visual communication
Typography 02

 

  :: syllabus :: bookjacket :: spreads :: workbook :: speech :: journal :: class blog ::

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BookCover Examples/Articles
_ book cover archive
_ penguin red collection

_ smashing magazine
_ sorodesign
_ nytimes review
_ read Media Bistro
_ Media Bristro article
_ bookdesign.wordpress
_ casual optimist.com
_ readerville.com
_ the penguin blog

What is Sign, Index Symbol
_ Sign, Index, Symbol
_ Sign, Index, Symbol
_ article related

Who is Chip Kidd?
Why is he important to us?

_ Chip Kidd: series
_ non related but...
_ Q&A on smithsonian

Who is John Gall?
Why is he important to us?
_ Step Mag
_ Covers article

Writing Concept and Audience
_ Audience Profiles

OTHER visual reference.
http://www.flickr.com
http://ajourneyroundmyskul
http://jessicahische.com/
http://www.buszmeni.pl
vintage type examples
circus and swirls

IF you need vector images...
You work for them
http://allsilhouettes.com
ulitmate resource: smashing mag
http://vectorstock.com/
http://www.shutterstock.com/


 

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A really good book cover has to work regardless of what it’s about, on a visceral and emotional level.
Chip Kidd


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Monday, January 24
class intro, syllabus, first assignment, book choices, sign, index symbol, homework...

Assignment sheet download pdf

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Book Choice:
what are your 3 books?:
01) title of the book
02) author (short bio)
03) other books by the same other
04) short synopsis / plot / summary
05) what is the feeling of the book (descriptive words at least 12)
06) what is the message?
07) protagonist does...
08) antagonist does...
09) 1 - 3 quote(s) from a character(s)
10) what did you pick this book to redesign?

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HOMEWORK (please read carefully and follow the directions)

BLOG: add to your blog
-- Define: sign, index, symbol. Find an example of each both verbal and visual
-- Read: This Means That, summarize and take notes
-- Read: _ Q&A on smithsonian _ Step Mag
-- Read: audience persona
-- Read: Graphic Design Referenced: On Shelves (coming soon)

What makes a successful bookjacket? read the links on the upper left. PULL at least 3 examples and take notes what was successful / not successful and why and do you agree..

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This semester we can use the projector in the classroom for crits so please be thoughtful about this format, be prepared and put your PDF on the server before class. Make a PDF presentation of the following. Please keep in mind that we will need to read the text from screen.

The following should be presented in a PDF format. Start an InDesign File and add the following to it. Design it in a clear, legible way. Make a folder keep all your images in it. Keep your InDesign File with it.

Page one: your name, semester, class, project

Next pages put this info...
Book Choice: THE book you are going to redesign
01) title of the book
02) author (short bio)
03) other books by the same other
04) short synopsis / plot / summary
05) what is the feeling of the book (descriptive words at least 12)
06) what is the message?
07) protagonist does...
08) antagonist does...
09) 1 - 3 quote(s) from a character(s)
10) what did you pick this book to redesign?

Style Reference: Looking through all online bookjacket examples, find at least 4 examples of each.. Look for type only and type and image examples for all listed below (try). All examples should all be ones that you thing fit the category and that you think are interesting. Don't just pick. Be considerate. There isn't really a wrong answer.

looking for feeling or mood
1) traditional
2) new / contemporary
3) old / vintage
4) futuristic (vintage or scientific: jestsons or tron)
5) dark / mysterious
6) romantic or fantasy

looking just at execution...
7) juxtaposed
6) cropped
8) framed / boarder
9) layered
10) title as a label

OTHER visual reference.
http://www.flickr.com
http://ajourneyroundmyskul
http://jessicahische.com/
http://www.buszmeni.pl
vintage type examples
circus and swirls

Name your PDF your name and place on the server before class starts.

Some of you might find DropBox helpful in transferring files. Give it a try. FREE.

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BRING TO NEXT CLASS

Pdf of Research listed above.

Different papers:
news print, white paper, black paper, tissue paper, paper towel...
Tools: at least 12 things you can make marks with: eraser, cork, paper clips, twist ties, straws...
Inks: stamp pads, inks, paint...

Please come prepared.

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Wednesday, January 26
_ PDF presentation (3)
_ Discuss Readings
_ Working in-class
making with non-traditional tools
_ PDF process books (make them professonal, practice all your typography skills)

OTHER visual reference (start pulling reference)
http://www.flickr.com
http://ajourneyroundmyskul
http://www.buszmeni.pl
vintage type examples
circus and swirls
You work for them

HOMEWORK
Create at least 20 explorations outside of class, by hand, on the computer, Xerox machine, scanner, photography.. Nothing is off limits. Just explore. More is better than less, quality is always a must. ADD all to your pdf: all your examples (include what you did in class). Be prepared to present your explorations to the class NEXT Wed. Use the weekend to create your explorations, try some every day.

BRING TO NEXT CLASS
Your computer. If you do not have a computer please bring materials to work in class, paper, pencils, markers... and a flash drive.

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Monday, January 31
_ journal assignment (writer's toolbox exercises due next monday)
_ Pattern workshop create 15 patterns based on the descriptive words mood feeling of your book.
_ Title page and Chapter Opening tutorial (text pages doc., tschichold grid, expectations)

HOMEWORK
Patterns:
Finish at least 15 patterns -- good ones think about your book at its feeling, mood, emotion, symbolism.... Nothing is off limits (you can draw and scan, draw in the computer, use vector art, symbols...). Just explore. More is better than less, quality is always a must.
Put all your patterns into a PDF

Visuals (research/reference): see links. images (icons, illustrations, photos), color palette, patterns. Images can be found in design annuals, books or your own (no low res online images allowed. if it looks bad you can't use it and i get to decide on what looks bad not you.) At least 25 different visuals. Avoid the cliche. These can be images that you can use or to use a reference in making your own visuals. Think photos, illustrations, type and image, type only.... Put all of your images into one PDF to present to class.

Associated word list: create word list, at least 50 descriptive words, the list goes on and on, a free flow of words. how are the books supposed to feel, mood, express: cloudy, misty, gray, dark, mysterious, shadows, broken glass, rough, ... you may use my subscription to
VisualThesauraus.com.
username: awertzberger@mac.com pass: viscom

Define 10 keywords from your list:
10 key words from your list that help establish the feeling, mood, tone, etc...full definitions and synonyms

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Wednesday, February 2

_ Present your PDF to the class: 1st research (found examples), word explorations, patterns, visual research (relating to your bookjacket)
_ In-class small groups, working on compound words (use writers toolbox to help you)

HOMEWORK
Add the following to the PDF

Compound Words. Looking at your associated word list develop a compound word that expresses the feeling mood emotion of how the book cover should feel. Come up with at least 9 compound words. You will choose 3 for the final directions. (please put all on one page).

Computer Type studies: the solutions are type only. Look at all your options, set the title and author in all caps and again in upper/lower case. reg, bold, italic. Try at least 15 fonts off the approved font list. PLUS if you want to look at fonts off the font list that is fine. They do not count towards your 15. (you may use any off the server or off dafont.com or... The entire font family can be used {italic, bold, extended...}. Identify 3 font combinations that you fell represent the mood/tone/feeling of your series.

Design Sketches: 50 sketches (cover only 5.5 x 8) done by hand or on the computer. If you do them by hand scan them in, darken them up so we can see them in your PDF All work will be presented in the PDF Explore how this can be translated into a look. Intrigue, not cliche, not trite. Exciting, dynamic, fresh. Make sure you have at least 20 ideas for the Type Dominate (type only direction) and 20 ideas for the image dominate (avoid the cliche and the trite and work on how type and image can interact). 10 designers choice. Please place only 5 sketches per page so we can see ideas quickly and clearly. Try any and all of these... traditional, contemporary, vintage, futuristic, juxtapose, crop, frame, layer, title as a label...

REMEMBER...scale, contrast, color, figure ground, framing, layers, transparency, pattern, cropping the image, turning it upside down, sideways, change its color, more saturated, less saturated, bit-mapped, 2 color, add pattern, add color fields, try the title large, try it small, try it some sort of boarder, cut the boarder, boarder the book, cut the boarder of the book. all, try it some sort of boarder, cut the boarder, boarder the book, cut the boarder of the book.

Be prepared to present your PDF to the class. Practice.

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Monday, February 7
_ journal assignment (Dieter and Norm)
_ presentations to the class on the above, please have it all in an organized PDF and on the server.
_ parts of a book jacket, final expectations (final doc )...
_ the Twenty Rules pdf Which 3 do you think are the most important? What 3 do you think you need to practice more? Which 3 do you want to ignore?

HOMEWORK
Audience Personas: Write three different audience personas. Person's age, sex, education, what are their interests, hobbies, where do they shop, eat. Why would they be your target audience? Please read through the examples before you begin. Write three completely different audience profiles/personas (one person). One for each design solution.

Color palette: what colors will work to emotively represent your book? look up the meaning of the colors you choose. 3 colors (plus tints and black and white) in your palette.

Design Refinements: Design to correct size, cover is 5.5 x 8 inches) Refine 5 DIFFERENT ideas for the type only. Refine 5 Different ideas for type and image. DIFFERENT means different NOT variations or iterations of the same idea. ADD all to your PDF and PRINT out the the 10 designs. Also have these answers in your PDF and printed out... Who is your audience? Why would they pick up this book? How does your solution support your concept / compound word? What 3 words would you used to describe the cover?

REMEMBER...scale, contrast, color, figure ground, framing, layers, transparency, pattern, cropping the image, turning it upside down, sideways, change its color, more saturated, less saturated, bit-mapped, 2 color, add pattern, add color fields, try the title large, try it small, try it some sort of boarder, cut the boarder, boarder the book, cut the boarder of the book.

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Wednesday, February 9
class crit

HOMEWORK
chose ideas and translate strongest ideas into the full bookjacket, endpaper set: cover, spine, back, flaps. (Cover 5.5 x 8in, spine .75in, back cover 5.5 x 8in, flaps 2.75in) Don't confine your designs to traditional confided way. Explore contrast, cropping, tension, scale, layering, how text and image work together, how things can wrap around the book.

Type Only translate your 3 strongest ideas to cover, spine, backjacket, flap AND an end paper.
What is the compound word, style, tone, mood? Who is the audience? (that is 4 things total)

Type and image: translate your 3 strongest ideas to cover, spine, backjacket, flap, AND end paper.
What is the compound word, style, tone, mood? Who is the audience? (that is 4 things total)

Nirvana: designers choice 3rd direction should have a completely different feeling from the ones above. translate your 3 strongest ideas to cover, spine, backjacket, flap, AND end paper.
What is the compound word, style, tone, mood? Who is the audience? (that is 4 things total)

AT THIS STAGE you are exploring: contrast, cropping, tension, scale, layering, how text and image work together, how things can wrap around the book.

PDF all the above FOR MONDAY

ALWAYS look at the book flat thinking of the front, spine, back as a spread AND as a folded object that you turn to get the information.

Process book: your process has been saved all along, you will be handing in a digital copy of your process book. Start making any design refinements now. Will be do Monday Feb 21 with the project. It is a designed piece that you would print out and spiral bind and take to an interview but we are NOT printing them out,. Designed to be PRINTED OUT but you are not printing it out, it should NOT look powerpoint-like, examples are on the server.

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Monday, February 14
_ journal assignment (Sag and more on TED due next monday)
_ class crit
_ title page in class (use Tschichold grid), chapter opening.

HOMEWORK
refine your final set: please have at least 3 variations for each
1) Type only:
cover, spine, backjacket, flap, end papers
2) Type and Image:
cover, spine, backjacket, flap, end papers
3) Nirvana
: cover, spine, backjacket, flap, end papers
4) Title page and chapter opening. Choose one cover and make a title page and first chapter opening to match look feel emotion, should be kinetic not cookie cutter. Design 2 - 3 variations. Consider hierarchy, alignments, scale, paragraph breaks, page number, running head.

PRINT OUT: Bring your designs PRINTED and digitally-- be on time and have your prints in your hands, no going to print. Bring your files and computer so you can work in-class.

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Wednesday, February 16
_ small group meetings
_ working in class on final and process book and digital presentation.

HOMEWORK
if you were not in class you bring what you had for Wed class + any refinements. If you were in class you know what you need to do: at least 3 covers PRINT OUT, 1 full size on the epson, new title pages, new chapter openings. examples here for title pages.

prepare process book: project objective and overview, all studies (lettering exercise), all patterns, include Journal that was related to project, all reasearch, sketches, refinements, audience personas, compound words, final bookjackets with each final include your compound word (your grade will be effected if your compound word doesn't match your cover).

PRINT OUT: Bring your designs PRINTED and digitally-- be on time and have your prints in your hands, no going to print. Bring your files and computer so you can work in-class.

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Monday, February 21
_ journal assignment (incomplete manifesto due next monday)
_ small group meetings
_ working in class on final and process book and digital presentation.

HOMEWORK
refine, print, mount, post, refine process book (include project description and overview)


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Wednesday, FEB 23 DUE

1 PDF
with your final 3 bookjacekts, end papers, 1 title page and 1 first chapter page (yourname_covers.pdf).Post onto Behance: 3 covers, endpapers, 1 title page and first chapter page

1 PDF with of your process book (yourname_process.pdf)

Print, Trim, Score, and Fold 3 bookjacket directions, print endpaper on the back. Make sure the pattern fills the back full back of the cover.

Print and mount 1 full direction on black matte board. You will need 3 16 x 12 black matte board.
1) cover, spine, back (no flaps)
2) endpaper and title page,
3) chapter opening
Directions given in-class.

ALSO bring your computers to class!