When a mysterious FedEx package arrived on my doorstep recently, I wasn't entirely sure what was inside... but I had my suspicions, so I took a few unboxing photos, just in case. And it turned out to be entirely the right choice -- the manufacturer had send a full set of color proofs and ozalids (positive color test prints).

Before sharing the photos, the big information is that I only found one print error, which was a mistake we made during export. That correction has been made and we've approved the project for the next stage of manufacturing!

Also, I really wasn't prepared for just how large Art of Grandmaster is compared to Deluxe Grandmaster. The art prints in the big book are going to look incredible on your walls! (The final Art of Grandmaster has a gold foil title, which you won't see in these proofs.)

Because we're using sewn binding, rather than glue, the pages are grouped in sections of eight sheets. You'll notice how we carefully adjusted the page count so that the color plates would fit perfectly between the other segments, which was satisfying to see in person.

The final image shows how the vellum signature page will fit in front of the title page. Because I held it up to the light, you can see the text from the back of the signature page as well, but in the final book that rear text won't be visible through the paper.

With these approved, we can move on to the next stage with the manufacturer, keeping a wary eye on the evolving import and tariffs situation. If anything is guaranteed, it's that everything in the world of freight and shipping will surely change again by the time we're ready to start mailing your rewards. We'll keep you updated at each step of the way!