Retronaut is the viral sensation which brings the past to life with images sourced from archives and museums.
In a major new development, Retronaut images are now available on greetings cards created in partnership with leading UK print brand Prelogram.
The Retronaut image capsules on mashable.com receive millions of visits and are shared hundreds of thousands of times on social media.
Now, for the first time, the images have a physical existence and can be shared, framed and displayed offline.
The first three card collections are:
- ‘Transport of the Future’ – revolutionary prototype vehicles from the early and mid-20th century
- ‘The Beauty Factory’ – inside Helena Rubinstein’s renowned beauty salon on Fifth Avenue, New York City at the end of the 1930s
- ‘Bad Hair Day’ – a collection of extraordinary hair styles from the mid-19th to early 20th century
The cards are created in true Retronaut style using 1950s printing presses which have been brought back into service for the project.
The cards are printed in gorgeous halftones where the image is made up of thousands of dots.
The entirely analogue printing process give the images a depth and definition that is unachievable with modern digital printing presses.
To mark the launch, Prelogram has an interview with Retronaut founder and curator-in-chief Chris Wild.
Chris talks about his background and how Retronaut became an online phenomenon. Read the interview HERE.
Retronaut founder, Chris Wild said : “Prelogram make such beautiful products, transforming a simple card into a gorgeous object in its own right.
“They are a perfect partner for Retronaut, and I know all Retronauts are going to love what Prelogram have crafted”.
“The team have been very careful with the Retronaut brand, and have gone out of their way to make something really special. Let’s face it, Prelogram are COOL”.
Prelogram creative director, Jennifer Crawford said : “We came to this collaboration as admirers of the Retronaut project.
“It’s been a pleasure working with Chris and our team of printers has worked incredibly hard to do justice to the amazing images.
“We think the traditional print techniques and vibrant colours used to create the cards will really chime with the many Retronaut fans there are in the UK and worldwide.”