Ever wondered where that familiar home icon on your browser comes from or those quirky-looking airport signs? In his book Pictograms and Signs, Michael Vinci takes you on a minimalist journey through the meaning of symbols and images. The book was initially distributed as a digital publication on Issuu. Following our collaboration with the publishing platform, Michael used our printing service to translate the publication into a physical product. We were curious to hear more so we had a little chat with him and got some pretty neat feedback in the process.
Can you tell us a bit more about your book?
Pictograms & Signs is probably my favourite project I have worked on to date. Over the past few years my passion for illustration and simplistic designs has grown a lot and when I was given a brief at Solent titled 'Visual Research,' I thought that this was the perfect time to expand my knowledge on the visual language. The book has been put together to give people insight into the different images around us, from obeying the law via road signs, to ancient scriptures and even on the internet.
I noticed that you make great use of the Issuu widget on your blog to showcase your projects. Besides using their platform, how has this helped you spread the word about your work?
I think Issuu’s digital book widget is the best way to show your work online, especially books. It allows people to view your publication with ease. The widget has been designed really well so it works like a charm. Nice one!
And what did you think about Peecho printing?
I am very happy with the service. As a designer, I understand that there can be a lot of misunderstanding between printers and their clients. But the orders I have placed have shown me that the printers at Peecho must have a lot of experience and understanding. My designs have come out really well!
The quality of the book was also far higher than expected. This was because I considered the price I paid to be cheap. Therefore, I expected to have a standard quality print. But when I received the book I was pleasantly surprised to see the high quality of production. So A+++ for offering a cheap but high quality service!
Wow, thanks so much for the kudos! Would you recommend Peecho to other designers?
Yes, in fact I have. I live with two other Graphic Designers and since receiving my book they have signed up. My tutor at Solent was even impressed with the service!
What is the added value of a printed design portfolio or publication?
All designs look different on paper no matter what monitor you use, and a high quality printer makes everything that much better. Call me old fashioned but as awesome as it is, with the world becoming so digitally advanced, you can't beat having a hard copy.