ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Everyone has hit the wall, drawn a blank, been stuck in a rut or just plain stumped. Throughout a career, no designer can avoid such blocks; they can be encountered at any time, in any environment. Neenah Paper has developed a new ENVIRONMENT Papers promotion titled "Creative (un)Blocks," a collection of inspiring samples and suggestions to help designers break through these inevitable slumps and take their creativity to the next level.
 
Neenah partnered with Josh Chen, principal and creative director of Chen Design Associates in San Francisco, to conceptualize and develop the original artwork in Creative (un)Blocks, which provides designers with actual printed matter they can turn to when doubting one's work and looking for inspiration. Today's fast-paced creative climate has designers juggling a growing number of project components while still being expected to deliver top quality work time after time. The piece allows designers to both see and feel how the ENVIRONMENT brand can naturally create design opportunities in a unique and sustainable way.
 
"When designing Creative un(Blocks), we considered our own struggles as designers and the many hats we're asked to wear throughout the day," Chen said. "The final product is a piece that offers numerous approaches to breaking through the blocks that any designer might encounter during the creative process."
 
The 8x10 inch sized paper promotion breaks into four smaller books, each representing the various environments where designers find themselves immersed during the day. Using visual and copy prompts on nearly 150 pages, the books explore these environments and ways for designers to push through their creative blocks:

• Study: Researching the who, what, where, when and why of a project
• Play: Exploring new perspectives when creating
• Connect: Communicating with others in new ways
• Make: Turning a new idea into a tangible masterpiece

"Creative (un)Blocks is pure inspiration," said Tom Wright, senior director of advertising and design for Neenah Paper. "Not only can it guide you out of an idea slump, but it shows you how premium post-consumer recycled colors, textures and weights can be an inspiring and foundational part of the creative process."
 
ENVIRONMENT Papers from Neenah, which were the first premium post-consumer matching Writing, Text and Cover papers, are available in 20 colors. The ENVIRONMENT brand offers four sustainable fiber options ranging in recycled content from 30 percent to 100 percent post-consumer fiber, as well as papers made with bamboo and bagasse. All papers are FSC certified, meet the mark of sustainable forestry and are made with 100 percent renewable energy.
 
Against the Grain, Neenah's blog, will also host a Creative (un)Blocks interview series where designers can share their own tips, such as which environments inspire them.
 
For a copy of the Creative (un)Blocks promotion, contact a local Neenah Paper representative or a Neenah Paper authorized distributor. For more information about ENVIRONMENT Papers, visit www.neenahpaper.com/environment or call (800) 558-5061.