Print Regional Design Annual 2011

This is the gorgeous hardcopy of Print's 2011 Regional Design Annual. The Regional Design Annual has become the most comprehensive survey of graphic design in the country, and one of the longest running graphic design competitions. The prestige it carries goes far in the design world, and this issue showcases all of that inspiring work.

Inside the 2011 Regional Design Annual You'll Find:

• Douglas Wolk reviewing the best album and book art of the year
• Stephen Heller's essay on how technology is changing graphic design
• And of course, the best graphic design from across the country, organized by region

This year we faced a dilemma: Is there really a stylistic difference between the work being done in Arlington, Virginia (which is in the South), and its neighbor Washington, D.C. (in the East)? Add to that the flattening effect of the web, and you begin to question if regions still matter. Technology is definitely changing everything.

But when we asked one of our judges, Michael Freimuth, for his take on the matter, he made a great point saying, "Regions still matter in the sense that they comprise creative communities. There's quite a lot more to our business and world than servicing clients—becoming an integrated and active member of your creative community is huge. You can't ignore your immediate surroundings."

After putting together this celebration of amazing work, we couldn't agree more.