A journey into the heart of the production of the book Muséum Folie of the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris. A real madness, which has excited us!

The Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, located in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris is considered a benchmark in fields such as geology, the plant world, zoology, microorganisms, prehistory and anthropology, and the world’s first in number of annual scientific publications. Since its inception in the 18th century, the museum’s goal has been research and teaching for the benefit of all.

The book travels back in time from its exceptional collections.

We have participated in all phases of the project, advising and working side by side with Aurélien Farina, art director of the Parisian studio Paper! Tiger!, and also with the coordinator of the work at the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Lucile Desmoulins. Image retouching, colorimetric testing, printing, hot foil, painted edges and binding. A whole set of workshops and professionals, a pleasure!

The main challenge of this book has been in the finishings of the cover, the process of hot foil has had an extreme complexity of lace of the blue and green metallic hot foils, with the added difficulty that in addition had of making a dry embossing of the contours of the butterfly. The printing surface has been more than 70% and the very fine contours of the illustrations have made the result a real explosion of color and goldsmith. The connection and coordination with the workshop Abellán Hnos. has been fundamental. Teamwork and a demanding methodology for everyone.

To round it off we painted the edges of the book by painting them bordeaux.

You can see the result in the images, and the production process of each of the elements we invite you to view. Below you will find the technical file of the project for those who enjoy the details.

Premium print

The book has been printed with the UV LED technology of our Speedmaster Heidelberg UV LED 8 colors. This technique offers immediate drying and more brightness, contrast and definition of the images, thanks to a better definition of the point in pure supports. In addition, the reduction of the time of start-up of the machine and the decrease of consumption of inks help to a more sustainable print.

Client
Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle Paris

Project
Muséum folie

Art direction
Aurélien Farina (Paper! Tiger!)

Editing manager
Lucile Desmoulins and Charlotte Chomard

Correction
Christophe Parant

Direction of graphic production
Nexe Impressions

Photogravure
Les Caméléons Paris

Print
Agpograf Impressors

Technical characteristics

Format
Closed format 20 x 23 cm.

Cover
Wibalin Natural of 135 g. (Winter & Company)

Guardes
Arena Ivory of 140 g. printed in 1+1

Inner
288 pages with Creator Star of 135 g. (Lecta) printed in 4 + 4
120 pages with Arena Ivory Bulk 1.7 of 100 g. (Fedrigoni Papers) printed in 1 + 1

Binding
Hard cover of 2,5 mm with flat spine, lined with endpapers and headbands.

Finishings
Two-color hot foil with delicate profiles on the cover, back cover and spine, 75% of the surface.
Dry relief (embossing)
Painted edges