Whenever Mike and I are asked about upcoming issues, we try to contain our enthusiasm so as not to oversell our products. But we are usually so excited about the upcoming material because we bust our butts trying to make each issue even more refined, fascinating, and beautiful than the last. We are constantly honing the variety of skills it takes to bring this magazine into being. It seems like each time we discuss the latest issue on our podcast, we end up saying this one is “the best one yet.” The temptation is so strong that we’ve even made a rule for ourselves to refrain from that particular phrase so as not to tire our readers.
With Issue Ten, I genuinely believe Mortise & Tenon took several steps forward in quality. I continue to refine my design sensibilities while remaining true to my initial vision of a “minimalistic, photography-saturated aesthetic.” My eye for the relationship between imagery and text continues to develop, and this issue brings a handful of subtle elements that bring it up a few notches. I think this one exhibits a more mature relationship between typographic hierarchy, a tasteful inclusion of pull quotes, and a refined sense of relationship between the elements in the spread. We have also once again upgraded our paper to an even more premium uncoated stock (70# Enviro Print Opaque FSC, for those who are curious). This decision came about through our new printer, Cummings Printing in Hooksett, New Hampshire. Cummings is a leader in the industry and came recommended to us as the very best. We are delighted to be working with them now.
So, I got a phone call from the freight driver yesterday afternoon. The driver said that he had a few pallets from Cummings Printing and that he was 15 minutes away. I didn’t even know it was coming that day! I grabbed my keys and dashed out the door to meet the driver.
After loading the pallets into storage, I cracked open the first box. (This is the moment in which our hearts start pounding.) I pulled out the first copy and could not believe my eyes. The image on the cover was so rich and crisp – our most lifelike cover to date. And then flipping through the article, the photos were almost jumping off the pages. Truly, you’ve got to see this in person to believe it. It’s almost as if you could reach into the photograph and grab the tools yourself. I don’t know if it’s mostly because of the paper or the printer, but I have to say that I am blown away. I think it would be fair to say this issue is a major step forward in quality.
Issue Ten is definitely the best one yet.
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– Joshua