Liquid Treat

In the ongoing war between the print and digital worlds, it is often said that the former will endure because people want "the thing." That's excellent news for Jonn Herschend and Will Rogan. The San Francisco-based artists are the editors of The Thing, a quarterly periodical in the form of an object. Each year, they invite four artists, writers, musicians, or filmmakers to create "a useful object that somehow incorporates text." The object (whether a shoelace-cum-bookmark, handmade ceramic wine cups, or a silkscreened window blind) is then reproduced, boxed, and mailed to subscribers throughout the country. Past contributors have included writer and filmmaker Miranda July, novelist Jonathan Lethem, and artist Trisha Donnelly. With upcoming issues coming from the minds of fashion designer Doo-Ri Chung and actor/artist James Franco, investing in a subscription ($200 per year) is the smart thing to do.

Tired of one-size-fits-all lotion? Now you can get creative with your creams thanks to Absolution, the new unisex skincare line created by French graphic designer Isabelle Caron. Nature, care, design, and modernity are the key ingredients of the brand, which drew us in with its graphic black and white packaging (awash in charming ink drawings) and the promise of "bespoke simplicity." Each of the four core products can be customized with the addition of four highly concentrated booster solutions that target tasks such as revitalizing and anti-aging. As for absolving yourself of any environmental guilt that comes with acquiring more stuff, take comfort in knowing that the entire line is certified organic and is produced (in France) with locally sourced, natural ingredients. And that beautiful packaging? Recycled, recyclable, and printed with vegetable inks, bien sûr!

Pinhole cameras: They're not just for watching solar eclipses anymore! The ultimate low-fi imaging device gets its close-up in this Flickr pool of traditional and digital pinhole photography, which includes some jaw-dropping shots of people, places, and (yes) penguins contributed by "pinholers" from all over the world. Trying your hand -- and eye -- at the age-old technique is easier than you think, with a wealth of webpages offering step-by-step instructions for creating your own pinhole camera out of an empty, light-tight box (scarf down those Pringles and you're in business). Be prepared for exposure times that are more than a snap, particularly if you're using your lensless wonder in low light, and with a little practice, you'll see firsthand why pinhole photography is getting its day in the sun.

Ever encountered a font that made you wince? (Comic Sans doesn't count.) Try making it through all 26 of Thijs Verbeek's huidletters with your eyes wide open. The Dutch designer created the typeface by pinching human flesh into letterforms with wooden clothespins and then photographing them at close range. It's positively skintillating. If you're interested in something more permanent, pick up a copy of Ina Saltz's Body Type: Intimate Messages Etched in Flesh (Stewart, Tabori, & Chang), a compendium of typographic tattoos. "I do not have any tattoos," says Saltz, a designer and author who recently completed a sequel, Body Type 2. "But if I were to get a typographic tattoo, it would be one which would signal to fellow type-lovers that I am a member of the tribe: an obscure dingbat from a favorite typeface, for example."

"Spec This" only sounds like a slur to hurl at exploitative types who try to shake you down for gratis design work. In fact, it's an online tool that allows designers to quickly and easily estimate printing costs. When you next find yourself with a print project, head to Spec This and fill out the form with the pertinent details, including stock, inks, coatings, finishing, and fulfillment. As soon as you click "submit," the site will send your project specs to any printer(s) you specify, and before you can say CMYK, you'll be comparing quotes—and saving time and money. Think of it as Priceline for printing.

In the market for a sleek seat? Opt for one that is helping to recycle approximately three million plastic bottles annually. Created in collaboration with Coca-Cola, Emeco's new 111 Navy Chair is made from recycled plastic bottles ("at least 111" of them, hence the name). It's modeled after the legendary aluminum original, designed in 1944 for the U.S. Navy, and combines 60% recycled PET plastic with a mix of other materials including pigment and integrity-boosting glass fiber. If Coca-Cola red is a little much for you, the chair also comes in five more earthly hues: grass, charcoal, flint, persimmon, and snow. Design Within Reach—the exclusive U.S. retailer of the 111 Navy Chair—is now taking orders, and at $230 a pop, it's about half the price of the aluminum version.