Cover Story: 2009 Gold Ink Awards
Widely regarded as the print industry’s most prestigious event, the 2009 Gold Ink Awards received more than 1,000 entries across 45 competitive categories, including Book Covers, Book Jackets, Books (Fine Editions), Softcover Books, Hardcover Books, Children’s Books, Fine Art Lithography, Cookbooks, to name a few. In all, 132 entries were selected for Gold, Silver or Bronze honors.
Now in its 22nd year, the Gold Ink Awards were judged over a four-day span by 15 print veterans touting diverse backgrounds. (See the sidebar for more about the judges.)
This year’s esteemed crop of judges was particularly impressed by the quality and competitiveness of the Cookbooks category.
“This is the toughest category for photography and reproduction,” observed Matthew Hollerbush, a professional photographer and veteran of Gold Ink judging. “Our decisions came down to how appetizing the food looked via color balance, correctness, accuracy.”
The Gold award went to “Barbeque,” published by ACP Books and printed by C&C Offset Printing Co.
“[‘Barbeque’s] strongly executed package [was] an excellent example of flexibind paired with deliciously printed photography,” said first-year judge Melissa Jacobson, production and sales assistant for Quirk Books.
The Fine Editions category warranted a great deal of deliberation by the judges as well. The Gold honor was awarded to “Olympic on Paper,” which was also printed by C&C Offset Printing Co.
“From the hand-tied closures and the pouch design of the cover, this product glowed with attention to detail and a respect for the materials,” remarked Harris Fogel, associate professor of photography, and director of the Sol Mednick Gallery and Gallery 1401, in the Media Arts Department at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. “The printing, interleaving and lushness of the design and print was clear from start to finish.”
“The overall quality and excellence of our Gold Ink Award submissions never ceases to impress our staff and judges, and the 22nd year of the awards was no exception,” said Mark Hertzog, vice president/group publisher of Book Business and Publishing Executive, which run the Gold Ink Awards. “We are continually in awe of the superior work done by those publishers and printers who continue to produce the finest print products in the world, and we look forward to celebrating their excellence for many more years.”
The staff of Book Business congratulates the many deserving printers, publishers and other constituents who are once again being recognized for their fine work in this year’s competition, and thanks all of the entrants and judges who continue to make the Gold Ink Awards the industry’s most prestigious print competition.
Winners of the 2009 Gold Ink Awards will be recognized at the Gold Ink Awards Banquet on Monday, Sept. 14 in Chicago during Print ’09.
For a complete listing of 2009 Gold Ink winners, visit www.GoldInk.com
Matt Steinmetz is the publisher and brand director of Publishing Executive.