“Posters are delicate things,” writes Aaron Draplin. So what is a poster-maker to do when misprinted, damaged, and test prints begin to pile up in the workshop? For Draplin, the creator of Field Notes, the answer couldn’t have been too difficult: use these ‘dead prints’ to make pocket-sized memo books.

So, in October of 2015, limited edition “Dead Print Field Notes” were made for three poster-producing companies: Draplin Design Co., Mondo, and Landland. Between all three companies, only 3,000 3-packs were made, and with images of these notebooks sporadically popping up on Instagram and Twitter, these Dead Print Field Notes became somewhat of a craze.

Although the notebooks contain basic 50# blank paper, the unique covers, made from assorted posters, spurred on the collectors. Getting my hands on all three was no easy task. I’ve seen sealed 3-packs occasionally sell for over a hundred dollars on eBay (much, much more than I’m willing to spend), but with a bit of patience, I found them all individually for reasonable prices.

The DDC Dead Prints were initially only sold at a pop-up shop run by Aaron Draplin in Portland, but eventually a handful were sold through his website. There I was able to grab a couple 3-packs before they sold out. Similarly, the LandLand Dead Prints were briefly available on their website, but many of the shipments were lost in the mail, including mine. Fortunately,  the good folks at LandLand were able to ship out replacements a couple months later.

The Mondo Dead Prints were trickier. They were initially distributed only at MondoCon, the company’s convention, but some extras were sold online. These became sold out lightning-fast, well before I was able to add a pack to the shopping cart. But, after months of scouring eBay, I eventually found a single Mondo notebook for a relatively low price (never mind that it’s mostly just a white notebook).

After some use, I wouldn’t hesitate to say that these Dead Print Field Notes are one of my favorite editions. Aside from the special cover-paper, there’s no difference between this and a standard Field Notes notebook. However, with their wild designs and the gold-foil used for the cover text, I’ve received more comments/compliments on these notebooks than I have while carrying around any other Field Notes edition. It’s really a shame that these notebooks are so rare, but maybe, if we’re lucky, Draplin, LandLand, and Mondo will continue to damage enough posters in order to justify another run.

Additional Notes

• The Mondo Dead Prints have no “Practical Applications” list, but a musician/artist roster for their convention instead. Both the DDC and Landland books, however, do have “Practical Applications” lists. My favorites: “02. Thick Lines Tinkerings” (DDC) and “16. Hashtag Plans” (LandLand).
• Even the belly-bands seem to be made of inside-out posters.
• And speaking of Aaron Draplin, I wrote a review of his book. I liked it. It’s worth checking out if you like those DDC Dead Print designs.

Lunacy, Field Notes’ Fall 2016 Special Edition, is what you get when you take a simple concept and go a little crazy on the execution.

Its theme pays homage to Earth’s celestial buddy, the moon, and there’s a lot more than usual going on with these little 3.5″ x 5.5″ pocket notebooks. They contain 60# light gray notebook paper with a reticle grid ruling. They are bound together with black staples that blend into a shimmery, black cover stock, giving it an almost leather-like look. And along with the the embossed Field Notes logo on the front, you’ll find a black moon logo embossed on the back cover.

But, of course, the most noteworthy aspect of the Lunacy edition is their die-cut covers, which open like little windows into a glossy inner photo of the moon.  Each book in the set is cut to represent a different phase of the moon: there’s a waning crescent, a third-quarter (half) moon, and a full-moon. Those who are subscribers to Field Notes’ quarterly additions also received a bonus “new moon” book, which just has a fully-intact black cover.

The glossy inner cover-pages aren’t just for show either, they also include a bunch extra info. In typical Field Notes fashion, some of this information is lightly useful, but most of it is just for fun. Need to know how to say “moon” in German? This notebook has got you covered. Want to know how to kill a werewolf? You’ll have that info in your back pocket too.

It’s a cool edition overall, though I’m not a huge fan of the die-cut covers. While they don’t rip or tear like I initially thought they would, I still find them a little annoying. But beyond that, these books remind me a lot of Field Notes’ Night Sky edition from the summer of 2014. That’s an edition I’ve always wanted to own, but they are now sold out (and much too expensive to buy through eBay). Lunacy, as well, is a little more expensive than usual – $12.95 for a 3-pack – but still worth it for any aspiring astronaut.

Additional Notes

• Of the 30 “Practical Applications” listed in the notebooks’ inside-back cover, my favorites are the following: “2. ‘That’s No Moon'”; “20. Dark Side Theories”; and “22. Tidal Changes.”
• Check out  Ed Jelly’s review for lots of good pictures, and Fountain Pen Follies says that these notebooks are very fountain pen friendly.
• Definitely check out the video that Field Notes produced for this edition. It’s almost as if they were trying to fake the moon landing.