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Project Three: Redesigning a Classic
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Bookcover Resources
A really good book cover has to work regardless of what it’s about, on a visceral and emotional level.
Chip Kidd
Can you judge a book by it’s cover? Of course you can. How is your book going to be judged?
Watch Chip Kidd on TED
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Bruce Mau Incomplete Manifesto: pick a mantra for the project
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You will be creating three different designs for your classic banned book. As a designer you will often be asked to create different concepts to present to a client.
CUSTOMIZED TITLE TREATMENT
*Each of the three books needs to have some level of a customized title treatment the customization can be small tweeks or original letter(s) or original font
FEATURE A NOUN
1) Person: a character from the book
2) Place: setting
3) Thing: representative object.
One of your final covers will need to focus on a character from the book.
One of the final covers will need to focus on the setting of a scene of the book.
One of the final covers will need to focus on a thing/object from the book
VISUAL CATEGORY (large bucket)
Type Dominate with customized title treatment
Photographic with customized title treatment
Illustrative or Graphic Elements with customized title treatment
One of the final has to be Type Dominate
One of your final covers has to use Photography in some way
One of the final covers has to use illustration or graphic elements as the main visual
Visual Executions for you to remember (meaning you should try some!)
Photography: raw — landscape, portrait, object
Photography: cut image, photo montage, collage juxtaposition
Photography: manipulated, filter, bit mapped, altered
Illustration: realistic, fantasy …
Illustration: photo, collage
Illustration: digital effect
Illustration:: graphic elements, geometric, abstract, pattern organic,
Typography: computer generated/digital custom
Typography: computer generated/digital manipulated
Typography: computer generated/digital not manipulated
Typography: hand lettering, scrips
VISUAL DIRECTION. you used to describe visuals (pick at least 2 for each cover)
warm, cold, diverse color, limited color, black and white, vintage, bold, modern, organic, geometric, worn, vintage, *we didn’t have nay of these but could be psychedelic, trippy, trashy, grudge… you can add to the list…
MOOD/TONE/FEELINGS
Make sure you use at least 3 words relating mood/tone/feeling to describe the concept of your book jacket… you don’t have to use the same 3 words for each cover.
Comfortable, Positive, Fun, Excited, Mature, Childish/Child-llike, Flirty, Romantic, Loud, Quiet, Delicate , Melancholy, Tragic, Disturbing, Longing or Lonely, Uncomfortable, Calm, Sad, Edgy, Creepy, Foreboding, Scary, Eerie... you can add.
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Deliverables
Three Different Covers: includes front, spine, back, flaps.
Printed on the Epson on Heavy Wieght 13 x 19 trimmed and folded to size.
Behance Post: 3 covers and abbreviated process
*website is what people see and they determine of they want to interview you.
Process Book: PDF process book designed and ready to present to a professional
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Specifications
Title Treatments: Customized Title Treatment for each cover. Typography: The fonts you chose have to be appropriate and match the concept. All covers have to have the title customized is some manner.
Size: cover 5.5 x 9in, spine 1 in, 6 x 9in, flaps 3in (final flat size is 18 x 9 inches)
printed on Epson Heavyweight 13 x19 (buy a box or share a box)
FYI about imagery: The artwork can be illustrations or photographs could be by you or can be found in a book or online. Be careful all art needs to be of high quality. If you find an image online it has to be VERY large. If it is not high enough quality, you find a new image. (images online are 72dpi and that quality is not high enough for print work, so don't even try it, the image must be high res no jpg grizzle). If your final image is grizzled or low res your project grade will be lowered by one full grade.
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February 26, Monday
-- Logotype presentations
-- Bookcover Resources
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H O M E W O R K
February 26, Monday
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Organize all of this research in a document that will become your process book! Oraganize/prepare to present your research. Design it from the beginning. See Examples.
Be preprepared to present all of this to class on Wed.
Put your pdf in the CLASS google drive +BookJacket_Research_1130 or +BookJacket_Research_230.
(after class you can move it to your folder but for presentations move it to the Google Dive Folder.
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RESEARCH
Pull from the internet of a visit to a bookstore 15 examples of book covers you think are successful.
Use these 3 questions to evaluate each of your 15 examples.
01) What visual category would you put the cover into? Type, Image, Photography, Illustration, Graphic Element, ... (use what you did in class on Wed. you should have notes)
02) What is the mood or tone of the cover? (use your notes from Wed) .
03) What is the visual execution of image on the cover? Is the image altered (colorized, bit-mapped, saturated...), juxtaposed (two images placed next to each other to create a new meaning), cropped, framed/boarder, layered, collaged, title as a label, hand-drawn, hand made (off the computer),...
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NARRATIVE YOU HAVE TO WRITE ABOUT THE BOOK YOU HAVE SELECTED
The rest is all about the book you have chosen to redesign.
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About the Author
01) title of the book / image of the current book jacket
02) author (short bio at 50 - 100 words)
03) other books by the same author
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Plot + Summary
04) short synopsis / plot / summary
05)
what is the mood/tone/feeling of the book (descriptive words at least 6)
06) what is the message?
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Characters
Choose the character(s) you find the most interesting -- it can be the main character it could be a supporting character(s). Identify at least 2 characters in book you have selected.
Describe them fully in written form (sentences, lists). And a long word list. Include role (protagonist, antagonist, foil). Physical appearance, personality, relationship to other characters, do "we" like them, hate them? What is their general mood or tone?
07) character 1 all about them see above
07b) 1 -3 quotes from that character
08) character 2 all about them see above
08b) 1 -3 quotes from that character
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Place
when and where does the book take place. Describe it (you can pull it directly from the book). Create a word list of at least xx words describing the place, word the provoke visuals. From the xx identify 3-5 key words and define them. Try and use words that create a visual in ones mind, an emotion, tone, mood...
09) setting/ time/ place describe it in visual terms, you can think generally about the place or use one specific scene.
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Object(s):
what "things" are important to the story? Why are they important? Describe them. Create a word list of at least xx words not only describing the object but also its meaning, importance, feeling, mood... From the xx identify 3-5 key words and define them. Try and use words that create a visual in ones mind, an emotion, tone, mood...
10) object or thing what is a thing that is referenced in the book? There has to be some thing that is referenced in the book. describe it. Maybe capture the scene (capture means write it down/type it up)
*start to find visual examples in photographs, illustration, typography pattern that shows the character(s)..
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Why this Book?
11) why did you pick this book to redesign? why is it successful or not successful?
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H O M E W O R K
February 28, Wednesday
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Due Monday March 5: Concept Development/Sketches/Inspriation/Reference Material
Your homework has 2 parts. You should work between the 2. Don't finish one then the other.
Part 1: 15 sketches for each cover: Character, Place, Object (by hand, no computer) (total is 45).
Sketch at least 2-3 inches tall.
Think of the concept and the form. How does the form affect the concept/mood/tone/feeling? How do you tell the story with the cover? How do you make it compelling? *Read over all the suggestions above. Sketches should be annotated (Noun, Concept, Visual Execution, Visual Direction, Mood/Tone/Feeling.
Part 2: collecting inspiration, reference material: photos, illustrations, typography, pattern, visual executions, bonus points for creating experiments (play off and/or on the computer). Gather at least 50 visuals. Print them out at least 2-3 tall. Fit as many as you can on a page. Book cover Resources has some links for you to get started.
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March 5, Monday
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Identify: Identify 3 strong concepts / ideas for each of the 3 covers.
Sort and build: look at all your reference materials and sort them into visual / conceptual categories
MoodBoards: Create at least 3 different mood boards. NAME THEM. If you don't have enough resources then you need to go back and research more.
PLAY come up with at least 15 different customized title treatments. Nothing off limits. Try each of the categories: digital custom, digital manipulated, digital not manipulated, hand lettering. Use the computer, use the scanner, photograph type, print it out manipulate it and scan it back in or photograph it. Only WRONG answer is that you don't have 15 different / original ideas. Work fast, work smart this is going to take a lot of time. ALL 15 have to be considerate and thoughtful.
H O M E W O R K
finish above for homework.
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March 7, Wednesday
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H O M E W O R K
type inspiration: some trendy stuff!
https://www.instagram.com/stefanhuerlemann/
http://typografika.com
http://spin.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/xpatrickthomas/
Moodboard
many are not very clear if you want to refine yours here are some examples of successful mood boards. Please use the resources I gave you for photographs. Moodboards are something you can show people when you are interviewing but they have to be really clear and focused. FOCUSED. (if you are in a time crunch spend your time on the titles and covers). Drop box examples
Redo 15+ type studies (and use them on your covers)
Alex showed you ways to sketch. I sent you a pdf of computer sketches. PLAY please play with all the ways you can treat your title -- it should be fun homework not a task. They don't have to be perfect but they have to be different ideas. Download pdf example
Try each of the categories:
digital custom,
digital manipulated,
digital not manipulated,
hand lettering.
Use the computer, use the scanner, photograph type, print it out manipulate it and scan it back in or photograph it. So do each of the categories -- you all defined the categories so you know what they are.
PLAY Book Jacket
Looking at what you have done so far: Research, Reference Materials, Moodboards, Title treatments. Explore Your IDEAS: 9 - 15 different bookjacket. (at least 3 for each Noun). Covers need concept, a twist on what is expected...
Design Just the cover. 5.5 x 9in = cover size. (yes you can do the entir jacket if you want)
Yes the TITLE and AUTHOR (you can have 1 exception) have to be on the cover (no you don't have to include the publisher).
Yes you can include a quote if you want. Design it on the computer, design them cut and paste to size, print them out and alter and scan back in... Annotate each cover with Noun, Visual Direction, and Mood/Tone/Feeling
Remember (you have all these different ways to explore visuals)
Visual Executions for you to remember (meaning you should try some!)
Photography: raw — landscape, portrait, object
Photography: cut image, photo montage, collage juxtaposition
Photography: manipulated, filter, bit mapped, altered
Illustration: realistic, fantasy …
Illustration: photo, collage
Illustration: digital effect
Illustration:: graphic elements, geometric, abstract, pattern organic,
Typography: computer generated/digital custom
Typography: computer generated/digital manipulated
Typography: computer generated/digital not manipulated
Typography: hand lettering, scrips
Annotate: VISUAL DIRECTION. you used to describe visuals (pick at least 2 for each cover)
warm, cold, diverse color, limited color, black and white, vintage, bold, modern, organic, geometric, worn, vintage, psychedelic, trippy, trashy, grudge… you can add to the list…
Annotate: MOOD/TONE/FEELINGS (pick at least 2 for each cover)
Comfortable, Positive, Fun, Excited, Mature, Childish/Child-llike, Flirty, Romantic, Loud, Quiet, Delicate , Melancholy, Tragic, Disturbing, Longing or Lonely, Uncomfortable, Calm, Sad, Edgy, Creepy, Foreboding, Scary, Eerie... you can add.
PRINT and BRING FOR MONDAY
Print 2 copies of everything (full size, in color) of each of the 9 covers for class on Monday.
Bring to class your type studies from last Monday (new type stuies) printed out at different sizes, 2 copies of these 9 - 15 covers, tracing paper, scissors, transparent tape.
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March 12, Monday
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crit
and play
H O M E W O R K
Take your best 6 - 9 covers at least 2 from each Noun Category, 1 photo, 1 type, 1 illustration and put them into the computer. Think of the entire cover Front, Spine, Back and Flaps. Get all the content on the jacket. Cover front back and spine have to have the title and author, where you add the bio and quote is up to you front, back or flaps... Print each in color to fit on 11 x 17. (11x17 for each bookjacket) trim and fold them.
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Think about the Jan Tschichold project from last semester -- that project gave you all the information on what to think about when designing the spine, back and flaps.
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March 15, Wednesday
crit
and play
H O M E W O R K (over spring break)
Explore/Make/Create 2 - 3 variations each of your 3 bookjackets. How can you tell the story better? How can they be more visually compelling? How are you using the fact that you can pick it up and turn it and open it to tell the story visually? How can you make the typography more customized, more refined, less expected? Work on them a few times don't wait until Sunday night to do them.
Print them all in color to fit on 11 x 17 (each book jacket on its own 11 x 17 sheet) Trim and fold.
If you haven't listened to any TedTalks (like we suggested you do over Winter Break) I suggest you start listening to some -- pick a topic or several topics and listen! you will develop a conference around the topics and the speakers)
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March 26, Monday
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Crit Bookcovers
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March 28, Wednesday
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Crit Bookcovers
Intro to Project 4: Conference
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Deliverabls DUE MONDAY April 2
Three Different Covers: includes front, spine, back, flaps.
Printed on the Epson on Heavy Weight 13 x 19 trimmed and folded to size.
Three covers printed out b/w on 11 x 17 (one for each cover).
Behance Post: 3 covers and abbreviated process
*website is what people see and they determine of they want to interview you.
Process Book: PDF process book designed and ready to present to a professional. Posted to the Google Drive before class starts. Please name your processbook with your name! :) Make sure it is well designed AND that you have all of the process in it.
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