Many of us fell in love with paper at a very young age.

The infinite combinations of textures and colors combined with that fresh pulpy smell has conjured up many a glorious mountain of ideas that would eventually get each of us lost in a seas of paper. While our complimenting materials would vary; colored pencils, paint, pastels, pen and ink, scissors, glitter; it always began with the paper. The unending stream of projects those beautiful fibers inspired filled our parents’ homes, our bedroom walls, and inspired many a career where paper and its wonder could be present everyday.

It’s this kind of childhood wonder Neenah Paper has always conjured up for us. Getting new sample books and promotions always carries a little bit of magic with it, sparking ideas of what could be. So when we received an invitation to be transported back to this place of wonder and inspiration with a trip to the Neenah Paper Mill, we jumped at it. Read the rest of the entry >

As my year-long internship at R29 comes to a close, I realize how lucky I really am. Few people get to experience Rule29 in such an intimate way that I did on a day-to-day basis. I got schooled in mathematical layouts, juggled multiple projects, learned how to communicate with printers, worked with developers, upped my production chops, and refined my type skills.

I knew starting here that some things in school cannot be taught and could only be experienced, but some things can only be learned at R29:

- Carrying 7 coffees at once is truly an art form
- Frozen lakes are best for practicing your golf swing
- Tacos are an essential key to creativity
- Coloring books and crayons make production meetings awesome
- Pumpkin smashing is the new carving
- Dual Shake Weights are easiest when doing deep squats
- Biscuits, honey butter, and blackberry jam taste best at 8am
- Healthy work culture breeds creativity

If you’re still in school or just getting out, an internship will help you grow and better prepare yourself to make the plunge into the working world. Thanks R29 for showing me how to Make Creative Matter®!

Music and film both have the power to shift a room. And maybe more appropriately, they have the ability to shift us.

Since 1987, when I heard U2′s Joshua Tree album for the first time (okay and a little Beastie Boy’s License to Ill), I’ve been making “mix-tapes.” And for the last 9-ish years, myself – along with a few others – have been sharing our favorite musical finds from the year in a bit more organized (and electronic) fashion. This isn’t a definitive “best of”… simply personal favorites. This year, there is 29  songs for your enjoyment… (how appropriate). And 10 movies worthy of noting.

Here’s how it works. You download. You tell us your own favorites. There are two separate playlists… The first is both more eclectic, experimental, upbeat and more fitting with the windows down. The second is a bit more thoughtful, reflective, and well suited over coffee and a book. Playlists are ready for drag-n-drop into iTunes playlist(s). Don’t miss the liner notes and don’t forget to tell us your own favs!

Download here.

The new year is always a good time to freshen up, make resolutions, start something different and of course introduce new team members! With great excitement we would like to introduce the newest Rule29er, Allison Tylek!

Allison comes to us from the great state of Indiana. A recent graduate of Indiana University (Go Hoosiers!), she received her BFA in graphic design and minor in psychology. Getting to know her over the past couple months, what really stood out to us about Allison was her easy going personality and her mad illustration skills, both of which we hope you all get to experience as she becomes a part of the everyday activity at R29.

Whenever we meet someone new, we usually have lots of questions, which I’m sure you all have for our new designer. So to help us all get to know Allison a little better, we went ahead and asked the very important things we know are on everyone’s minds…

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As much as we are excited about 2013, we wanted to appropriately reflect on 2012. Here are some of our memorable moments of 2012. Weird…turned out to be 29 of them….again. Read the rest of the entry >