TSP Creative Director Emma Campion on Collaborating with House Industries
The newly unveiled Watson-Guptill colophon came to life because of a close collaboration between House Industries and a visionary team led Ten Speed Press Creative Director Emma Campion. Here Emma answers three questions about this very fruitful working partnership.
How would you describe the inspiration behind the new Watson-Guptill colophon and the creative process involved, from development to final design?
Collaborating with House industries on their new book, HOUSE INDUSTRIES: The Process Is the Inspiration, was a real catalyst for us to work on a new colophon, especially as this is the imprint’s 80th anniversary. To begin the creative process, Executive Editor Jenny Wapner and I shared visuals and brand identities that inspired emotion and spoke to the history of the Watson-Guptill imprint. We winnowed our ideas down and decided to keep a thread to the original logo through the continued use of a horse but in a more modern and graphic format. House ran with the direction, and after digging into the history of the logo, they evolved the look, coming back with a great colophon that has personality and simplicity.
What have been the most compelling aspects of your creative work with House Industries and the books that you have worked on together – including the new one – as well as their other projects?
House clearly have the highest design skills, but their deep appreciation for textural elements and interesting, layered printing processes really pushed our skill and knowledge of bookmaking.
Who do you see as the primary readers and consumers who are most interested in House Industries books Watson-Guptill has published?
I see consumers from all creative fields coming to these books, as House pulls on their passions outside of just design and typography; their followers are diverse, avid typographers, vintage cars fanatics, cyclists, interior designers, parents with a passion for thoughtfully designed toys, and more.
Read this corresponding article: Watson-Guptill Unveils New Colophon Created by House Industries