Click on the image to view a larger, printable version!

A great example of online niche marketing, Field Notes offers an inexpensive, elegant and useful product that almost everyone can love (how’d they DO that?)

Initially, I was hooked by the Field Notes website. It’s built with WordPress and designed with an appealing retro look.

The folks at Field Notes describe their product as: “Inspired by the vanishing subgenre of agricultural memo books, ornate pocket ledgers and the simple, unassuming beauty of a well-crafted grocery list…”

Built with blog software, the site’s home page features regular (and amusing) updates.  They take advantage of a range of social media and other tools to drive traffic to the site. These include a Facebook page, MySpace page, Twitter feed, an RSS feed and my favorite: a Flickr.com group.

The fieldnotesbrand.com online shopping cart integrates just fine with WordPress. Fulfillment services are provided by the North May Co.

Oh, and Field Notes make GREAT GIFTS. Orders always include extra goodies. Signing up for their mailing list gets you special offers.

Ok, this post is really just an excuse to share links to slowlydownward.com, a website of the London artist Stanley Donwood. Every now and then a charming email newsletter arrives, looking like a printed broadsheet and titled Slowly Downward Taglibro.

The email encourages a visit to the site and I always enjoy what’s found there.

The most recent newsletter (not shown here — you have to sign up) displays Fleet Street Apocalypse, a 25″ x 38″ linocut blockprint editioned with some eerie timing. A related series of prints can also be viewed online on the pages of LONDON  VIEWS.

An animated piece made of images from LONDON VIEWS is online at www.theeraser.net/Stage4UK/. There’s also some related CD cover art for the Thom York release of Atoms For Peace.