using the letter sent by Boris Johnson to the nation’s homes in March 2020, advising households to ‘stay at home’, as the medium. The overwhelming response received has led to an exhibition and production of a 352-page book; The Covid Letters – A Vital Update is a unique printed book documenting the artwork and sharing the remarkable insight into how children feel about this extraordinary moment in time.
The COVID Letters book
Originally, the book was to be printed in Eastern Europe, but Jonny Banger looked to source a reliable printer closer to home. A recommendation brought Banger to London-based Gavin Martin Colournet. On receiving the brief, Gary Bird, Managing Director of Gavin Martin, consulted Antalis to source papers that were comparable to those originally specified, as he was confident their extensive range would include ideally suited products.
The Solution
For the book’s cover, Gary recommended Keaykolour Deep Black in 300gsm, a rich black with recycled content, carbon balanced by Antalis UK. This product offered the look and feel Jonny Banger was hoping for, whilst also meeting environmental requirements. The majority of the inside pages were printed on Claro Bulk 130gsm. Gary commented on his selection, “Most of the children’s submissions were artwork with lots of colour and so it was important that we were able to reproduce these as faithfully as possible. We wanted a coated paper with a true matt texture and Claro Bulk fulfilled this criteria perfectly”. Alongside the artwork are index-cut pages which feature some of the letters from parents that accompanied the entries. Printed on a lightweight, pale pink paper, the look and format of these pages were designed to change the pace of the book. For this, Gary chose Image Coloraction in Tropic Pale Pink, an uncoated multifunctional paper. Produced in a limited run of 800 copies, The Covid Letters sold out quickly.
The Technique
Print: The cover was screen printed in two colours, one side only, onto Keaykolour Deep Black 300gsm, using an M&R Screen Printing Press. The artwork pages were litho printed in 4 process colours and coat onto Claro Bulk 130gsm, using an Heidelberg CX 102 5-colour press with coating unit. The index-cut short pages were litho printed in black onto Image Coloration Tropic Pale Pink 80gsm, also on the Heidelberg.
Finishing: PUR bound with index-cut short pages.
Product Information
Keaykolour’s uncoated virgin pulp papers and high-rigidity boards offer a palette of 48 halftone colours in nine harmonised families, to complement their refined, natural texture. Included are five 100% recycled stocks and a range of natural and geometric embossed patterns which further widen the options for premium print and packaging. The entire Keaykolour range of creative papers is available as carbon balanced by Antalis in the UK and Ireland.
Claro Bulk is part of the Claro range of high bulk, high white papers with a unique feel. It is available in three finishes: Gloss, Silk and Bulk, and a large range of weights and formats.
Image Coloraction is a multifunctional paper available in 30 colours, ideal for effective communication with maximum impact for all types of laser, inkjet and copier equipment. The range is FSC®-certified and has been awarded the EU Ecolabel.
