Field Notes Colors: Dry Transfer

When I first received the Dry Transfer “_________” Edition as part of my COLORS subscription, I didn’t really know what to think of it. The idea of customizing the cover was cool but I didn’t have any immediate use or ideas. It just seemed like a big commitment, too, using up the letters that came with the kit. (I may have commitment issues.)

But I got over it at some point and made two Field Notes of my own! Happy Notes and Three Staples. Yay?

Look at that shoddy kerning. Bah.

Fancy prep. I tried?

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Firsts

What’s unique about this edition is that the memo books came with “FIELD NOTES” logotype omitted from the front covers, so you can title them yourself with the dry transfer letters. The packaging is also unique, obviously, to accommodate various items necessary for rubbing down the letters, including a wooden stick. For the smaller, black text that wasn’t omitted, a glossier ink was used, so that it matched the look of the transferred letters. Such attention to detail is not surprising by this point for Field Notes (but still very much appreciated!). Other than the packaging and the customizability of the cover text, the Dry Transfer edition is pretty much the same as the “Original” kraft memo books. The “Practical Applications” inside are the same, too.

Interestingly, the books do not come bound by a belly band. I’m pretty sure the Packet of Sunshine edition was the first COLORS to not have a belly band. If someone luckier than me can confirm that, that’d be appreciated!

Dry Transfer (left) and Original Kraft (right). Fascinating!

Some fun (for me) details:

• Dry Transfer “_________” Edition (Spring 2011) is 10th in the COLORS series.
• Dry Transfer KIt is labeled FN-11, and the Application Template is labeled FN-11B.
• Edition size: 15,000 books printed in March 2011
• Cover paper: French Paper Dur-o-Tone 80#C in “Packing Brown Wrap”
• Text on cover: “Dachshund Nose” black soy-based Toyo ink
• Graph grid inside: “Double Knee Duck Canvas” light brown soy-based Toyo ink
• Paper inside: Finch Opaque Smooth 50#T “Bright White”
• Staples color: silver
• Film: Dry Transfer Edition Instructions featuring Mr. Bedell!

Title ideas

• DEAD TO ME (as suggested by Jim Coudal in this recap video)
• DUNZO
• SHIT LIST
• SHIT LIST 2
• YAHTZEE SCORES
• SIDE QUESTS
• DUNGEON MAPS
• HOPES N DREAMS
• DOUBTS N REGRETS
• CRESCENT FRESH
• RAMEN RANKINGS
• EBAY SIGHTINGS
• FOR SCIENCE

Har har.

Field Notes Colors: County Fair

County Fair is an edition I took my time warming up to. I didn’t buy it until 2013 or so. Crazy, right? Now I quite like it. I love the sturdy, linen-textured covers. And the colors are fun for sure. It’s always interesting to see which state other Field Notes fans choose for themselves, too. As you can see, I got Illinois and California, states I’ve lived in. Last Christmas, I used one of the Illinois notebooks as a journal when I went to see my family in Chicago, and it worked out really well. It gave me an excuse to have some “me time” whenever I felt too overwhelmed by family stuffs. Maybe I will make it a tradition of taking an Illinois memo book whenever I fly there. :)

Firsts

County Fair is the first COLORS edition to use Neenah Paper for its covers; previous editions were all French Paper. You can tell the paper is different because it’s linen-textured and slightly stiffer. It was also the first time they printed colors on white cover stock to achieve the three different colors: blue, red and yellow.

This release had 50 different versions, representing all 50 states of the good ol’ US of America. The front cover is labeled with the state’s name and logo, and the back cover is full of facts and figures specific to that state. Holy… Can you imagine the amount of research that went into this? Talk about labor of love!

The white belly band is designed differently from the previous COLORS, too. Centered on the band is a handsome “Great Seal of Field Notes Brand.” Such attention to detail. Amaze.

This is also the first COLORS edition to join the “regular” line of products (perhaps this explains the item number FN-01a?). At the time of writing, you can still buy individual states online. The box set of all 50 states are still available online, too. It comes with a blue “First Place” Ribbon. I’m very tempted, folks. I saw the box set at a local store, and I was *this* close to getting it.

I wonder if any of the back covers got updated with new or edited stats in later printings…

Some fun (for me) details

• County Fair was first released in summer 2010 and is the 7th edition in the COLORS series.
• Item number: FN-01 or FN-01a
• Edition size: So complicated. That’s exactly what FN says. First printing in June 2010.
• Cover paper: Neenah Sundance Linen 100#C “Chicken Egg” printed with “Bluejay” blue, “Cardinal” red, and “Yellowhammer” yellow inks.
• Outside and inside cover: text in “Forty-niner Boomtown” gold Toyo ink
• Paper inside: Finch Opaque Smooth 50#T “Whitewash”
• Graph grid inside: “Babe the Blue Ox Underbelly” light blue soy-based ink
• Belly band: white paper with black text and “The Great Seal of Field Notes Brand” in the center
• “Practical Applications” on the back inside cover are the same across all three colors, and in all states.
• Extras for subscribers: First Place Blue Ribbon with the same seal featured on the belly band.
• Extras in the box set: First Place Blue Ribbon, pin, pens
• I have the third printing, printed in February 2012, so the specs you see may be different.
• Staples color: silver
• Film: Field Notes Field Trip to Monona, Iowa
• Film: United Memo Books of America

My favorite Practical Applications

• #02. Corn Dog Batter Recipes (I love corn dogs.)
• #23. Rabbit Cage Diagrams

For the love of god though, please don’t read the small text on the red books too closely. I don’t know about you but that gold text against the orange-red really hurts my eyes!