10 newspapers to inspire your next print project

Every month, we put together a roundup to show all the exciting ways our creative community uses newspapers. This time: a “purposefully ephemeral" publication for print lovers, stories of connections formed in a pandemic year and 8 other inspiring print projects.

Print pride

Described by founder Steven Gregor as “purposefully ephemeral, unashamedly ad–hoc and proudly print–only,” JIM is a new publication for people who make magazines and books.

Inside are reflections on print from editors — like Monocle’s Tyler Brule and The Gentlewoman’s Penny Martin — art directors, publishers, illustrators, photographers and other people working with ink on paper.

“It helped promote my illustration work and I landed a new, important client as a direct result of the newspaper.”

“I wanted a format with real impact,” says Steven. “Newspaper Club's digital broadsheet provided a massive canvas for me to show off my illustration. It helped promote my work and I landed a new, important client as a direct result of the newspaper!”

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Covid connections

Illustrator Kate Pocrass is sharing a collection of pandemic memories in a limited-edition newspaper, printed in our digital broadsheets. Mundane Times, created with funding from the Berkeley Civic Arts Program, celebrates connections made during a lonely year.

“Newspaper is unpretentious and doesn't take itself so seriously.”

“Newspaper is tactile and bold but unpretentious and doesn't take itself so seriously,” says Kate about using newsprint for this “time capsule for unprecedented times.” Free copies are now available at various locations around Berkeley, CA — including in a custom newspaper box hand-painted by Kate! If you’re not in Berkeley, you can request a copy from the Mundane Times website, while supplies last.

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Superfood special

Supplements brand Wild Nutrition is educating customers about their just-launched vegan protein powder with a special-edition newspaper, the Wild Journal (a supplement supplement, you could call it!) Featuring recipes, wellness tips and interviews with health experts, it’s a friendly, informative introduction to their new superfood product. Printed on our traditional tabloids.

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Lobby gallery

Coinciding with the Dallas Art Fair, contemporary gallery Karma took over the lobby at The Joule, a boutique hotel in Dallas known for its museum-calibre art collection. This traditional mini is a neat takeaway with details about the 4 features artists: Peter Bradley, Ann Craven, Paul Mogensen and Mungo Thomson.

“The mini format was the perfect way to share information about the artists' works in a portable way for guests touring the lobby,” says designer Michelle Padgett. “They could hold the mini magazine in one hand and a glass of wine in the other!”

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Drink pairing

Vers-eau is a new non-alcholic apéritif made in the Great Lakes region. On opening their order, customers discover this beautiful digital tabloid that doubles as a poster. Inside is info about the ingredients plus (alcohol-free) cocktail recipes.

“We wanted to give people something to set the mood and complement the product. Newspaper has a timeless tactile quality to it.”

“Just like liner notes to a great record, we wanted to give people something to set the mood and complement the product,” says founder Stanton McConnell. “Newspaper has a timeless tactile quality to it and it was important for us to provide a non-digital asset that customers could reference while enjoying the drink.”

The format allowed the brand “to stretch out creatively,” adds Stanton. “We took time to make sure the vibe was just right and had fun with non-traditional brand storytelling.” Designed by Studio True.

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Outdoorsy outfitter 

Since 1877 Seattle-based Filson has outfitted a devoted following of outdoor enthusiasts. This new lookbook, printed on our oversized broadsheets, was shot in Port Townsend, Washington and shows off their latest collection of flannels, fleeces and other rugged apparel. It's a no-nonsense format that also speaks to the heritage of this long-standing brand.

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Fresh start

To celebrate Lunar New Year, jewellery brand Abacus Row published a zine of recipes and stories from their Asian diasporic creative community. The title of the digital mini— Ăn Tết — is a Vietnamese expression that translates to “eating the New Year.”

“It feels casual and widely accessible yet also possesses a kind of precious, tactile quality.”

“We love the look and feel of the newspaper,” say designers Christine Trac and Wynne Au-Yeung. “It feels casual and widely accessible yet also possesses a kind of precious, tactile quality. Newsprint felt particularly fitting for our purposes of sharing Lunar New Year sentiments with a broad audience.”

All proceeds from the zine supported Chinatown CDC, a community organisation working for social and economic justice for San Francisco’s Chinatown residents.

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Reef relief

ECAL design students Anaelle Iglesias, Iris Moine and Aurore Huberty worked together on this visual guide to protecting coral reefs. The digital tabloid illustrates 14 ways — from green energy to reforestation — to make our relationship with the sea more sustainable.

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Headline hindsight

Works from 30 artists across the West Midlands form the Twenty Twenty Collection, a project from The New Art Gallery Walsall. Curated by Julie Brown, the exhibition responds to the big news events of 2020 with themes ranging from the pandemic to Brexit to the Black Lives Matter movement. This exhibition guide, printed on our traditional tabloids, is a free souvenir of the show. Designed by Kerry Leslie.

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Cool kids

Copenhagen-based photographer Helena Schütz — whose clients include ZARA Kids and Milk Magazine — showcases some of her playful images from the past year in this portfolio. Printed on our digital tabloids, the 36-page newspaper features her work for French childrens' brand Hundred Pieces and editorial imagery for Hooligans Magazine.

“Seeing your photos in print is the best feeling!” says Helena. “It just makes you value your work more and it gives you confidence.”

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