GRAPHIC DESIGN V/VI - GRA 401/402: (GRA 401) PROJECT 2

Today, in the age of desktop publishing, we are surrounded by numerous examples of books, magazines, newspapers and other visual media; pages and pages of text and image designed by professionals to create a bright and beautiful way to zero information content. Editorial design has become content without meaning, smartly done up to use combinations of pictures and type so that words become decorative and text merely a component in a visual look.

For once, the students as designers are asked to be both the author and the designer of a book. The aim of this project is to author a work from its contents to its design. Since the students determined all the components of this work, it is called a "designer’s book".

Research, compilation, design and execution are among the essential steps they needed to take in this project.
The first phase required them to find a ‘topic’ and make an extensive research on it. For a topic, they could select any subject which they find interesting and worth for studying. The students tried not to be very individual or very general, so that they could limit their research. Also, they considered their topic’s appeal for the audience. How would it communicate itself and what kind of an effect it would create, if their work is published and placed on a shelf in a bookstore.

When they decided on their topic, you compiled their research materials: illustrations, photographs, drawings, articles, your writings, poetry etc. Once they had their material ready, they started working on their format and layout.
Finally, after the students completed their design, they were expected to execute it as a 3D prototype: folded, bound and ready for use.