Print-on-Demand + Out-of-Print Books + Marian Bantjes = YUM!

In an effort to diversify in the field of print-on-demand, English publisher Faber & Faber is focussing on out-of-print books. The imprint, called Faber Finds, has launched with over 100 titles in its initial offering.

What makes this new POD offering so intrguing to P+P is that Faber hired beloved Canadian typographer Marian Bantjes to create four systems of borders to be used as templates for the cover designs of each of the different genres offered by the imprint. Each of Marian's original drawings had to be split and re-engineered into smaller elements and shapes. These pieces are then reformed into whole borders similar to the way that printer's ornaments were layered and assembled to create complex borders in the days of set lead type. (Phew! That was a long sentence! The image below will explain much more succinctly in a picture than I could explain in a paragraph. See? A picture really can be worth 1000 words!)



[Content and images from Postspectacular. Tip thanks to Chris Purcell!]