the earth ink

It took an extra month, but the 2013 Christmas card production is over for Andrea (and The Earth Ink). Here are some fun statistics about this year's distribution: 228 total cards were mailed. 20 cards were sent internationally to 12 countries. Cards were sent to 29  of the United States + Washington DC. Each card took about 6 minutes to hand make ( 22.8 hours total) which does not include design time. There are 152  cut out images in this year's card. Yikes! All but 1 card was sent out before the postage increase. The card was cut from one 11x17 sheet of recycled paper using sustainable inks. The card makes use of a verse from Philippians in the Bible about looking forward to achieve our life's goal (see below). The card measures 50 inches long - and still folds up to fit in a first class envelope. And now that the major Christmas card effort is complete, a design idea is already in the works for the 2014 card.  Not that I have already obtained a...

I recently found one of the first graphic design projects I did in school when I was learning how to use Adobe programs and integrate ideas and images together. For this project, we were assigned to juxtapose two images into one. I titled mine, made from two scanned magazine advertisements,  No Chimney for Santa. When I found this image in my archives, I immediately thought of the people in the Philippines who are in the midst of typhoon recovery during the Christmas season and I overlaid some text to capture this disaster. Last week I received confirmation that I was accepted into the All Hands Volunteer Project Leyte in the Philippines.   All Hands  is an organization that mobilizes volunteers to provide response to natural disasters. As a result, The Earth Ink will be on hiatus for a month while I volunteer my time on the Island of Leyte. In February and March, I will be recovering building materials, cleaning up properties, assisting with food distri...

In 2010, The Earth Ink established a "signature" postcard design with 15 little window for photos. Returning from an around-the-world trip, this design first became a "change of address" postcard with new details printed on the back. A quote from Mother Jones provides some context for this card: "My address is like my shoes. It travels with me." The postcard showcases global destinations; featuring thumbnail photos from Antarctica, New Zealand, Singapore, Jordan, Croatia, Turkey, Greece, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland, and the United States. This postcard design has been used several times over in different contexts.  The design is customizable with customer photos and available* in  qualities of 100+. For more information, or a quote, contact:  theearthink (at)  gmail (dot) com. *available in 2014 | made in the USA | sustainably printed

To take an attractive idea and turn it into my own design is o ne of my favorite design challenges . It encourages me to try something that might be outside of my style and to understand what makes effective images attractive and eye-catching. The idea of using an all black background with one focal image came from a magazine ad. While dramatically manipulating a photo of the plaque at the Sydney Opera House dedicated to the architec t,  Jørn Utzon , I realized that image would pop on that black backdrop. And, by turning another image of the Opera House to black and white and over-contrasting the photo, I created a recognizable icon to put on the bottom of my design. Without reading the subdued text (the quote on the plaque by Mr. Utzon about his design), anyone who looks at this image will know exactly what place the design represents.

The Earth Ink has recently moved from Honolulu, Hawaii to Denver, Colorado. In the course of the moving I uncovered one of the first postcards that I designed. In the midst of saying so many goodbyes and leaving those people who became an influential and special part of my life in Hawaii, I read the quote I referenced on the card: Though miles may be between us, we're never far apart, for friendship doesn't count the miles, it's measured by the heart.   -Rozina Hosham-  Letter writing is one of the most beautiful ways to communicate with someone (hence the postcard design), but it has become much more easy to keep in touch with friends with social media and text messages as well.  So, here is looking forward to all the new friends (and The Earth Ink clients) and remembering the heartwarming generosity and hospitality from those who I said "aloha" to in Hawaii!

My annual personal project is a Christmas card. Every year my address list seems to get a little longer and every year the card is something a little bit different from the last - and from any other greeting anyone gets in the mail. I avoid writing long paragraphs to sum up the year. Instead, I use photography and graphic design to illustrate some of the highlights. This year, I chose to develop a 'passport of 2012.' I carefully blended the photos and places I had been together for each page and integrated a verse (James 1:16-18) into the design. I personalized the front of the passport with some Hawaiian holiday greetings and colorful splashy cutout photos. Inside, I placed scans of the country stamps I obtained in 2012 over photo collages of special memories. True to a passport, I rounded the corners of each little booklet and twisted a ply of yellow and red thread before tying it around the crease giving it an stitched effect along the binding. I also made envelopes...

Anyone who has travelled any where must begin with a plan. It  might be running through a mental checklist on the way to the airport,  or while throwing clothes in a backpack for an unexpected weekend roadtrip, or packing a lunch for work, or an entire year of maticulous mapping of an extended stay overseas; but some forethought is involved. This post is a plan. The Earth Ink was born out of a love for four things: The Art of Handwritten Communication Travel  Photography Graphic Design With these in mind, each post will relate to at least one of the three themes. This blog follows no organized rules and no promises of consistent posting; it is a simple journey of inspiration. The Earth Ink welcomes you to join the journey. I wanna hang a map of the world in my house. Then I'm gonna put pins into all the locations that I've travelled to. But first, I'm gonna have to travel to the top two corners of the map so it won't fall down.   - mitch hedberg ...