Publishing Design [ Task 1, 2, 3 & 4 ]
23.04.2025 - ..2025 week 1 - week 14
Sheryne Axellia Putri / 0367267 / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
Publishing Design
Exercises
TABLE OF CONTENTS
4.1 Progress - Ebook
Final Submission
LECTURES
Week 1 23.04.2025_Format
There are many forms of publication: books, magazines, and newspapers. Keep in mind that when you design for publication, you have to think of the mass audience.
For this semester, we focus on the book format, one of the most important and influential formats. And most important advances in publishing were centered around the book.
- The Book
The book is a medium to document and transmit ideas, knowledge, records, history, and so much more. Factors that determine and influence the format of a book can be the size of the person who reads the book, the age groups, and the amount of content.
In Historical formats in different civilizations:
Iran-Iraq: Mesopotamian civilization
Egypt: Ancient Egyptian civilization
India-Pakistan-Afghanistan: Indus Valley civilization
China: Han Chinese civilization
Europe (Turkey & beyond): European civilization
Figure 1.1 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Old civilization.
We start with the earliest civilization, Mesopotamia.
1. Iraq & Iran & Mesopotamia
Denise Schmandt-Besserat (1995) contends in her essay on the token system "Records Keeping Before Writing," that "it is remarkable that the first writing system developed from a counting technology. The progression from simple and complex tokens to bullae set the stage for the early forms of pictographic on clay tablets.
Figure 1.2 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Mesopotamia writing system.
Source from here!
2. Indus River Valley Civilizations (Harappan & Mohenjodaro)
Their writing, cuneiform, was one of the earliest systems of writing. They wrote records about their government, religion, and trade. Cuneiform was written on soft clay tablets by using sharp pointed tools.
Figure 1.2 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Indus river valley writing system.
Source from here.
The oldest surviving Palm leaf manuscript is from Nepal and dates around 800-900 CE. However, palm manuscripts may have been used as far back as 1000 BCE in the Indus Valley. It was a medium that was common across South Asia.
Figure 1.3 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Nepal manuscript.
Figure 1.4 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Nepal's palm leaf manuscript.
Palm Leaf Manuscripts. One of the oldest surviving palm leaf manuscripts is a Sanskrit Shaivism text from the 9th century, discovered in Nepal, now preserved at the Cambridge University Library.
3. Egypt
The scribes were the only people in ancient Egypt that could read and write Hieroglyphics. The Egyptian scribes wrote on a special type of paper called papyrus. In addition to writing on papyrus the Egyptians also would write on the tomb walls. The word papyrus refers to a thick type of paper made from the pith of the papyrus plant (Cyperus papyrus).
Figure 1.5 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Egypt hieroglyphics 2560-2550 BCE.
Figure 1.6 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Egypt hieroglyphics 1600 BCE.
1600 BCE. It is written right-to-left in hieratic, the Egyptian cursive form of hieroglyphs, in black ink with explanatory glosses in red ink. The vast majority of the papyrus is concerned with trauma and surgery.
4. China
Chinese characters in the early period were written in vertical columns, so a thin strip of bamboo is ideal for a single column. To create a longer document, two lines of thread link each bamboo strip to its neighbour. The modern Chinese character for a book evolves from a pictogram of bamboo strips threaded together.
Figure 1.7 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Early chinese writings.
An imperial court eunuch by the name of Cai Lun submitted a report in 105 CE of a new substance:
Figure 1.8 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Early chinese books and paper.
The first printed book: Diamond Sutra 868 CE. The earliest known printed book is Chinese, from the end of the T'ang dynasty. Discovered in a cave at Dunhuang in 1899, it is a precisely dated document.
Figure 1.9 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Early chinese printed book 868 CE, diamond sutra.
Using paper it is in a scroll format. Paper was invented as mentioned earlier in 179-41 ВСЕ.
- Chinese publishing: 10th - 11th century
In the 10th and 11th centuries, all the Confucian classics were published for the use of scholar officials, together with huge numbers of Buddhist and Daoist works (amounting to around 5000 scrolls of each) and the complete Standard Histories since the time of Sima Qian.
The carving of so many characters in reverse on wood blocks is an enormous investment of labour, but the task is unavoidable until the introduction of movable type. This innovation, once again, seems to have been pioneered in China but achieved in Korea.
Figure 1.10 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Early chinese carving.
5. Turkey, Europe
Parchment was first invented in Turkey, 197- 159 BC, which later spread to Europe. Parchment is made from animal hide. With papyrus and bamboo, one could make scrolls but with leather, this was not possible as it was too thick and heavy. Around 50 AD, Europeans started making parchment books.
Figure 1.11 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Turkey writing system with scrolls.
197-159 The two leaves of parchment, filled with "surprisingly legible" text from Islam's holy book, have been carbon dated to close to the time of the Prophet Mohammed
Figure 1.12 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Early quran.
The use of paper would make it slow journey west, from China to Persia-Arab empires and eventually through Turkey vis-à-vis the Ottoman empire to mainland Europe.
Paper becomes widely available in Europe during 1400-1500 CE. The ingredient to make paper changes until 1860s when wood pulp is first used to print the Boston Weekly Journal.
Figure 1.13 Week 1 (23/04/2025) 406-318 BCE, dead sea scrolls made of parchment.
While paper made its journey relatively late, the folding format started to take a foothold in 'the west' at the turn of the century. First with wooden blocks with thread sewn to hold them together, then with parchment, and later with paper, where paper was sewn, bound, and glued together.
Week 1 23.04.2025_Print
- History of Print
A. 2nd 8th century AD
The emperor of China commands, in AD 175, that the six main classics of Confucianism carved in stone. Confucian scholars eager to own these important texts simply lay sheets of paper on the engraved slabs and rub all over it with charcoal or graphite taking away a text in white letters on a black ground
Figure 1.14 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Carved stone in AD 175 China.
More examples of brass rubbing:
Figure 1.15 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Brass rubbing.
B. Korea and Japan: AD 750-768
The invention of printing is a striking achievement of Buddhists in east Asia. Korea takes the lead. The world's earliest known printed document is a sutra printed on a single sheet of paper in Korea in AD 750.
Figure 1.16 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Dharani sutra exhibited at National Museum of Korea
This is closely followed in Japan by a bold experiment in mass circulation. In AD 768, in devoutly Buddhist Nara, the empress commissions a huge edition of a lucky charm or prayer. It is said that the project takes six years to complete and that the number of copies printed, for distribution to pilgrims, is a million. Many have survived.
Figure 1.17 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Huge lucky charm or prayer.
The Hyakumantō Darani literally the One Million Pagodas & Dharani Prayers, is a famous large- scale woodblock printing, the earliest recorded uses of woodblock printing in Japan. These were distributed to temples around the country as thanksgiving for the suppression of the Emi Rebellion of 764. These are the earliest examples of woodblock printing known, or documented, from Japan.
Figure 1.18 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Woodblock printing in Japan.
C. Chinese publishing: 10th-11th century
In the 10th and 11th centuries, all the Confucian classics are published for the use of scholar officials, together with huge numbers of Buddhist and Daoist works (amounting to around 5000 scrolls of each) and the complete Standard Histories since the time of Sima Qian.
The carving of so many characters in reverse on wood blocks is an enormous investment of labour, but the task is unavoidable until the introduction of movable type. This innovation, once again, seems to have been pioneered in China but achieved in Korea.
D. Movable type: from the 11th century
Movable type (separate ready-made characters or letters that can be arranged in the correct order for a particular text and then reused) is a necessary step before printing can become an efficient medium for disseminating information.
The concept is experimented with in China as early as the 11th century. But two considerations make the experiment impractical:
- Chinese script has so many characters that type-casting and type-setting become too complex.
- Chinese printers cast their characters in clay and then fire them as pottery, a substance too fragile for the purpose.
E. Type foundry in Korea: c.1380
In the late 14th century, several decades before the earliest printing in Europe, the Koreans established a foundry to cast movable type in bronze. Unlike earlier Chinese experiments with pottery, bronze is sufficiently strong for repeated printing, dismantling and resetting for a new text.
Figure 1.19 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Bronze.
The Koreans at this time are using the Chinese script, so they have the problem of an unwieldy number of characters. They solved this in 1443 by inventing their own national alphabet, known as han'gul. By one of the strange coincidences of history, this is precisely the decade in which Gutenberg is experimenting with movable type far away in Europe, which has enjoyed the advantage of an alphabet for more than 2000 years
F. Saints and playing cards: AD c.1400
In about 1400, more than six centuries after its invention in the East, the technique of printing from wood blocks was introduced in Europe. As in the East, the images are printed by the simple method of laying a piece of paper on a carved and inked block and then rubbing its back to transfer the ink. And as in the east, the main market is holy images for sale to pilgrims. Playing cards are another early part of the Western trade.
Later in the 15th century, technical advances were made in Germany that rapidly transformed printing from a cottage industry to a cornerstone of Western civilization.
Figure 1.20 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Prints from wood.
G. Gutenberg & Western Printing: AD 1439-1457
The name of Gutenberg first appears, in connection with printing, in a law case in Strasbourg in 1439. He is being sued by two of his business partners. Witnesses, asked about Gutenberg's stock, describe a press and a supply of metal type. It sounds as though he is already capable of printing small items of text from movable type, and it seems likely that he must have done so in Strasbourg. But nothing from this period survives.
By the time he is next heard of in connection with printing, he is in Mainz. He borrows 800 guilders in 1450 from Johann Fust with his printing equipment as security. The resulting story of Gutenberg and Fust is a saga in itself.
Figure 1.21 Week 1 (23/04/2025) Gutenberg & his creation.
Gutenberg's great achievement in the story of printing has several components. One is his development of the printing press, capable of applying a rapid but steady downward pressure. The concept of the press is not new.
More significant are Gutenberg's skills with metal (his original trade is that of a goldsmith). These enable him to master the complex stages in the manufacture of individual pieces of type, which involve creating a master copy of each letter, devising the moulds in which multiple versions can be cast, and developing a suitable alloy (type metal) in which to cast them.
Figure 1.22 Week 1 (23/04/2025).
No date appears in the Gutenberg Bible (known technically as the 42-line Bible), which was printed simultaneously on six presses during the mid-1450s. But at least one copy is known to have been completed, with its initial letters coloured red by hand, by 24 August 1456. The first dated book from these same presses, in 1457, is even more impressive. Known as the Mainz Psalter, it achieves outstanding colour printing in its two-colour initial letters.
Figure 1.23 Week 1 (23/04/2025) The Bible printed by Gutenberg.
'The world's largest book' stands upright, set in stone, in the grounds of the Kuthodaw pagoda (kuthodaw, "royal merit") at the foot of Mandalay Hill in Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma).
Each stone tablet has its own roof and precious gem on top in a small cave-like structure (Stupa), there are a total of 729 stupas and they are arranged around a central golden pagoda.
Figure 1.24 Week 1 (23/04/2025) The world largest book.
Week 2 30.04.2025_Typo Redux
Typography plays a central role in any design work, especially in book design.
- Small caps
- Numerals
- Fractions
- Ligatures
- Punctuations
- Mathematical signs
- Symbols
- Non-aligning figures
- Characters in a typeface:
Figure 1.25 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
Figure 1.26 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
Figure 1.27 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
Weights in a typeface:
Figure 1.28 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
Legibility → to make a body of text more readable. The first step in making type legible is to choose text typefaces that are open and well proportioned ex, classical serif typefaces.
The first step in making type legible is to choose text typefaces that are open and well proportioned.
Figure 1.29 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
Open & well proportioned
Figure 1.30 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
The following are some of the considerations to take on board when formatting text for legibility:
- Underline: Many programs handle underlining incorrectly. The underline should be lowered so that they do not touch the characters, as this impedes readability. There are two types of underlines, one that affects entire sentences, and one that affects only the words:
Figure 1.31 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
- Small Capitals are good for subheads or for the first line of a paragraph. Text set in all caps should be used in short headlines or subheads. All caps should never be used for long sentences and for emphasis,
Figure 1.32 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
- Special-Purpose Style: Many formatting styles exist within softwares for making footnotes, references, and mathematical formulas. These tend to be embedded or nested within the tools sections, and a lay user may not know its functions.
Figure 1.33 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
- Text Scaling: Some program allow for the user to create a psuedo-condense or psuedo-extended font by horizontally or vertically squeezing or stretching a font. This distorts the original design of the font.
You should never do this, it distorts the font and makes the messaging appear cheap.
Text can be aligned in 5 different ways:
Paragraph indent:
Week 1 23.04.2025_Exercises
This exercise, is to determined what kind of size for our book will be, bigger than A5 and smaller than A4.
With the updated color palette, I selected drawings that needed more contrast and depth. Next week, Ms. Vitiya also suggested that to make my drawings appear more connected in different layouts, I should change the skin tone of the characters (specifically illustrations of characters without backgrounds) to white. I really like this small change, to me, it makes the characters stand out as the key focus (thank you miss).
Figure 1.34 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
- Outline & Shadow: Another style that tends to be abused a lot is the outline or shadow styles.
Figure 1.35 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
Text that flows naturally when read, is achieved when a harmonious relationship exists between type size, line length, and spaces between lines of type (line spacing or leading). Even well designed typefaces suffer from legibility impairment when just one of these aspects is out of balance.
- Font size determines line length, which in turn determines line spacing. The following shows the appropriate line length for the font size. The number of characters per line is 50. This, as you now know, is the suggested number of characters a column of text should have.
- A column of type is usually about 50 characters across, and no more than 65 characters. Type that is too small will "cram" too many letters per line and make the copy hard to read. Remember, type that is hard to read may not be read at all
- Leading, or line spacing, refers to the amount of space between lines of type. As with type size, there are no set rules for how much line spacing to use; however, there are some major factors to consider:
- Some fonts require more line spacing than others to keep their ascenders and descenders from touching.
- The line length-longer lines require more leading for easier reading.
- The type size-the larger the type size, the more line spacing is required. This rule mostly refers to body copy; headlines, which are normally set larger, may actually be set with tighter line spacing.
Figure 1.36 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
Figure 1.37 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
Many times, simply typing in the text and formatting the font, size, and line spacing is enough. However, depending on the program used, extra attention is needed. Larger type sizes need adjustments to the space between characters; and paragraphs need to be adjusted to eliminate "widows" and "orphans."
- Kerning: Inter-character spacing, known as kerning. creates a more pleasing look to the text. Most word processors do not allow kerning adjustments and most page-layout programs apply kerning auto- matically; however, certain letter combinations may require manual adjustments
Figure 1.38 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
- Tracking: The adjustment of word spacing is called Tracking. It is similar to kerning but refers to the adjustment of a selection of characters, words, and spaces. Its main purpose is to make type fit a required space without altering the type size or line spacing.
Tracking can be either negative, making the words closer together; or positive, making the words farther apart. An important use for tracking is to fix single words (or 2-3 short words) at the end of a paragraph (sometimes called orphans or danglers).
- Word spacing: factors that determine correct word spacing includes typeface which is chosen, the size and weight of the type. Consistent word spacing provides an even typographic "colour" a term referring to the overall lightness and darkness of the text.
Figure 1.39 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
Figure 1.40 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
- Flush left, Ragged right.
- Flush right, Ragged left.
- Centtered.
- Justified (left, centre & right)
Figure 1.41 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
Paragraph Spacing: is an automatic space between each paragraph that is applied when starting a new paragraph; once set, it can apply space either above the paragraph or below it. Paragraph spacing is a more elegant way to space out paragraphs than simply double spacing returns.
double-spacing
Figure 1.42 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
The most common indent is the small indent at the beginning of each paragraph, but indents have many more uses, including adding an element of design to the page.
First-line paragraph indents should only be used if there is no paragraph space because the indents and the paragraph space exist to inform the reader when a paragraph stops and a new one begins.
Using both the indent and paragraph space is overkill. The standard amount of indent is equal to the type size. For example, it the type size is 12 points, the indent should be 12 points. (Most programs allow the user to enter sizes in points if typed as -p12' or "12 pt".) The amount of the first-line indent can be extended for design purposes.
Normally, a widow is a single line of text at the top of a page or column, separated from its paragraph, and an orphan is a single line of text at the bottom of a page or column, separated from its paragraph.
Figure 1.43 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
Special formatting
Hyphens are usually used only to divide words or numbers, but they also are used to break words from one line to the next. Headlines and subheads should never be hyphenated at a line ending.
Figure 1.44 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
Dashes come in two varieties: the en-dash and the em- dash. En-dashes are slightly longer than hyphens (usually, the width of the letter "N"), and are used to separate ranges of items, such as dates, quantities, and time. As a rule, if you can substitute the word "to" or "through"
Often, lines (particularly headlines and subheads) need to be broken for readability. However, just typing a
"return" to break the line can alter formatting when the intention is to break the line.
To avoid this problem, most programs allow line breaks; these are usually inserted by typing a "shift- return", rather than a normal return.
Figure 1.45 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
Drop caps are used to start off new chapters and special sections of a report. You can create the cap, then alter the font, the style, and the color of the character through the use of a Character style. Many programs have settings to automatically create the drop caps; if the program does not have automatic settings, drop caps should be avoided.
Figure 1.46 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
One sure sign of an inexperienced typographer is the use of "desktop" quotes. These are straight slashes that are "relics" from typewriter fonts. Luckily, most programs have automatic settings to convert these slashes to quotes. Quotes come in two varieties, and each has an open and closed version.
Figure 1.47 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
A sidebar is the text that accompanies the main body copy. It is usually an added description that has some relation to the main narrative but isn't important enough to be part of it. I is sometimes used to highlight alternate narrative's or facts or to describe an image used alongside the main body text in line with the sidebar. It is a good practice to maintain a leading that is similar to the main body text despite the smaller font size.
Figure 1.48 Week 2 (30/04/2025)
Character Styles refers to the formatting controls that are specific to the character/Font; Point Size, Leading, Kerning, Tracking etc. Paragraph Styles refers to the formatting controls that control the formatting of entire paragraphs; Alignment, Indentation, paragraph spacing, paragraph rules, etc.
Week 3 07.05.2025_The Grid
"The use of grid as an ordering system is the expression of a certain mental attitude inasmuch as it shows that the designer conceives his work in terms that are constructive... "
This is the expression of a professional ethos: the designer's work should have clearly intelligible, objective, functional and aesthetic quality of mathematical thinking." (Brockmann, 2010)
Raster System → The grid divides a two-dimensional plane into smaller fields or a three-dimensional space into smaller compartments. The fields of compartments may be the same or different in size.
Purpose of The Grid
The grid is used by Typographers, Graphic Designers, Photographers, Exhibition Designers, for solving visual problems in two or three-dimensions.
By arranging the surface and spaces in the form of a grid the designer is favorably placed to arrange his texts, photographs and diagrams in a coherent and functional manner. This creates a sense of compact planning, intelligibility and clarity and suggests orderliness in design. Information that is presented in clear and logically set out titles, subtitles, texts, illustrations and captions will not only be read more quickly and easily but the information will also be better understood and retained in the memory.
So the grid, is a modular in nature. The grid does allow for flexibility.
A book can range from one that contains body text and visuals, to body text, visuals, charts, diagrams, sub-text and more.
The grid helps us in making the user ecperience seamless. It is the experience of the reader in turning the pages and being pleasantly surprised at what/she is confronted for more engagement. In the end, the grid is like the hidden frame work behind a constructed architecture.
Week 4 14.05.2025_The Elements
All publications consists of 3 major elements:
- Type
- Colour
- Image
When using these 3 elements on a page within a grid system, it is important to not fall into the trap of predictability. You must create a variation within the layout.
Variation with consistensy:
The variation is creted witin the grid system. The end result, would be a sequence of layouts that delivers a surprise at every turn of the page. Take note, this does not mean that every page must be different.
At some point in your layout making phase, you will begin to see correlation between what you have learned, this happens at a subtle level at fist. The elements in your book fall into place when you begin to see the varied formulas possible within the grid system created.
INSTRUCTIONS
Figure 2.1 Week 1 (23/04/2025)
Week 1 23.04.2025_Exercises
Throughout the beginning and the middle of the semester, exercises will be prescribed at various phases of the module. These exercises will aid and benefit you in your quest to gain theoretical and practical knowledge in book design that will inform you whilst completing various phases of the module’s tasks.
All exercises prescribed are to be completed and documented (labelled, clean, clear & concise) in your e-portfolio.
The exercises are as follows:
1) Text formatting
2) Mock-up making
3) Signature folding systems (8+8=16)
4) Classical Grid structure
5) Determining Grids
6) Form & Movement Exercises (Thumbnail)
- 1 Colour
- 2 Colour
- 2 Colours + Image
- Colour + Image + Text
- Exercises 1 - Book sizes
The exercises were shown in Mr. Vinod's videos for publishing, we were told to follow his instructions. For the physical mock up we needed to use A4 paper, a tape, pencil, and a ruler.
Figure 2.2 Week 1 (23/04/2025)
Figure 2.3 Week 1 (23/04/2025)
- Exercises 2 - Signatures
This exercise taught us about binding in printing, even though as designers, we may not be directly involved in the printing process. However, understanding this is crucial as it assists us in preparing a file for the printer.
Figure 2.4 Week 1 (23/04/2025)
- Exercises 3 - Van De Graff
- Van De Graff layout on paper.
- Van De Graff layout (with grids)
- Van De Graff layout (with no grids)
- Exercises 4 - Determining Grid
With no grids
With grids
- Exercises 5 - Form & Movement
- 1 Colour
With grids
With no grids
- 2 Colour
With grids
With no grids
- 2 Colours + Image
With grids
With no grids
- Colour + Image + Text
With grids
With no grids
Week 3 04.05.2025_Content Generation
Task 1: Writing
Write 3000 words in English or Malay on a topic you are familiar with. Choose any of the following topics or something similar:
- Yourself
- Your family
- Someone who inspires you
- Your hometown
- A meaningful experience, belief, or idea
Structure Requirements:
- At least 3 chapters
- 3 to 5 subtexts (sidebars or supporting content)
- 1 caption per chapter
- Use original writing
- Use text from a credited source
- Work with a real client if the project fits the criteria
Task 2: Visualization
After completing your writing:
- Identify 16 areas in your text for visual interpretation
- Use any medium that suits your topic:
- Illustration
- Photography
- Mixed media
- Other creative approaches
1.1 Progress - Writing
- Task 1: Writing
Since we have the freedom to write anything for our book, I've been brainstorming ideas about what kind of story I want to create. Given that this semester is going to be heavy, I thought it would be best to choose a theme or story that is very personal to me. This way, I can stay motivated and avoid burnout while working on this project.
I decided to write about my mother, capturing both the good and the bad aspects of my childhood. The title "The Wide-Eyed Woman" was actually made a year ago as a poem in my journal. Now, I want to develop that story further and bring this "wide-eyed woman" to life.
My writing is inspired by my favorite author, Emily Brontë. Her work is so raw and real that it can be quite disturbing to the reader. I aim to achieve a similar intensity in my own story, although I plan to filter certain elements. The theme of my story will revolve around drama and psychology. I also want my illustrations to complement my writing and evoke an unsettling feeling, so I envision the drawings as being somewhat creepy.
1.2 Progress - Final Story
In writing this "wide-eyed woman" character, I aimed to create a sense that she's present and palpable, yet elusive. The reader can visualize her appearance, which raises questions about her reality, whether she is truly there or perhaps a ghost.
I showed my story to Ms. Vitiya, and she said I can continue with my illustration, which I'm glad about because I feel a bit nervous, afraid that my story is too vent-ty(?) or that such topics are not allowed because of the heavy themes. I really want this book to become real now. For the illustrations, I decided to use my own art style.
2.1 Progress - Illustrations
- Task 2: Visualization
Mood board
Alright, I was really excited because it’s been some time since a module has allowed me to explore my personal style and direction. I’ve compiled my mood board filled with media that I’ve liked in the past, and I need to consider what I want to emphasize in this book. Given that my book also narrates the challenges I faced growing up as a woman and the concept of femininity, perhaps I can concentrate on how I depict women in my work.
I gathered some paintings, as well as inspiration from a film, to express the direction I want to take. Here’s what I collected.
- The characters’ eyes are the main thing that stands out (which fits the title, too). I’m thinking of making their eyes look all wide and kind of emotionless, almost like dolls, or giving them a weird look that just feels off, which adds to the creepiness.
- Using bold colors, like dark red and pale blue/cream. I was a bit hesitant about using red since it’s been my go-to since the first semester (but hey😜 it’s my book, so I’m throwing in my favorite shade of red anyway).
- The lines are all messy and sketchy because I’m using different brushes.
- Add some textures to really bring out those raw emotions.
Color Palette
To be honest, there's no proper explanation why I chose these colors, these are just may favorite colors, but I adjust the brightness and hue to have contrast. The primary color will be the bottom left blue.
Concept
Suprisingly the colors work well with each other, I just have to determine how the characters look (me), the left one is the first attempt, I want to focus on the face and less details with the body. The middle one is the second attempt, I didn't quite like it, the face, and the brush strokes are not as intense(?) as the first attempt.
The left one is the wide eye woman character, she has no nose, lips and ears. Only plump of hair and pair of wide eyes. I was planning to color her all red/blue.
Illustration Progress
Actually I want to make a whole speedpaint of all the drawings I did, but I have to edit it again becaus many of my files are corrupted. So it's better if I just screenshot the speedpaint compile the progress like this.
Illustration Compilation
2.2 Progress (After feedback) - Illustrations
After receiving feedback from Ms. Vitiya on my first book layout, she mentioned that some elements, such as the layout and the drawings, do not appear cohesive or connected. She suggested adding another primary color: mustard yellow, which should be neither too dark nor too pale. This has become my new color palette.
Illustration Compilation (After feedback)
Week 3 04.05.2025_Book
Task 3(A): Book Design & Layout
After developing content (text and visuals) the next stage is to determine the format (size and binding method), and an appropriate & attractive layout based on a suitable grid system, choice of font/s and use of colour.
- Due to time constraints the binding method shall be predetermined to be staple binding (saddle binding). The book is of 32 pages, which is smaller than A4 and bigger than A5. However, should you wish to try a different binding method you may do so with the approval of your lecturer.
- You will need to adapt a suitable grid system, choose a fitting font and create an attractive layout in InDesign.Your choice of colour must compliment your visuals and play a role that is supportive but also create dynamism where needed. It is advised to limit the use of colour, as it could be distracting.
- You need to determine your paper type, for cover as well as inside pages.
3.1 Progress - Book Layout
I began to start working on my book, by placing the illustrations and story.
3.2 Final Book
3.3 Final Poster (Book Launch)
The progress of creating the book poster promotion, I already have an idea of the design would look like. But I was unsure about the purpose of the poster for. After the feedback, I know now, that I want to create the poster for announcing a book launching of my book, and a qr code for the digital version (fliphtml5).
Week 3 04.05.2025_E-book
Task 3(B): Digital Book Adaptation
FEEDBACK
Week 1
- General Feedback: In the first class, Ms. Vitiya briefly explained about our tasks and MIB.
Week 2
- General Feedback: Watch the lectures and note/recap them in our E-portfolio
Week 3
- General Feedback: We watch the exercises and lectures while continuing to do our exercise.
Week 4
- General Feedback: We watch the exercises and lectures while continuing to do our exercise.
- Specific Feedback: The content of the story has accepted.
Week 5
- Specific Feedback: The image colors may not look consistent of too far apart because of the layout, work on the margin, and do not let any orphans on your paragraph.
Week 6
- General Feedback: After confirming our image materials, we need to start trying to layout them. For the images, it is necessary to ensure that their DPI must all be 300. Modify them in ps, and the images placed in Indesign must be psd.
Week 7
- Specific Feedback: You can still use the drawings I did in numerous places in the layout, I can add effects, and change the size to make my pages less blank, and consistent.
Week 8
- Specific Feedback: No class - But I continue developing my tasks (layout, and e-portfolio)
Week 9
- Specific Feedback: I printed the A3 size of my book into one, to get feedback from Ms. Vitiya, the layout and image placing needs to be more cohesive, I also need to watch my kerning and leading.
Week 10
- Specific Feedback: Printed another version of the A3 paper of my book; the layout is better, but watch the leading and kerning again. Also, I can try using different fonts for the body text, maybe poppins.
Week 11
- Specific Feedback: I changed my body text font from Bembo Std to Poppins, and showed to Ms. Vitiya, before printing my book. The kerning is ok.
Week 12
- Specific Feedback: The poster can be for a book launch or book signing. include your name, date, and tagline. The book is acceptable for submission.
Week 13
- Specific Feedback: None.
Week 14
- Specific Feedback:
REFLECTION
Experience
At the start of this semester, I knew that I would be busy with my modules and other commitments. That's why I wanted to create something personal that reflects my unique style. I felt motivated to channel my passion and skills into this book, telling the story of my mother, which also represents my personal growth. As a person who tends to be quite closed off, sharing my upbringing and traumas is not easy for me, even with my close friends at university or the entire class. I would like to thank Ms. Vitiya for her support and guidance throughout this module. I was initially nervous about sharing my book, afraid of being judged for my background. However, I now see this book and my writings as symbols of my personal growth.
Observation
I'm fascinated by the interplay between text and image, particularly in the use of layout. I learned how the placement of text can change the look of an image, making it feel either cramped or spacious. For instance, when text is positioned closely around an image, it can create a sense of compression, drawing attention to the details of the image while also providing context. This relationship between text and image is something I genuinely enjoyed exploring.
Finding
Kerning is way harder, particularly when you're tasked with designing a book. Achieving the perfect spacing between letters is crucial for readability and overall aesthetics, making the process I found both hard and statisfying.
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