Neenah Paper has launched The Beauty of Engraving (www.thebeautyofengraving.com), a website that celebrates this printing art form with a virtual gallery of high-quality products, a history of engraving, tips for designers and limited-edition engraved samples created and curated by some of today’s most prestigious and popular design, branding and typography talent.

Prominent engravers from around the world were personally invited to submit their work and each month the site will feature a different engraver and designer. Designers were asked to develop a design specifically for The Beauty of Engraving and engravers will be paired with each of these designers to produce limited edition prints. These unique prints will be available for free to a limited number of site visitors each month. Neenah Paper will curate the first online issue and other upcoming designers include Erik Marinovich, Marian Bantjes, Armin Vit and Vanessa Kreckel.

“At Neenah Paper we’ve always valued both design and printing craftsmanship, so it’s exciting to create a site that shares the beauty and the art of engraving – exposing this age-old printing technique to a whole new generation of designers and print specifiers,” said Tom Wright, senior director of advertising and design for Neenah Paper.

“We want to remind people that engraving has a rich history and an exciting future ready to be discovered again. It’s the ultimate way to distinguish a brand on paper or communicate your most important invitations and announcements,” Wright added.

Like any craft, the essence of the hands-on technique can only be grasped while watching. Neenah Paper has created a video, availableon the website homepage, with Two Paperdolls and I Do Films that communicates the art of engraving today. The video demonstrates how the timeless craftsmanship of engraving mixes beautifully with current design typography, coming to life on rich, 100 percent cotton fiber paper.

The new website – thebeautyofengraving.com – offers modern-day uses as well as historical context. Additionally, informative material describes the techniques and tools that are best suited for engraving, including CRANE Papers, which are marketed and sold by Neenah Paper.

CRANE Papers are 100 percent tree-free and have always been the paper of choice for engraving artists, letterpress printers and branding design firms for exquisite identities. These premium papers are made from pure cotton linterfibers.

“You can’t fool a true artisan or craftsman,” said Wright. “CRANE Papers are the top choice for their most prestigious work. And, designing for and engraving on these papers is considered the pinnacle of the craft.”

In addition to featuring the work of artists, The Beauty of Engraving website and video highlight CRANE and Neenah Paper, and engravers and designers can request a free sample of CRANE Papers for comping and showcasing their projects.