Digitally printed art book wins Book of the Year

A large-format limited edition artist’s book has picked up the top prize at the British Book Design & Production Awards.

Havana, featuring illustrations of the Cuban city by artist Leslie Gerry, and printed by Gerry on his own Epson Stylus Pro 7880 wide-format printer, won the Book of the Year prize and also won the best Photographic Books, Art & Architecture category.

The 60pp 470x350mm format book was printed onto Somerset mould-made cotton paper from St Cuthberts Mill and Hahnemuhle Photo paper, and bound by Ludlow Bookbinders. It is available in two different binding styles in a limited edition of 80 copies, with the deluxe leather-bound version costing £3,750.

Gerry has developed a signature style involving painting with a palette of flat colours, using a Wacom tablet and Adobe Illustrator.

The judges said: “Quite simply, Havana is a joy to hold, a delight to look at and a pleasure to handle, making this a truly worthy overall winner.”

Gerry told PrintWeek: "It is gratifying to receive recognition for locking myself up in a small studio for a year and creating something worthwhile, a work of art."

The event was hosted by comedian Jenny Eclair, herself the author of a number of best-selling books.

Opening the evening, BPIF chief executive Charles Jarrold pointed to the continued increase in sales of printed books, defying some expectations that the medium would be eclipsed by e-readers.

“It’s been another year of proving that people love books,” he said. “The book world is in rude health. It is creative, vibrant, and competitive.”

The shortlisted books were overwhelming printed overseas, but a number of UK printers were involved in the production of winning entries, including TJ International, The Salvage Press, CPI Books, Boss Print, Pureprint Group and Taylor Brothers in Bristol.

The specific award for Best British Book went to David Holmes’ Book, published by Impress and printed by Geoff Neal Group with binding by Diamond Print Services.

 

The winners were:

Brand/Series Identity

Tales from the City, Hoxton Mini Press

Printed by: n/d

 

Limited Edition & Fine Binding

Winter, The Salvage Press

Printed by: letterpress printed at The Salvage Press

Bound by: Duffy Bookbinders

 

Self-Published Books

Kantor’s Gems, Moshe Kantor and Anna Kantor

Printed and bound by: Graphicom, Italy

 

Digitally Printed Books

Taking Measure, Neil Folberg

Printed by: Pureprint Group

Bound by: Ludlow Bookbinders

Production management: Hurtwood

 

Exhibition Catalogues

Searching for Eve in the American West, Tristan Hoare

Printed and bound by: Boss Print

 

Photographic Books, Art & Architecture Monographs

Havana, Leslie Gerry Editions

Printed by: Leslie Gerry Editions

Bound by: Ludlow Bookbinders

 

Graphic Novels

The One Hundred Nights of Hero, Jonathan Cape

Printed and bound by: C&C Offset Printing, China

 

Trade Illustrated

Bitten by Witch Fever, Thames & Hudson

Printed and bound by: Everbest Printing Investments, China

 

Lifestyle Illustrated

Universal: A Guide to the Cosmos, Allen Lane

Printed and bound by: Mohn Media, Germany

 

Literature

White Plains: Pieces & Witherlings, Little Island Press

Printed and bound by: TJ International

 

Educational Books

A World of Information, Walker Books

Printed and bound by: C&C Offset Printing, China

 

Scholarly, Academic & Reference Books

Micrographia, The Folio Society

Printed by: Memminger MedienCentrum, Germany.

Bound by: Richard Mayer Buchbindermeister, Germany

 

Childrens’ Trade - 0 to 8 years

The Adventures of 3 Bears

Printed and bound by: Toppan Leefung Printing, China

 

Childrens’ Trade – 9 to 16 years

Think And Make Like An Artist

Printed and bound by: Reliance Printing, China

 

Best Jacket/Cover Design

The Animators, Scribe UK

Printed by: CPI Group (UK)

 

Best Student Book

Kanye, Handy Tandra, University of the West of England

Printed by: Taylor Brothers Bristol

Bound by: Bristol Bound Bookbinding

 

Best British Book

David Holmes’ Book, Impress

Printed by: Geoff Neal Group

Bound by: Diamond Print Services