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An interview with Toppan Art Director Masahiro Aoyagi & Printing Director Akihiro Takamoto
Perfection in Print
The Komori 2013 Calendar
As a press manufacturer, Komori creates a
calendar every year that features stunning
design and exceptional value added printing.
Komori staff and Toppan Printing together
undertake the mission of producing the
calendar, which over the years has won a
raft of awards, including the prestigious
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
Award. This year for the first time On Press
interviewed Masahiro Aoyagi, art director
at Toppan Printing, and Akihiro Takamoto,
printing director at Toppan, the talent behind
the 2013 calendar. Aoyagi and Takamoto, who
have worked together with Komori staff in
creating the calendar for the past three years,
reveal the vision and the artistic and technical
considerations and decisions behind this year’s
calendar, the third in the Perfection on Earth
series. They also describe the development of
their careers at this unique megaprinter as
well as their views on the H-UV system and the
full-spec LS-840 used in the production stage.
On Press: Tell us about your careers at Toppan Printing and
the work that you do.
Masahiro Aoyagi: Corporate calendars account for 99
percent of my work. This consists of searching for materials
— photographs or other visual art — executing the design
and sometimes working with a Printing Director, or PD, to
set the specifications for actual printing. Usually my role
is implementing design, checking the proofs, and getting
approvals from the creators when necessary. Calendars are
seasonal products, of course, and I am usually busy with
proposals in the March to May time frame and then occupied
with production from June to mid-August. If work were delayed
beyond that time, everyone would be in a tight spot.
Akihiro Takamoto: I have worked as a Printing Director for
about 15 years, ever since joining Toppan. This specialty was
developed here about 30 years ago. There are two types of
PDs at Toppan: the first works in prepress or the pressroom
for 20 or 30 years and then starts working as a PD, while the
second type is trained as a PD upon joining the company. I’m
the second type. In college I majored in graphic design and had
never dreamed of becoming a printing director – I didn’t even
know what the words meant. I worked for a year in prepress
and then studied for about five years with a senior PD. I learned
6 Komori On Press