You may be tempted to remove the thirty engraved pages from the book, have them framed and hang them on a wall in your studio or living room. Recommended instead, keep Design to Touch all together as a single cohesive resource. While turning the pages enjoy it for the pure aesthetic pleasure of the design artistry found in the engravings and for the book as a whole. Maybe Design to Touch will inspire your own design artistry and limited edition engravings. Given that engraving has been in use for over five hundred years, it seems then, this book is a good choice for a working design library—a keeper resource!

Who, Why, What:
All About Design To Touch

INTENDED AUDIENCE. Design to Touch was written for students in graphic design and graphic arts, book arts, and traditional printmaking (as well as curious professionals) in order to introduce and explore ways that engraving can be used creatively in visual communications.

The intent of the informal tone of the text is meant to be a talk with the audience and an easy-to-engage guide through the history, process, and techniques of engraving. With a brief overview of the history and the technical basics covered, the focus of the book then shifts to a discussion of the “touchable” and, at times, luxurious results gained by engraving type and images on wonderful cotton paper. What can be accomplished by designing with engraving in mind? Read on.

WHEN & WHERE. This book could be used in conjunction with foundation level courses through advanced design concept and application courses such as a creative and visual thinking course, expressive typography, materials and techniques for graphic design, pre-press production for print, and specialty printing. Or the book could be worked into application courses such as identity and branding design, promotional design, and packaging design. The information and knowledge provided by Design to Touch can lead to marvelously interesting options for both traditional and non-conventional design solutions. In the student exercises and projects, engraving is discussed as an intermingling contributor to a media mix that includes a variety of printed and screen-based design within a single project solution.