After identifying one of the potential binding methods I am going to use, I've made a mock up in order to see how feasible it is. I have followed this tutorial by Sea Lemon, which explains very well a method to stitch bind a book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O4kFTOEh6k
The first attempt was quite feasible, but it was done with the wrong size and wrong threat. Will make a new mock up with the materials available in college.
After doing a mock up in college, I've realised I should wear a glove to avoid contact with the pages and treat them more carefully to keep them in the best condition possible. When making the holes, make them in small groups or they tend to be unaligned. The whole process of stitching the pages shouldn't take more than an hour when doing it with the final product.
For the cover, I'm going to follow this tutorial, but I'm going to wait for the bookbinding induction to make sure I do it rightly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av_rU-yOPd4
https://www.thebookdesigner.com/2010/09/self-publishing-basics-how-to-pick-the-size-of-your-book/
However, be wary of larger sizes, over 6″ x 9″ or 7″ x 10″. Why? Many book shelves—including the shelves in some bookstores—won’t easily handle books bigger than that. Unless you’re producing an art book, you probably don’t want to end up with a book that won’t fit anyone’s bookshelves.
Nevertheless, it's always helpful to draw different sizes on a big sheet of paper to know which might have more potential.
Another important reason not to make a big book of images is that normally these books are praising what's in the images. This is not the purpose of the publication, and images might get much more attention than desired.
Another fact that can help to identify the size of the publication, is to know the limitations of digital printing.
After speaking to James in the digital print room, he told me the biggest size I can print double-sided is SRA3, which would result in a small publication of the size of about an A5. I can do it a bit bigger, but the production cost will be massively increased. Also, the size of the images is not that big, so this reduction is going to have a positive impact on the quality of the photographs.
Increasing the size would mean in limiting my resources if I want to keep it in a reasonable price. I might print it in a smaller size (panoramic Octavo) of what I have planned (panoramic Quarto). This would allow me to use a hard cover within a reasonable price, since despite I want to make this book boring, the outside has to be engaging. The final price should oscilate between £8-15.
Sunday 30 October 2016
Monday 24 October 2016
Typeface in context - More Research
For the cover using comic sans might work as it is an icon of the lack of originality. It could be modified it to show like it is handwritten with a brush, like if it is a protest sign (the message of the book is a protest itself).
The answer might designing it digitally and screenprint it over a white surface (white like signs in protests. I am aware that a white publication tends to get dirty, but if it does, it would only look more realistic and closer to how a protest sign looks like. Although, I might add a texture of that dirtiness). The text could be in black, except for the word "originality", which could be in red, like in many of these signs. Red is also a colour that raise awareness about something.
Although, if these are the only colours on the cover the design won't be that effective.
One solution could be to create a pattern with the most over-used symbols in graphic design. For example, the crown of "keep calm",
The answer might designing it digitally and screenprint it over a white surface (white like signs in protests. I am aware that a white publication tends to get dirty, but if it does, it would only look more realistic and closer to how a protest sign looks like. Although, I might add a texture of that dirtiness). The text could be in black, except for the word "originality", which could be in red, like in many of these signs. Red is also a colour that raise awareness about something.
Although, if these are the only colours on the cover the design won't be that effective.
One solution could be to create a pattern with the most over-used symbols in graphic design. For example, the crown of "keep calm",
Sunday 16 October 2016
Production progress, concerns and Feedback
Feedback notes (ideas from others are highlighted and IN CAPS)
The publication will point out that designers are not taken in consideration by business owners in many places around the world, because they think they can do a sign board that "stands out, has a big font and beautiful colours". they don't make a design decision to blend in. They all look the same, but they actually think they are standing out.
The target audience is young designers that are normally critical.
The book would be sold or distributed in book shops like colours may vary.
Name: "Everyone is original".
What concepts could I use for it?
Cover
- Josh's idea: Copy another's cover.
USE A REALLY ICONIC COVER
JAN TICHOLD SAYS ORIGINALITY IS DEAD
TAKE A PICTURE OF THE PICTURE
ADD QUOTES ABOUT LACK OF ORIGINALITY THROUGHOUT THE BOOK
MAKE IT LOOK REVOLUTIONARY
- Another idea: row of people (one is special. making everyone special, but no idea how)
MAKE IT SO STUPID THAT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT IS GOING ON
Size
The design is probably going to be big and thin, so it needs heavy stock to stay flat (shows big pictures). The problem is that it is a thin publication, and that means there's not much room with the binding method.
Stock
I want something that conveys repetition and boreness. I have a few ideas, but I'd like to know what you think.
Maybe a different stock for the intro and outro, because I want to make the book interesting despite being talking about designs that are boring.
EMBOSS HELVETICA (I think Comic Sans could work very well for the irony)
Printing
The publication will be mostly about photographs. The right way to print them is digitally. The design might also have some letterpress for the intro and outro of the book.
Commercial considerations
At this point in time there is no reason why this publication couldn't be printed commercially. If stitch binding is used it will be changed for staples for the commercial process.
The printing costs shouldn't be too high, as the publication is going to have ivory recycled paper in order to convey that boring feeling of the designs.
Permissions from stores
GF SMITH BOOK'S BINDING
USE INTERESTING DESIGN TO MAKE CONTRAST WITH THE CONTENT
USE PURE WHITE PAPER, IT'S MUCH LESS INTERESTING THAN IVORY WHITE
Take a picture of an iconic book and use it as a cover, Cross the title of the original one and write on it with comic sans.
During the feedback for another peer, the book Detail in Typography by Jost Hochuli uses a binding method that combines perfectly the flat layout with a hard cover, which was something I didn't think it was possible to do.
This binding method might be accidental, as the red marks are probably because the paper was ripped off. Nonetheless, it's a very good solution to my problem and when the book is opened it's not problematic or bothering. In fact, it surprised me how clever it was.
The others told me that ivory paper would look much more interesting than white paper, and since I want to make the images look dull and repetitive, that's probably the best choice. Jan Tschichold also mentions this in his in "The form of the book":
"By itself, to misuse white offset paper for book printing is
already a sign of careless production. The detrimental effect
of a white page is further reinforced by the desolate bleakness
of the paper surface, which lacks almost all texture."
The signs on the pictures are exactly carelessly designed, so maybe this reinforces the idea of using this kind of stock.
The publication will point out that designers are not taken in consideration by business owners in many places around the world, because they think they can do a sign board that "stands out, has a big font and beautiful colours". they don't make a design decision to blend in. They all look the same, but they actually think they are standing out.
The target audience is young designers that are normally critical.
The book would be sold or distributed in book shops like colours may vary.
Name: "Everyone is original".
What concepts could I use for it?
Cover
- Josh's idea: Copy another's cover.
USE A REALLY ICONIC COVER
JAN TICHOLD SAYS ORIGINALITY IS DEAD
TAKE A PICTURE OF THE PICTURE
ADD QUOTES ABOUT LACK OF ORIGINALITY THROUGHOUT THE BOOK
MAKE IT LOOK REVOLUTIONARY
- Another idea: row of people (one is special. making everyone special, but no idea how)
MAKE IT SO STUPID THAT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT IS GOING ON
Size
The design is probably going to be big and thin, so it needs heavy stock to stay flat (shows big pictures). The problem is that it is a thin publication, and that means there's not much room with the binding method.
Stock
I want something that conveys repetition and boreness. I have a few ideas, but I'd like to know what you think.
Maybe a different stock for the intro and outro, because I want to make the book interesting despite being talking about designs that are boring.
EMBOSS HELVETICA (I think Comic Sans could work very well for the irony)
Printing
The publication will be mostly about photographs. The right way to print them is digitally. The design might also have some letterpress for the intro and outro of the book.
Commercial considerations
At this point in time there is no reason why this publication couldn't be printed commercially. If stitch binding is used it will be changed for staples for the commercial process.
The printing costs shouldn't be too high, as the publication is going to have ivory recycled paper in order to convey that boring feeling of the designs.
Permissions from stores
GF SMITH BOOK'S BINDING
USE INTERESTING DESIGN TO MAKE CONTRAST WITH THE CONTENT
USE PURE WHITE PAPER, IT'S MUCH LESS INTERESTING THAN IVORY WHITE
Ideas after feedback
Take a picture of an iconic book and use it as a cover, Cross the title of the original one and write on it with comic sans.
During the feedback for another peer, the book Detail in Typography by Jost Hochuli uses a binding method that combines perfectly the flat layout with a hard cover, which was something I didn't think it was possible to do.
This binding method might be accidental, as the red marks are probably because the paper was ripped off. Nonetheless, it's a very good solution to my problem and when the book is opened it's not problematic or bothering. In fact, it surprised me how clever it was.
The others told me that ivory paper would look much more interesting than white paper, and since I want to make the images look dull and repetitive, that's probably the best choice. Jan Tschichold also mentions this in his in "The form of the book":
"By itself, to misuse white offset paper for book printing is
already a sign of careless production. The detrimental effect
of a white page is further reinforced by the desolate bleakness
of the paper surface, which lacks almost all texture."
The signs on the pictures are exactly carelessly designed, so maybe this reinforces the idea of using this kind of stock.
Typeface in context - Research
The concept is more or less defined, but I am having troubles identifying what kind of books or production I should follow. During the session of the 11th, Simon went through all the checkpoints to make sure everyone is up to date. That was very helpful and helped to identify what I needed to polish or have a decision about at this point in time.
For my last idea for the publication, I kind of had the target audience identified. This publication would be for people with critical way of thinking, which in most part are young. But I had other things equally important that needed to be identified in order to progress, like the stock and binding. After having a helpful chat with Simon about how can I make the production informed by the content, I've had some conclusions that would help me identifying the details for my production.
- The production stems from the target audience.
- To show images, it needs to look materially attractive. People should want to hold it and take it home.
- I was thinking about making a boring and flat cover. In a shop full of design books, maybe that would be a way to stand out... or maybe not. Either way, something needs to be there in order to make the product desirable. If it's not the cover, it needs to be something else (the material of the cover, emboss, foiling, etc).
- The book is going to be quite thin, but it needs to be attractive. For this, I've thought of using different stock throughout the book.
At this point I start my research, visiting websites like uniteditions.com, pinterest and going to the library to find useful content. I wanted to find something along the lines of my concept, but that can be a very time consuming task to do, and it might not worth the time. Also, looking for books that get in detail about binding methods, stock use and other stuff, I found out that all of them were already borrowed. So instead of focusing on the content for inspiration, I think it is better if I focus on publications that look similar to my potential book in physical terms. I already know more or less how the content is going to be displayed, showing full bleed images (so it is going to be printed in a generous size) and it's going to be thin. So after checking many different books in the library, I borrowed 5 different books that more or less fit in these parameters and aim to similar purpose:
The forever Loop - Eddie Peake: A thin book with a hard cover. Very interesting combination I haven't seen before. The problem is that it doesn't stay flat, which is not very good for a good showing images. Alternative use of cover having the name of the book in the back of it and the artist on the front cover.
Crossfire - Christian Marclay: Very interesting squared aspect ratio and perfect binding combining two different sizes for a book that mainly shows images. Clean cover with the name of the artist with more importance than the title of the book, which makes me think this is more a portfolio.
When I think about sex... - Tracey Emin: Very succint and simple cover, probably done it that way so the word sex can stand out. The stock in this book has nothing special about it, and that's probably what makes it special. It feels handmade, similar to a newspaper stock, but thicker. It's not pure white, more like ivory white. Probably good to convey a feeling of dullness in my publication. The book is put together using staple binding and it lays quite flat for this amount of pages.
Lothar Hempel - Propaganda: With a similar square aspect ratio than Crossfire, but bigger, which makes pages weight more and lay flatter with its perfect biding.
Kienholz - The Ozymandias Parade: A big and thin book (42.5x27.5). The aspect ratio is a bit too narrow for my taste, as it looks like a restaurant menu or some kind of catalogue you are given to in hotels. In this book is even more obvious the use of thicker stock, which makes the pages even heavier. This is the way it needs to be in order to keep the publication strong enough, far from flimsy.
A combination of Kienholz and When I think about sex... could make my publication interesting with a good size look at the pictures in detail. Some pictures will be cropped, which it means that I won't be able to do a full bleed with all of them. These books also have helped me in how to present more than one picture per page.
In order to add more attractiveness to the book, maybe it would be a good idea to add an interesting looking book binding method instead of stapling, which is something I've already done in first year and it shouldn't increase the cost too much.
For my last idea for the publication, I kind of had the target audience identified. This publication would be for people with critical way of thinking, which in most part are young. But I had other things equally important that needed to be identified in order to progress, like the stock and binding. After having a helpful chat with Simon about how can I make the production informed by the content, I've had some conclusions that would help me identifying the details for my production.
- The production stems from the target audience.
- To show images, it needs to look materially attractive. People should want to hold it and take it home.
- I was thinking about making a boring and flat cover. In a shop full of design books, maybe that would be a way to stand out... or maybe not. Either way, something needs to be there in order to make the product desirable. If it's not the cover, it needs to be something else (the material of the cover, emboss, foiling, etc).
- The book is going to be quite thin, but it needs to be attractive. For this, I've thought of using different stock throughout the book.
At this point I start my research, visiting websites like uniteditions.com, pinterest and going to the library to find useful content. I wanted to find something along the lines of my concept, but that can be a very time consuming task to do, and it might not worth the time. Also, looking for books that get in detail about binding methods, stock use and other stuff, I found out that all of them were already borrowed. So instead of focusing on the content for inspiration, I think it is better if I focus on publications that look similar to my potential book in physical terms. I already know more or less how the content is going to be displayed, showing full bleed images (so it is going to be printed in a generous size) and it's going to be thin. So after checking many different books in the library, I borrowed 5 different books that more or less fit in these parameters and aim to similar purpose:
The forever Loop - Eddie Peake: A thin book with a hard cover. Very interesting combination I haven't seen before. The problem is that it doesn't stay flat, which is not very good for a good showing images. Alternative use of cover having the name of the book in the back of it and the artist on the front cover.
Crossfire - Christian Marclay: Very interesting squared aspect ratio and perfect binding combining two different sizes for a book that mainly shows images. Clean cover with the name of the artist with more importance than the title of the book, which makes me think this is more a portfolio.
When I think about sex... - Tracey Emin: Very succint and simple cover, probably done it that way so the word sex can stand out. The stock in this book has nothing special about it, and that's probably what makes it special. It feels handmade, similar to a newspaper stock, but thicker. It's not pure white, more like ivory white. Probably good to convey a feeling of dullness in my publication. The book is put together using staple binding and it lays quite flat for this amount of pages.
Lothar Hempel - Propaganda: With a similar square aspect ratio than Crossfire, but bigger, which makes pages weight more and lay flatter with its perfect biding.
Kienholz - The Ozymandias Parade: A big and thin book (42.5x27.5). The aspect ratio is a bit too narrow for my taste, as it looks like a restaurant menu or some kind of catalogue you are given to in hotels. In this book is even more obvious the use of thicker stock, which makes the pages even heavier. This is the way it needs to be in order to keep the publication strong enough, far from flimsy.
A combination of Kienholz and When I think about sex... could make my publication interesting with a good size look at the pictures in detail. Some pictures will be cropped, which it means that I won't be able to do a full bleed with all of them. These books also have helped me in how to present more than one picture per page.
In order to add more attractiveness to the book, maybe it would be a good idea to add an interesting looking book binding method instead of stapling, which is something I've already done in first year and it shouldn't increase the cost too much.
Essay about Book considerations
Every book should answer a question
This is something I have probably already done, but not in the format of a question, although I think this new approach is easier and probably gives more ideas at the time to face a problem. In this instance, the question for my book would be: Why do I say originality doesn't exist?
Content should inform the concept, concept informs the form
Before reading this I knew that the content should inform the concept, but I was unaware that the concept informs the form. This is a more linear and easier way to understand the process, and it definitely simplifies the problem to be solved.
Don't over design
This can be summarised in one question: do we want our books to be about the content or about the books themselves? Now that I look at it that way I suppose that over-designing something could be an exercise of egocentrism... which is not very nice for the creators of the content and the people interested in it.
Embrace your ideas, don't be someone else.
A good piece of advise for self-confidence. I've seen this happening even with the biggest artists: they don't trust themselves and they tend to do what others do to feel more confident about their work. We stop being designers to be regurgitators... and I don't think this is what it is about.
This is something I have probably already done, but not in the format of a question, although I think this new approach is easier and probably gives more ideas at the time to face a problem. In this instance, the question for my book would be: Why do I say originality doesn't exist?
Content should inform the concept, concept informs the form
Before reading this I knew that the content should inform the concept, but I was unaware that the concept informs the form. This is a more linear and easier way to understand the process, and it definitely simplifies the problem to be solved.
Don't over design
This can be summarised in one question: do we want our books to be about the content or about the books themselves? Now that I look at it that way I suppose that over-designing something could be an exercise of egocentrism... which is not very nice for the creators of the content and the people interested in it.
Embrace your ideas, don't be someone else.
A good piece of advise for self-confidence. I've seen this happening even with the biggest artists: they don't trust themselves and they tend to do what others do to feel more confident about their work. We stop being designers to be regurgitators... and I don't think this is what it is about.
Friday 14 October 2016
Award briefs - D&AD and YCN (2016)
The following briefs are from D&AD and they are from last year, since the ones for this year are not out yet either for D&AD and YCN.
Adobe: I think I can do something about it. In my opinion, Adobe is attractive for young people, but the prices put them down. Obviously, I can't change the price of these products, but what I can do is maybe make it look more reliable to the parents, which in the end are the ones paying for it. If there are teenagers with iPhones, Apple computers and last generation consoles the problem doesn't erradicate in the money, but in what their interests are.
Young people normally react much more in chain than adults. It might be a matter of putting together what they are interested in and how Adobe can give support. For instance, a videogame player needs to know he can make the next best videogame. The only thing that he needs are the tools, offered by Adobe, which in my opinion look way too proffesionalised and overwhelming, when they can be much more minimalistic and versioned for young users.
For the launch campaign, there could be a program for levels of tutorials, like a game, so the program doesn't look so overwhelming the first time it's used. It would only have a few tools available (unless the user wants to use all of them) so the new users can experience a growth as creatives. It would also make people understand that art is not something you are born with, but a skill you need to practise and something you can get good at.
"a product that enables you to do anything. The only limit is your imagination" is too overwhelming. This could work much better showing precise examples of what can be done using the software.
Amnesty International: This brief made me think of a campaign that Save the Children released in 2014. This campaign I'd say is more for an adult target audience, as it is the girl who is the main character and the one who suffers, which could be any girl. Maybe, for the Amnesty International brief, what needs to be done is the opposite. Make young people aware of the vulnerability of their parents. There is phrase I cannot recall who was from, but it said something like "When a parent pass away is when one becomes aware of his mortality". A hard message for a good purpose.
Dazed: This would be a good opportunity for me to do something in film. I hope there is a similar brief this year I can develope more on.
Adobe: I think I can do something about it. In my opinion, Adobe is attractive for young people, but the prices put them down. Obviously, I can't change the price of these products, but what I can do is maybe make it look more reliable to the parents, which in the end are the ones paying for it. If there are teenagers with iPhones, Apple computers and last generation consoles the problem doesn't erradicate in the money, but in what their interests are.
Young people normally react much more in chain than adults. It might be a matter of putting together what they are interested in and how Adobe can give support. For instance, a videogame player needs to know he can make the next best videogame. The only thing that he needs are the tools, offered by Adobe, which in my opinion look way too proffesionalised and overwhelming, when they can be much more minimalistic and versioned for young users.
For the launch campaign, there could be a program for levels of tutorials, like a game, so the program doesn't look so overwhelming the first time it's used. It would only have a few tools available (unless the user wants to use all of them) so the new users can experience a growth as creatives. It would also make people understand that art is not something you are born with, but a skill you need to practise and something you can get good at.
"a product that enables you to do anything. The only limit is your imagination" is too overwhelming. This could work much better showing precise examples of what can be done using the software.
Amnesty International: This brief made me think of a campaign that Save the Children released in 2014. This campaign I'd say is more for an adult target audience, as it is the girl who is the main character and the one who suffers, which could be any girl. Maybe, for the Amnesty International brief, what needs to be done is the opposite. Make young people aware of the vulnerability of their parents. There is phrase I cannot recall who was from, but it said something like "When a parent pass away is when one becomes aware of his mortality". A hard message for a good purpose.
Dazed: This would be a good opportunity for me to do something in film. I hope there is a similar brief this year I can develope more on.
Monday 3 October 2016
Typefaces from Salamanca - Idea generation and Feedback
Before the presentation that took place on Friday the 30th of september, I wasn't very sure about what the publication was going to be about, but it definetely should have something to do with time. It was after doing my presentation, getting some feedback and writing down ideas from othes' presentations and feedbacks as well where I found a starting point.
I also have checked books like How to, by Michael Bierut (The chapter "How to travel through time), Greeting from Retro Design, by Tony Seddon (to better understand the Art Deco, Art Noveau and Mid-Century modern designs) and Retro and Vintage Design, by Lisa Hayek (which shows vintage products that can be a source of inspiration for the book).
The first season of Stranger Things is a very good example of how just the music, colours and typefaces can take one to another time, when we were younger. It's a TV show that takes advantage of the nostalgy of the audience in order to sell their product. If that's their goal, they are doing a great job.
Something similar could be done with the photographs taken in Salamanca. A publication mainly focused on typefaces should appeal older audiences. Despite the bad connotations the times of Franco's dictatorship might have, usually people can't have their nostalgy feelings under control when they are exposed to the charms of old packages and logotypes, and to certain extent to typefaces that were used in certain time and place.
In order to achieve this, an old looking publication (not sure what kind yet) with an appearance of the 40-60's could very well fit this purpose.
After the talk I was suggested by John Watters to check the designer Louise Fili, specialised in retro packaging.
This concept has one possible derivation in Concept 3.
Edit 1: Make a publication about the beautiful side of using old typeface and the ugly one separately, so it wouldn’t be such a negative publication. Showing a contrast would also increase the effect of both sides.
This is an extension of the Concept 1. I don't want to mix this two concepts, as the first one might derive in something different I might consider.
A catalogue of some kind that shows the shops that can be found in Salamanca. In order to add more depth, it could be designed like any other catalogue of the 40's and 50's. Although, this is a quite vague concept, amongst other things, because not all the pictures I have are of shop signs.
This would be a very interesting approach, but I don't see how I can relate the idea of "future" with the pictures I have and the type of design I have registered.
Feedback:
After speaking to Simon about these ideas he also suggested that in order to keep it free and feasible I should consider including a space in the publication for advertising.
The feedback session helped me to identify what idea was the right one in order to make an interesting publication. This was thanks to the questions others made, like: "Are you political?".
The most interesting ones were:
- I can make something visual, but that looks cheap on purpose... like pointing out that one can be original without expensive resources.
- Make it in two languages, despite it is mainly for Spanish audience. This shouldn't be a problem, because the book won't have much text.
- Use a book cover already done (pointing out lack of creativity). Or maybe do all the opposite, and do something that doesn't look like a book at all.
After this feedback, I realised that if I want to carry the concept 2 I probably need to focus on bad design (apparently made mostly because the designers don't have the credit they should in places like Salamanca or maybe because they do what everyone else do, and in a conservative place like that it's not nice to stand out too much).
After having a chat with Nick he gave me very valuable feedback that I think takes this project to a more suitable path for me. After explaning my project to him, he pointed out that there's no lack of originality. That actually, the owners of those stores actually think they are standing out when they are doing more or less the same as everyone else. This is because the designers are not taken in consideration, and sign boards are made by non-designers. They are just regular people with the resources and they are asked to make a design that stands out with this and this colour and hey, don't forget the big text! This is something I've noticed many times in the past: people trying to be different is what makes them exactly the same as everyone else. The book shouldn't have any text to avoid bias, just an explanation of the purpose of the book about how despite the good and bad design decisions they all look the same, they don't stand out because designers are not appreciated as they should in order to help business to attract new clientele. This book would be aimed to critical thinkers interested in graphic arts between 20-30 years old. Writing down possible names for the book could help me to get my message across clearly. Names like: Everyone is original (not really), Nothing special in being original (if everyone else is), stand out and blend in, nothing to see here, keep walking, how to blend in standing out, you are original (not really), be unique and go unnoticed.
I've also checked this colour grading tutorials in order to have a consistency in the images throughout the book:
https://fstoppers.com/education/making-color-grading-easy-using-color-palettes-109061
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrD53AJmfEM
I also have checked books like How to, by Michael Bierut (The chapter "How to travel through time), Greeting from Retro Design, by Tony Seddon (to better understand the Art Deco, Art Noveau and Mid-Century modern designs) and Retro and Vintage Design, by Lisa Hayek (which shows vintage products that can be a source of inspiration for the book).
Concept 1 - Time travelling using typeface
The first season of Stranger Things is a very good example of how just the music, colours and typefaces can take one to another time, when we were younger. It's a TV show that takes advantage of the nostalgy of the audience in order to sell their product. If that's their goal, they are doing a great job.
Something similar could be done with the photographs taken in Salamanca. A publication mainly focused on typefaces should appeal older audiences. Despite the bad connotations the times of Franco's dictatorship might have, usually people can't have their nostalgy feelings under control when they are exposed to the charms of old packages and logotypes, and to certain extent to typefaces that were used in certain time and place.
In order to achieve this, an old looking publication (not sure what kind yet) with an appearance of the 40-60's could very well fit this purpose.
After the talk I was suggested by John Watters to check the designer Louise Fili, specialised in retro packaging.
This concept has one possible derivation in Concept 3.
Concept 2 - The good, the bad and the ugly
This would be an ironic guide book of how to succesfully choose typeface to design anything in Salamanca. This would be done pointing out the lack of originality and variations there are in the city.
As most of this design decision are based on conservative lifestyles, it could be a good opportunity to make jokes about how difficult for that part of Spain is to evolve and be daring with design, if there's even a proper designer behind these sign boards. Designers doesn't seem to be taken in consideration in those areas (Comic Sans is everywhere) and complaining about how careless and dirty some places look because of its design it's not a topic people talk about. Some of them are vintage, but because of a perpetuation of what everyone around is doing instead of being a justified design decision.
I think this publication should be cheap to produce. It is not the type of publication to be given away (like tourists leaflets), but to make people aware of something. A critique is made to be heard and spread, not for the people willing to spend an important amount of money on a book.
It would be a visual publication, but not something meaning to be visually pleasant. It would have to be in a size that doesn't convey greatness (full bleed on big paper size usually appeals to the contemplation of a picture). It is a critique of what's in the pictures, so it needs to be somehow mocked.
The target audience for this book would be Spanish young people with political opinions towards the left wing. In Spain there's a lot of criticism from both wings to each other. It's something that never dies and focusing on design to appeal younger generations and artists it could potentially change the way Salamanca looks.
I would also explain that the book is intended to critisise bad design based on conservative and originality lacking choice, and not old design per sé.
Edit 1: Make a publication about the beautiful side of using old typeface and the ugly one separately, so it wouldn’t be such a negative publication. Showing a contrast would also increase the effect of both sides.
Concept 3 - Guide to travel in time in Salamanca
This is an extension of the Concept 1. I don't want to mix this two concepts, as the first one might derive in something different I might consider.
This would definetely be a publication for a Spanish older audience or that audience who is specifically interested in history, which is not strange at all, since the main attraction of this city is its history. It would fill a gap I think is in the market, which is the connection between history and typeface in Salamanca. This kind of things are what give personality to a city or a country.
Talking to my girlfriend (who is from Salamanca) about this project, I was trying to explain her how I need to produce a publication informed by the content of it. After speaking about it for a while, she said that it'd be nice if the publication is called "Al pie de la letra", which is "Down to a T" or "To the letter". Both in English and Spanish it means to perfection, but it is actually a pun. It's a saying everyone uses, but with the purpose to emphasise the typeface. Besides, "Al pie de la letra" literally means "At the feet of the letter". It was then when I realised I could design some kind of touristic guide to move around the city in order to visit these spots which are not the main attractions, but the fact that they are a physical proof of a more recent period of history and it's more than likely that most of them are going to be removed at some point (as soon as the owners decide to update their signboards or the owner changes) it has an additional value to it, as it is somehow ephemeral.
This publication should be easy to carry for both Spanish audiences and foreign tourists. Also, it needs to be free, so it needs to be cheap and financed by publishers. It should be a publication that makes audience realise about how some texts and signboards in the city take you some decades back.
Talking to my girlfriend (who is from Salamanca) about this project, I was trying to explain her how I need to produce a publication informed by the content of it. After speaking about it for a while, she said that it'd be nice if the publication is called "Al pie de la letra", which is "Down to a T" or "To the letter". Both in English and Spanish it means to perfection, but it is actually a pun. It's a saying everyone uses, but with the purpose to emphasise the typeface. Besides, "Al pie de la letra" literally means "At the feet of the letter". It was then when I realised I could design some kind of touristic guide to move around the city in order to visit these spots which are not the main attractions, but the fact that they are a physical proof of a more recent period of history and it's more than likely that most of them are going to be removed at some point (as soon as the owners decide to update their signboards or the owner changes) it has an additional value to it, as it is somehow ephemeral.
This publication should be easy to carry for both Spanish audiences and foreign tourists. Also, it needs to be free, so it needs to be cheap and financed by publishers. It should be a publication that makes audience realise about how some texts and signboards in the city take you some decades back.
Concept 4 - Salamanca Retro
A historical timeline throughout photographs of typefaces contextualised. In this format, the photographs should have a correct colour grading in order to convey the feelings from other times and it would be very visual, so it would have to be a big publication (maybe a cofee table book or something similar), as it is something to visually enjoy.
Concept 5 - Shopping in Salamanca (set in the past)
A catalogue of some kind that shows the shops that can be found in Salamanca. In order to add more depth, it could be designed like any other catalogue of the 40's and 50's. Although, this is a quite vague concept, amongst other things, because not all the pictures I have are of shop signs.
Concept 5 - How people from the past used to see the future
This would be a very interesting approach, but I don't see how I can relate the idea of "future" with the pictures I have and the type of design I have registered.
Feedback:
After speaking to Simon about these ideas he also suggested that in order to keep it free and feasible I should consider including a space in the publication for advertising.
The feedback session helped me to identify what idea was the right one in order to make an interesting publication. This was thanks to the questions others made, like: "Are you political?".
The most interesting ones were:
- I can make something visual, but that looks cheap on purpose... like pointing out that one can be original without expensive resources.
- Make it in two languages, despite it is mainly for Spanish audience. This shouldn't be a problem, because the book won't have much text.
- Use a book cover already done (pointing out lack of creativity). Or maybe do all the opposite, and do something that doesn't look like a book at all.
After this feedback, I realised that if I want to carry the concept 2 I probably need to focus on bad design (apparently made mostly because the designers don't have the credit they should in places like Salamanca or maybe because they do what everyone else do, and in a conservative place like that it's not nice to stand out too much).
After having a chat with Nick he gave me very valuable feedback that I think takes this project to a more suitable path for me. After explaning my project to him, he pointed out that there's no lack of originality. That actually, the owners of those stores actually think they are standing out when they are doing more or less the same as everyone else. This is because the designers are not taken in consideration, and sign boards are made by non-designers. They are just regular people with the resources and they are asked to make a design that stands out with this and this colour and hey, don't forget the big text! This is something I've noticed many times in the past: people trying to be different is what makes them exactly the same as everyone else. The book shouldn't have any text to avoid bias, just an explanation of the purpose of the book about how despite the good and bad design decisions they all look the same, they don't stand out because designers are not appreciated as they should in order to help business to attract new clientele. This book would be aimed to critical thinkers interested in graphic arts between 20-30 years old. Writing down possible names for the book could help me to get my message across clearly. Names like: Everyone is original (not really), Nothing special in being original (if everyone else is), stand out and blend in, nothing to see here, keep walking, how to blend in standing out, you are original (not really), be unique and go unnoticed.
I've also checked this colour grading tutorials in order to have a consistency in the images throughout the book:
https://fstoppers.com/education/making-color-grading-easy-using-color-palettes-109061
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrD53AJmfEM
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