Print Design Podcast - How to Win with Print in a Digital World

Dave at Print Design Academy
  • 5.0 (18)
  • Design
  • Updated Weekly

In a world racing toward AI and screens, print is more valuable than ever. While everyone fights for attention on the same crowded feeds, the designers reaching for paper, ink, and real tactile work are the ones getting noticed and remembered. The Print Design Podcast is about how they pull it off. Each episode digs into the real stories behind great print and packaging, the substrates and techniques that made them work, the problems solved on press, and the impact the finished piece had out in the world. You'll get the behind-the-scenes details, practical tips, and creative thinking that help you make print worth holding onto, and grow your work with it. Hosted by Dave Hopkins, founder of Print Design Academy, where thousands of designers are learning to bring beautiful print to life. If you're a graphic designer who wants to stand out in a digital world by creating things people can actually touch, this one's for you.

  1. Jul 14

    Episode 82 - How to Make Real Money Designing for Print with Laura Jane Boast

    Laura-Jane Boast has run her Manchester studio Conscious Made for 12 years, and it's basically all print. In this episode she gets into how she niched hard into color, material, and finish (CMF for short) and turned a straight-up obsession with foils, papers, and print into a business that more than pays the bills designing for clients all over the world. That includes a recent Coachella project she then stalked across a hundred fan videos on TikTok, because once it's out there, watching people freak out over it is half the fun. We also get real about the money. Why the safe "middle budget" client has basically vanished, and how Laura learned to walk away from the pretty jobs that look great but pay nothing. We dig into the feedback loop print gives you that a website never will, why the analog comeback is booming while everyone drowns in screens and AI. She wraps up with the best kind of advice for anyone trying to break in: go local, keep it small, stop emailing PDFs nobody opens, and just make something real. In this episode What CMF (color, material, finish) actually means and how niching into it built Laura's whole business Why print is paying the bills: the honest conversation about making a real living in the print space How the "middle budget" disappeared, and why walking away from low-value jobs protects your creativity The feedback loop designers miss in digital work, and why print keeps giving back long after it ships How to break into print with no experience: start local, start small, start with a business you actually care about Laura's Website: https://www.consciousmade.co.uk/ Laura on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lboast/ Laura on IG: https://www.instagram.com/LauraBoast Conscious Made on IG: https://www.instagram.com/conscious.made/ Print Club Pro Coaching - Details and Application: The Details Come say hi on Instagram @printdesign_academy

  2. Jun 30

    Episode 81 - Designing a 640-Page Book, with Dora Drimalas from Hybrid Design

    Dora Drimalas, co-founder of San Francisco studio Hybrid Design, spent years (on and off, over a decade) building a 640-page case-bound monster of a book, and in this episode she walks me through every nerdy detail of how it came to life. We get into the production specs (CMYK plus silver and fluorescent orange spots, sealed ribbon bookmarks synced to digitally printed edge painting, black and white editions), the publishing decision to go with Victionary instead of self-publishing, and how they managed over 400 contributors who each needed legal clearance. Dora also shares her journey through the world of design that included Nike, and then founding Hybrid Design. In this episode Why Hybrid built a book that's a "survival manual for design," not just a portfolio flex The full spec breakdown: 640 pages, two spot colors, edge painting as a nod to traditional marbling, and ribbons that sync to those edge colors Self-publishing vs. going with a real publisher, and why that validation and distribution mattered What it's like to proof a 640-page book for six months and still keep finding errors The legal reality of 400+ contributors and why most studios avoid books like this How locking the grid and templates early made the design the easy part and the content the focus Why a printed piece beats a PDF every time when you're trying to get noticed, and how to start small (a zine, postcards, a saddle-stitched book) Buy the book here: Buy the Book Learn more about the book here: The Blog Check out Hybrid Design: The Website Follow Hybrid Design @hybriddesignsf Print Club Pro Coaching Details and Application: The Details Come say hi on Instagram @printdesign_academy Tags: print design, book design, studio book, Hybrid Design, edge painting, print production, graphic design career, getting noticed as a designer

  3. Jun 24

    Episode 80 - A Bowl of Nostalgia: Neenah x Print Design Academy Cereal Box Collab

    In this episode I sit down with Michelle McDermott-Pautz, who runs channel marketing for Neenah Paper in North America, to walk through the two-year journey of building a mini cereal box collection that shows off what's possible with Neenah Folding Board. We get into where the "weird" cereal box idea came from, why nostalgia was the whole point, and how Dallas Franklin brought a cast of illustrated characters to life across four different substrates. Then we go deep on production: foil stamping, sculpted embossing, white-ink-first passes, the deep black board with no white edges, scented stickers, and the 30 hours of press and bindery checks across three trips to the printer. If you've ever wondered what actually goes into a showstopper print piece, this is the true behind-the-scenes. In this episode Why a mini cereal box collection was the right way to showcase folding board, and how the nostalgia angle nearly didn't make the cut How the characters were designed to lean into each board's attributes, not just sit on a box Every print technique they threw at it: foil (holographic, red, clear), embossing, debossing, metallic inks, white ink first The on-press save that mattered: pulling a metallic highlight that disappeared under light and swapping it live Why scented stickers (and a full cereal bar) turned the launch party into a full-circle experience What designers can steal from this: emotional connection, shelf presence, and why real, tactile work beats the screen Want to see it This piece exists in extremely limited quantities. There's a blog post with expanded photos and the full behind the scenes on the Print Design Academy site, and if you want to get your hands on the collection, head to Neenah's website, use the contact form, and ask who your local rep is. Print Club Pro Small Group Coaching: The Details See photos of the collab: The Blog Come say hi on Instagram @printdesign_academy Tags: print design, packaging design, folding board, Neenah Paper, foil stamping, substrate selection, print production, nostalgia branding

  4. 12/01/2025

    Episode 79 - Alberta Distillers Rare Batch Whisky - Olberding Brand Family

    In this episode, Dave talks with Chris Gajus, Creative Director at Olberding Brand Family, about the packaging for Alberta Distillers Rare Batch that his team helped bring to life. If you’re a graphic designer or creative director who loves print, packaging, or some sweet sweet embellishments, this episode is for you.  Chris breaks down how they took a very rough starting point and turned it into a full premium packaging system with strong storytelling, structure, and materials. This includes the strategy behind the mountain imagery, the multi-level emboss, using tactile varnish instead of foil, and how they made sure the whiskey glows through the front and back windows on shelf. You’ll also hear about real considerations designers deal with every day: board weight, coatings, cracking on folds, color matching between substrates, working with vendors, and building files with multiple special-finishes layers. It’s a full look at how design moves from a concept to a finished physical product that pulls people in. Chris also shares his early print memories (video game boxes and manuals), his first print project in school, and a project that totally fell apart thanks to unclear feedback and direction. If you’ve ever had a client say “I’ll know it when I see it,” you’ll feel right at home. Things discussed in this episode: Premium packaging design Building dielines and structural packaging workflow Multi-level embossing Tactile varnish vs. foil stamping Color matching across substrates Paperboard weight and packaging durability Creating shelf presence in liquor and beverage categories Integrating brand storytelling into print Working with production, prepress, and color teams Turning a rough concept into a print-ready, high-end package Links: Alberta Distillers Rare Batch case study Project images + visuals Oberding Brand Family website Chris on LinkedIn Print Design Academy - Where designers learn print and packaging design

  5. 11/22/2023

    Episode 78 - Diego Marini - Yummy Colours - Statue of Liberty + Sophy Holland Books

    This week's guest is Diego Marini. He is a Co-Founder, Creative Director, and Designer from Yummy Colours out of New York. Although he is located in Copenhagen.  Diego loves books. To put it lightly. During client meetings, he's been known to ask "Can't we do a book"? And with a drive like that, he has had the opportunity to help bring some absolute gems to life.  In this episode, we dive into the design, creative direction, and behind-the-scenes production of two beautiful coffee table books. One for Sophy Holland, and the other for the Statue of Liberty. Be sure to check the links below to have a peek.  The Yummy Colours team continues to put together amazing print pieces that help bring their client's goals and visions to life. Legends over there.  Another gem of an episode for the designers and print lovers out there. Check out all the links below!! Statue of Liberty Book Images: CLICK HERESophy Holland Book Images: CLICK HEREYummy Colours Website: CLICK HEREYummy Colours Instagram: CLICK HERE Print Design Mastery 7-day FREE trial Get it HERE. Print Design Summit Waitlist: SIGN UP HERE Print Design Academy on YouTube: HERE

  6. 10/03/2023

    Episode 77 - Tony - Industry Print Shop

    My guest on this episode is Tony Diaz from Industry Print Shop out of Austin Texas. If you haven't heard of Industry, where have you been!? I call this episode, story time with Tony.  In this episode, we talk about: how Industry started and came to be. how he became "The Merch Guy" some of the important projects that helped Industry grow. Flatstock at SXSW and what it meant for Tony. a workshop at Nike HQ. print projects that went sideways and what happened. projects that Tony is the most proud of. the transition from doing the printing to a business owner leadership role. tough times in the history of Industry. what is really fulfilling for Tony in this stage of his life. and soo soo much more.  Tony is an awesome human and is full of stories that help you to learn from his mistakes, successes, and experiences. You can really feel the genuine joy from him coaching creatives through stories and community.  THE LINKS Industry Print Shop Website: CLICK HERE FREE Print Ready Files Checklist: Download here FREE Craft Beer Label Design Guide: Get it HERE. Print Design Academy on YouTube: CLICK HERE International Print Day: CLICK HEREPrint Across America: CLICK HERE

  7. 07/11/2023

    Episode 76 - Connie Lui - Yummy Colours - Concept of the Year

    This week's guest is Connie Lui. She is a Partner, Creative Director, and Designer from Yummy Colours out of New York.  I saw an Instagram post that Yummy Colours shared featuring their most recent Concept of the Year print piece, Dear Future. Turns out it was their third year in a row producing the Contept of the Year projects. And we get to hear stories about how all three projects were brought to life.  From the first Issue and why they decided to bring it to life, the second issue and stories of incredible collaboration at scale, to the most recent issue and how the multi-layer unique effects came to life! Another gem of an episode for the designers and print lovers out there. Check out all the links below!!   Concept of the Year Images: CLICK HEREYummy Colours Website: CLICK HEREYummy Colours Instagram: CLICK HERE FREE Craft Beer Label Design Guide: Get it HERE. FREE Print Ready Files Checklist: Download here Print Design Academy on YouTube: HERE

  8. 04/18/2023

    Episode 75 - 3 Things Designers should do to prepare for a recession

    A rare solo episode with Dave Hopkins, Founder of Print Design Academy and host of the Print Design Podcast. They say we are in a recession and it is going to get worse...so what can you do so that it sucks less? After seeing what happened in the design and print worlds during Covid, I have put together 3 things I think ALL Graphic Designers should do to prepare for any sort of economic uncertainty. FREE DOWNLOAD HERE - Print Ready Files Checklist Learn Print Design on YouTube HERE

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5
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

In a world racing toward AI and screens, print is more valuable than ever. While everyone fights for attention on the same crowded feeds, the designers reaching for paper, ink, and real tactile work are the ones getting noticed and remembered. The Print Design Podcast is about how they pull it off. Each episode digs into the real stories behind great print and packaging, the substrates and techniques that made them work, the problems solved on press, and the impact the finished piece had out in the world. You'll get the behind-the-scenes details, practical tips, and creative thinking that help you make print worth holding onto, and grow your work with it. Hosted by Dave Hopkins, founder of Print Design Academy, where thousands of designers are learning to bring beautiful print to life. If you're a graphic designer who wants to stand out in a digital world by creating things people can actually touch, this one's for you.

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