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Simple Electronic Pop-up Books using Paper Circuits

An Electronic Pop-up Book created using copper tape and LEDs

With some simple sticker-backed electronics and copper tape, anyone can create simple paper circuits to create all sorts of creative projects, including pop-up books.

When people usually think of creating circuits, they tend to think of soldering wires together on some silicon surface. This usually requires special knowledge and equipment. Plus soldering irons get hot and create fumes, which is not always accessible to children or people with allergies. This also is a barrier to learning even the most basic concepts of electronics.

Luckily a lot has changed.

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The Creation of a Font: Columbia Gorgeous

Place names Ad for Columbia Gorgeous

The Columbia Gorgeous typeface and font emerged from the re-branding of our company, Madison Design to Madison Design Company (for web domain reasons). We thought that with the added word, “Company,” it seemed to call for a slightly retro vibe, maybe with the abbreviation, “Co.,” in place of the full word. For my muse, I looked at the modern, crispness of Gotham and mashed it up with the geometric typefaces, Futura and Century Gothic— in the latter case it mostly informed the lighter weight. I wanted something that looked like it might be on the glass at the street level of a downtown office building in Manhattan in the 1930s while at the same time look at home in a high quality brand today.

Initial Starts and inspiration on the Monoline Master of Columbia Gorgeous Bold Font and Typeface
A screen shot of my work page as I started my monoline master (my type is at bottom and also in large, all caps at roughly center.

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Letterpress Workshop hosted by Type Club

Lockup of image and type in a letterpress chase. Has the words Drug Center with a image of a dentist and a group of children. The type underneath the image reads "You're a liar, Jimmy"

Type Club held a free letterpress workshop last Saturday, November 19, and everyone who attended had a fantastic time. We had 3 presses available for people to print, with holiday cards, political prints, and business cards among the mix. Roughly 15 people showed up with only the little advertising our small, volunteer-run organization was able to muster, which was great to see.

Group of people look at speaker who gives an overview of how the workshop runs
Attendees of Type Club’s free Letterpress Workshop last Saturday, November 19, get a brief overview of the equipment and type available for people to use.

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