PUBLISHING DESIGN - TASK 3A (BOOK)
PUBLISHING DESIGN - TASK 3A (BOOK)
28/04/21 - 03/06/21 (Week 5 - Week 10)
INSTRUCTIONS
BOOK
Week 9 (26/05/21)
I felt like the strings were a bit too big compared to the text so it made it look too different, but I kind of preferred having the first letters of each word look different from the other letters so I redid it again to come up with the attempt below.
FEEDBACK
Week 7 (12/05/21)
REFLECTION
Experience:
Observations:
Week 5 (28/04/21); I notice that layouts are a bit hard to find on Pinterest. It's quite hard for me to find. Week 6 (05/05/21); I notice that I'm quite reliant to the blogs shared with me. I keep going back and forth to see if I'm doing things wrongly, if things could be done that way, etc. I think it's kind of draining because I get confused looking at it and it also is quite pressuring because I'm not confident in my work if it's too different with what others show and if it's too similar to what others have done. Week 7 (12/05/21); I find myself doing slightly better with InDesign this week, although I keep forgetting certain short cut keys. I also think it's really confusing how all the adobe softwares I'm using have different shortcut keys for the same/similar commands. Accidents happen easily... Week 8 (19/05/21); I was more chill this week since it was self-learning week and I had more time. Since I relied less on other people and tried to figure out the layouts and everything myself, I find that I had a slightly better time coping. Week 9 (26/05/21); I notice that there are a lot a lot of papers and bindings out there. It was cool looking at the webpage for the printing shop. It's so exciting seeing people's digital work getting printed. Week 10 (03/06/21); I notice that my colours are different in my pdfs than in images... I think it's cause the ones exported from Ai are RGB and the ones from Id are CMYK. But I kinda like the washout feel looking at the printed book so I think it's fine.
28/04/21 - 03/06/21 (Week 5 - Week 10)
Chan Jing Wen (0340480)
Publishing Design
Book
Publishing Design
Book
INSTRUCTIONS
BOOK
Week 5 (28/04/21)
This week I looked for layout references for my book. Below are the references I've found:
Week 6 (05/05/21)
We had to decide our grid system, do the type specimen, and create the layouts until chapter 1 of our book for the week.
I tried coming up with 3 grid systems:
Figure 1.1 Options for grids
In the end, I decided to go with the grid below:
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| Figure 1.2 Final Grid Selection |
I then created the type specimen sheet to determine which typeface I would use for my book. Below are the options I was choosing from:
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| Figure 1.3 Type Specimen Sheet 1 |
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| Figure 1.4 Type Specimen Sheet 2 |
My final choice is the first one in Figure 1.3, which is:
Headline: Poppins Bold, 30pt
Body Text: Poppins Regular, 9pt
Subtext: Poppins Regular, 7pt
Pull Quote: Poppins Medium Oblique, 30pt
Below is my first attempt for the book layout:
Figure 1.5 Attempt 1 PDF
Figure 1.6 Attempt 2 PDF
Week 7 (12/05/21)
Based on the feedback I received, I decided to redo my grids and layout. Below is the final layout I used for my book design:
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| Figure 1.7 Final Book Layout |
I decided to only use the two most outer columns for my main text. The title and subtext will be placed in the remaining column. The pull quote is free to be placed anywhere in the book layout.
Continuing the layout design, I worked on all of the text first before including the images.
Figure 1.8 Attempt 2
Figure 1.9 Attempt 2 with grids
I then added the visuals in. Some parts of the layout had minor amendments after the addition of visuals. Below is the attempt :
Figure 2.1 Attempt 2 with visuals
Figure 2.2 Attempt 2 with visuals and grids
Based on the feedback I received in class, I changed some parts and added certain things.
Below is the version I sent for printing :
Figure 2.3 Attempt 3 for printing
Figure 2.4 Attempt 3 for printing with Guides
After finalizing the design, I went on to print the book. I contacted a store and asked them to recommend me what I can print the designs on. In the end, we settled on maple. I chose a stitch binding since I have illustrations of treads and buttons. I felt like it would suit my book more than stapler. I request for it to be printed on Saturday and received it on Monday! Everything looks good, the printing is done well. I really like the texture of the paper.
Below are some shots of the book:
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| Figure 2.5 Front Cover 1 |
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| Figure 2.6 Front Cover 2 |
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| Figure 2.7 Close up of Binding |
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| Figure 2.8 Look of Spread 1 |
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| Figure 2.9 Look of Spread 2 |
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| Figure 3.1 Flip through 10seconds GIF |
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| Figure 3.2 Close up of back cover |
Week 10 (03/06/21)
After showing Mr Vinod my printed book and the final designs for the spreads & book cover, I made final amendments to the book cover.
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| Figure 3.3 Reworked Cover |
I felt like the strings were a bit too big compared to the text so it made it look too different, but I kind of preferred having the first letters of each word look different from the other letters so I redid it again to come up with the attempt below.
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| Figure 3.4 Final Cover |
With that, below is my FINAL SUBMISSION.
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| Figure 3.5 Final Layout Design Thumbnail 01 (JPG) |
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| Figure 3.6 Final Layout Design Thumbnail 02 (JPG) |
Figure 3.7 Final Layout Design Thumbnail (PDF)
Figure 3.8 Final Layout Design with Grids Thumbnail (PDF)
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| Figure 3.9 Final Cover Design (JPEG) |
Figure 4.1 Final Cover Design (PDF)
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| Figure 4.2 Final Spread 01 (Left page is the back of the cover page) (JPG) |
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| Figure 4.3 Final Spread 02 (JPG) |
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| Figure 4.4 Final Spread 03 (JPG) |
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| Figure 4.5 Final Spread 04 (JPG) |
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| Figure 4.6 Final Spread 05 (JPG) |
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| Figure 4.7 Final Spread 06 (JPG) |
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| Figure 4.8 Final Spread 07 (JPG) |
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| Figure 4.9 Final Spread 08 (JPG) |
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| Figure 5.1 Final Spread 09 (JPG) |
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| Figure 5.2 Final Spread 10 (JPG) |
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| Figure 5.3 Final Spread 11 (JPG) |
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| Figure 5.4 Final Spread 12 (JPG) |
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| Figure 5.5 Final Spread 13 (JPG) |
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| Figure 5.6 Final Spread 14 (JPG) |
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| Figure 5.7 Final Spread 15 (JPG) |
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| Figure 5.8 Final Spread 16 (JPG) |
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| Figure 5.9 Final Spread 17 (Right page is the back of the cover) (JPG) |
Figure 6.0 Final Spread Designs Compilation (PDF)
Final E-BOOK:
Click here if the embedded e-book is not working.
FEEDBACK
Week 7 (12/05/21)
General Feedback:
The grids we created are for the body text. If we've decided that the body text should take up a certain amount of space, then our grids should be adjusted to fit that. Don't design the book with the visuals before you've decided on how you want to place your text. We don't have to tally the image with the text, we can always add captions for the visuals. If we're only center aligning, we're not actually using the grid. The type specimen sheet is for us to see how we want our layouts to look like. Use the Taylor's Press logo provided. Make sure the text are all linked.
Specific Feedback:
Let the body text flow in the grid, don't just break it apart. 5th spread doesn't need text, maybe a caption will do. Just expand the white box to the edges of the book. Most of my feedback was also the same as the general feedback.
Week 8 (19/05/21)
Self-learning Week
Week 9 (26/05/21)
General Feedback:
The size of the spacing below Taylor's Press logo has to be the same as the height of the logo. Excess is for bleed. We will need to print our books out. Try doing test print to see what paper works well for the book. Pull quote doesn't have to be that readable, can treat it differently.
Specific Feedback:
The line in the content page seems unnecessary. Pull quote treatment isn't that good compare to the layout designs. Make sure tracking is less than +-5. Add captions for the photos, can be in italics, same point size as the subtext. Can set a grid for it somewhere to place them all consistently. Chapter 2's first page needs something to balanced the space at the left. Can consider illustrating the paper boat that's unfold, or just copy and paste the paper boat and place it at the left corner. The reference can be placed at the last page, leaving the current spread having the reference for a visual, or remain the spread for reference and add a visual at the last page. Taylor's Press logo is a big.
Week 10 (03/06/21)
General Feedback:
Make sure to update your blogs by next week. Put all of the progression in, not only the final submission. For those whose website background are light colours, make sure to add a border for the spreads that are also light/white.
Specific Feedback:
Cover page looks a bit boring. Maybe try introducing the strings to the book title. Other than that looks okey.
REFLECTION
Experience:
Week 5 (28/04/21); This week was okay since we only had to look for references for our layout. Week 6 (05/05/21); Started with the book layout. I find it quite difficult to think of "innovative" ways to create the layouts. I struggled quite a lot to finish up till what I did. Week 7 (12/05/21); After the feedback, it felt way more easier to do the layout. I think I understand it slightly better after all of the explanation and demonstration. Week 8 (19/05/21); This week was self-learning week, I worked on adding the visuals in the layouts. At first I thought it would be easy, but I spent quite a long while editing the visuals again, figuring how I should put it, and all. Week 9 (26/05/21); The rest of the layout were pulling together so I didn't have quite a hard time with it. The printing however, was a bit stressful cause I couldn't go out and I couldn't get the book straight away so I wanted to make sure the book was good and I didn't need so many trials. I also went online to see how the printing shop print their books, photos of similar works they've printed, and also the type of binding I wanted. Week 10 (03/06/21); since everything was done and I only had to amend the book cover, I didn't really put much focus on this project either so nothing really exciting happened.
Observations:
Week 5 (28/04/21); I notice that layouts are a bit hard to find on Pinterest. It's quite hard for me to find. Week 6 (05/05/21); I notice that I'm quite reliant to the blogs shared with me. I keep going back and forth to see if I'm doing things wrongly, if things could be done that way, etc. I think it's kind of draining because I get confused looking at it and it also is quite pressuring because I'm not confident in my work if it's too different with what others show and if it's too similar to what others have done. Week 7 (12/05/21); I find myself doing slightly better with InDesign this week, although I keep forgetting certain short cut keys. I also think it's really confusing how all the adobe softwares I'm using have different shortcut keys for the same/similar commands. Accidents happen easily... Week 8 (19/05/21); I was more chill this week since it was self-learning week and I had more time. Since I relied less on other people and tried to figure out the layouts and everything myself, I find that I had a slightly better time coping. Week 9 (26/05/21); I notice that there are a lot a lot of papers and bindings out there. It was cool looking at the webpage for the printing shop. It's so exciting seeing people's digital work getting printed. Week 10 (03/06/21); I notice that my colours are different in my pdfs than in images... I think it's cause the ones exported from Ai are RGB and the ones from Id are CMYK. But I kinda like the washout feel looking at the printed book so I think it's fine.
Findings:
Week 5 (28/04/21); I feel like I'm not that good at understanding them sometimes. I think they look good, but I don't really know how to relate one layout to another and understand why I like them. Week 6 (05/05/21); I find myself stuck whenever I'm lost and over rely on the resources I have. I think I really need to try looking at more stuff and not over relying on certain stuff so I can open up to more possibilities as well. Week 7 (12/05/21); I really find it more easier to use the grid when I understand more about how it should be used. Week 8 (19/05/21); I find that it's better if I have separate files, but not that many, for my visuals. My laptop lags a lot as the semester progresses. If it crashes I'm done. Week 9 (26/05/21); I find the printing shop a bit rude... But I think it's essential for me to understand what type of bindings and papers there are. Week 10 (03/06/21); although I liked the printed colours more than the actual ones in Ai, I find that I should be more careful next time and make sure that the colours are in the correct mode. If it's not, it might end up not being what I want.
FURTHER READING
Week 5 (28/04/21); I feel like I'm not that good at understanding them sometimes. I think they look good, but I don't really know how to relate one layout to another and understand why I like them. Week 6 (05/05/21); I find myself stuck whenever I'm lost and over rely on the resources I have. I think I really need to try looking at more stuff and not over relying on certain stuff so I can open up to more possibilities as well. Week 7 (12/05/21); I really find it more easier to use the grid when I understand more about how it should be used. Week 8 (19/05/21); I find that it's better if I have separate files, but not that many, for my visuals. My laptop lags a lot as the semester progresses. If it crashes I'm done. Week 9 (26/05/21); I find the printing shop a bit rude... But I think it's essential for me to understand what type of bindings and papers there are. Week 10 (03/06/21); although I liked the printed colours more than the actual ones in Ai, I find that I should be more careful next time and make sure that the colours are in the correct mode. If it's not, it might end up not being what I want.
FURTHER READING
How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul by Adrian Shaughnessy
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| Figure 6.1 How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul |
Nowadays, designers don't only need to know how to design a certain thing, they need to know how to compose music, edit videos, animate, etc. Designers don't tell you these hardships, and there are many more including but not restricting to how tiresome it can be to face clients. A knowledge of a designer must always be increasing.
The author quotes Jessica Helfand in his writing. Jessica Helfand said graphic design is "a visual language uniting harmony and balance, colour and light, scale and tension, form and content. But it is also an idiomatic language, a language of cues and puns and symbols and allusions, of cultural references and perceptual inferences that challenge both the intellect and the eye."
Take an interest in the things around you and try to introduce them into your work. The author says that it's important for us to keep researching and understanding what's going around us if we want to be a successful designer. You have to be culturally aware, be observant to what's going on around you so you can put them into the work you're producing. People will be able to resonate and understand the design better without even needing an actual explanation. Don't only study design, study the world.
Often times, designers who complain that their work is getting rejected often and isn't allowed to do what they want to do aren't really thinking about what their clients are actually expecting. Listening is an important skill. Listen to your clients thoughts before directly going into what you can do. Of course, designers also have to know how to present to their clients. Designers have to know how to explain their work because often times clients might not fully understand what the designers have done for the design. Verbal communication skills are very important.
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