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Focus On... 3D Cards
INTO THE
FOLD
It’s been going on since the 8th century, but the ancient Japanese art of Origami, as well as its later ‘sister’ of paper engineering (the 13th century Benedictine monk Matthew Paris was an early star), is certainly enjoying something of a revival in the greeting card sector. PG joins the fold and embraces all the activity in the 3D greeting card arena from every angle.
Top right: A Treasures design from Noel Tatt. Above right: One of the cards in Second Nature’s new Paper Dazzle range. Above: One of Santoro’s Pendulum designs.
Those 8th century Japanese aristocrats really started something when the precise art of Origami was born, based on mathematical intricate paper folding techniques. However, fast-forward 1,300 years, and their legacy, as well as that of engineer-based paper artistry, is adding some extra dimensions to the modern day greeting card sector. Pop-up, 3D and paper folded cards have been around for years - Second Nature’s Original Pop-Up collection celebrated its 25th anniversary last year and Santoro’s Swing Cards range is to mark its silver jubilee this year, for starters - but a
surge of activity from established specialists, as well as publishers adding 3D offerings to their portfolio, and some interesting distribution tie-ups, has created a wave of extra interest in these multidimensional creations. Noel Tatt took the trade by surprise when it clinched a distribution agreement with US 3D maestros Up With Paper at the start of this year; Hallmark packed a punch with its front cover position on PG’s March edition to launch its Paper Wonder collection, a collaboration with its Japanese creative team, while there are patents now pending both for Forever Cards’ Magic Box Cards as well as Alljoy Designs’ Message In A Bottle range. Santoro proved it is very much still ‘in the swing’ of 3D cards, with its latest inventions of Pendulums and Baubles being
Personal stand-outs
PG asked those in the 3D field to select one of their designs that stands out for them.
Lucio Santoro, co-founder of Santoro: “There are very few card designs that worked in the 80s that are still going strong today, but this is one of them. I scoured the country to find the right floral illustrator to create the artwork to match the paper engineering of this hanging basket design which is still in our Swing Cards range.”
Michael Griffiths, sales manager of Noel Tatt: “This wedding design really sums up why a pop up card can become a keepsake. The card opens to reveal a stunning horse and carriage image, with the married couple in the back of the carriage. The additional appeal in this card is that when a tab is pulled the newly weds move towards each other for a romantic kiss!”
Chris Bryan, joint general manager of Second Nature: “One of my favourites is our best selling 3D design to which we have recently added ‘wobble’ numbers for extra attraction and impact.” Right: There’s extra wobble on this Second Nature Pop-Up.
Below: An Up With Paper design, distributed by Noel Tatt.
Above: This hanging basket design has been in Santoro’s Swing Cards range for 25 years. PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
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