2012 Calendar

www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/256478

Not long before I began, MagCloud brought out a new, smaller 5.5″ x 8.5″ digest format, which suited this calendar nicely.

The calendars themselves I sourced from pdfcalendar.com, and added NSW public holidays.

Laying out the calendar took a little time, but the guidance from MagCloud was helpful.

The biggest hurdle was converting the JPGs (one per page) into PDF format for upload to MagCloud. Adobe have done their best to make it difficult to create files in their ‘universal’ format. Their Convert to PDF service is outrageously expensive, at AUD12.49/month or AUD124.99/year, and saving multiple page documents is not built into many applications. There are no free options available for doing so. I also tried JPG to PDF Converter (which didn’t work), and Axommsoft Image to PDF (images watermarked until registered). I ended up having to borrow a friend’s copy of Acrobat Pro. In my opinion, if a file format doesn’t allow anyone to publish as well as read, then it’s not a good solution.

I decided to go with MagCloud after seeing the good work that Richard Payne (fotorich on flickr) has done with his Truth zines. Creating a draft copy was rather expensive. Although printing was just USD4.48, shipping to Australia (for only one copy) cost $13.45. I was impressed enough with the quality to persevere, despite waiting over two weeks for it to arrive.

Fortunately, the international shipping costs were reduced as I was completed the second draft. The total for 30 copies was just over USD140, which I think is a good deal. The printing cost $100.80 ($3.36 each with Bulk Discount, usually $4.48, for 28 pages). FedEx International Priority shipping was $39.37.

Turnaround: great
22 October: processed
24 October: printed
25 October: shipped
28 October: arrived

Month by month

January

Sagrada Família, Barcelona
If you thought you could never look at another church again, try Gaudí’s incredible Basilica. It’s Gothic, Modernist and still under construction after 130 years…

February

Brick Lane, London
Sunday afternoon in Whitechapel, taking it easy.

March

Sagrada Família, Barcelona
The tower above the apse admitting the light is a recent addition to the building: another spectacular facet.

April

Rozelle, Sydney
A close-up of an unknown flower type in the back garden.

May

Gladesville Hospital, Sydney
An abandoned building, one of several in the campus. A former asylum, it’s a marvellous place to explore…

June

Mayakovskaya Metro, Moscow
One of the most beautiful metro stations in the Moscow system, featuring Futurist design and Art Deco decoration.

July

Pavilion of Absolute Perfection, Hong Kong
An oasis of calm just to the north east of Kowloon’s hectic city centre.

August

Glebe Tram Sheds, Sydney
The decrepit, heritage listed tram sheds: a favourite with explorers and ravers, due to be redeveloped sometime this decade…