Book Inspiration: Paper Rad, BJ & Da Dogs

We draw a lot of inspiration from publications – there’s something really lovely about browsing a book.

We have a bookshelf full of books that we love in the studio. While some are design related, some are completely unrelated – but have beautiful design traits that we draw inspiration from.

Paper Rad is in the middle. It’s part artist book, part graphic novel. When I saw it in Greville St Books some 14 years ago, it just stood out. I kept going back to it – and I knew I had to buy it. It’s almost offensive to your senses – clashing colours, mixed paper, strange narrative – but these are what makes the book special. Even now, each time I pick it up, I see something different I haven’t noticed before. I especially like the use of different paper stocks to separate the sections within the book, as this is not normally a suitable option in commercial design. There is freedom in art, and it helps stretch our brains for design.