Book Lung: The Living Book by Adrian Gauci

BOOK LUNG THE LIVING BOOK ADRIAN GAUCI

Introduction 5

The Authentic, the Mass-Produced, and the In-Between 6

Exploring the Book as a Product 6

Book Form: A Brief History 9

Origins 9

Gutenbergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Movable Type 10

The Contemporary Book 13

Digital vs Traditional 15

The Book as a Sculpture 16

The Book Cover 18

What is Reading? 23

Traditional Reading 24

Writing 26

Feed 28

Pop-up & Sculptural 30

Quest

Reading for different age groups and social positions

Time

Class

Destruction 32

Attracting the Unattracted 42

The Language Question 44

Book on a Budget 46

Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Books 48

Conclusion 50

Sources, Imprint 52

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Integer porta, magna sit amet porttitor cursus, lectus tortor lacinia diam, ultricies cursus magna risus ut sapien. Aenean eget justo a turpis adipiscing tempor. Phasellus ut leo sapien. Pellentesque eu diam id augue commodo euismod. Aliquam molestie ipsum eu neque euismod imperdiet. Nunc ultrices accumsan arcu sit amet mattis. Quisque rutrum diam vitae dolor tempus ac hendrerit tellus tempus. Nam vestibulum, felis ut luctus mollis, enim nulla rutrum justo, et dapibus tortor lectus nec dolor. Nullam at leo metus, dignissim condimentum risus. Proin augue mauris, accumsan vel sagittis id, vestibulum sit amet lorem. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Pellentesque facilisis viverra magna, a varius augue hendrerit ac. Suspendisse magna felis, elementum eu luctus nec, venenatis et libero. Sed scelerisque lacinia ligula, eget suscipit nulla vulputate sit amet. Aenean viverra semper ligula, ac ultricies urna placerat quis. Fusce adipiscing, erat vitae luctus mattis, nisi nibh accumsan libero, a rhoncus turpis metus ut velit. In enim augue, lobortis id fermentum ac, feugiat eget nibh. Integer posuere facilisis lectus, ut tempus lorem tincidunt at. Proin libero lacus, facilisis eget interdum et, luctus in velit. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Etiam vitae ipsum arcu, et placerat erat. Vestibulum tempus mattis quam, ut accumsan metus fringilla in. Fusce viverra convallis nulla, non dapibus mauris tempus et. Etiam vel orci eget odio aliquet fringilla sed non erat. Aliquam vitae cursus tellus. Vestibulum id eros vitae ligula vestibulum condimentum. Morbi molestie dapibus nisi. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Nam aliquet nisl in quam congue vitae sodales arcu facilisis. Nam fringilla pellentesque nulla eu blandit. Maecenas adipiscing magna vel arcu mattis mattis. Etiam tristique magna quis augue hendrerit vitae dapibus risus hendrerit. In sagittis volutpat velit, vel feugiat lorem placerat a. Fusce cursus risus interdum eros bibendum sed lobortis mi interdum. Proin lobortis rutrum dictum. Phasellus aliquet eleifend nisi, ut hendrerit sapien pretium eget. Donec egestas augue eu augue imperdiet a pellentesque sem accumsan. Aliquam arcu est, vulputate sit amet porta vel, condimentum consectetur mauris. Donec vel sem est, sed tristique nisi. Praesent lacinia dapibus tristique. Phasellus porttitor eros ac arcu sagittis cursus. In sit amet ipsum nibh. Praesent posuere mauris eget nisi mattis congue. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Maecenas non sem at mauris ultrices blandit. Mauris diam massa, sagittis sit amet egestas ac, rutrum vel nibh. Proin volutpat leo ac nisl luctus ut rhoncus ligula pharetra. Pellentesque eu velit sed justo iaculis vehicula ut in diam. Morbi tempus, velit sit amet vestibulum porta, sapien libero mattis leo, in rutrum libero odio sed enim. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Nam cursus ante ullamcorper nisi luctus cursus sollicitudin enim scelerisque. Donec suscipit lacus vel velit accumsan in pharetra diam accumsan. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Etiam dolor nulla, fringilla at sagittis non,

Introduction The idea of a book evolved through the need for information

two main communication methods in book design that are being utilised

communication, and this usually involved the important role of the

for this purpose, these being digital and traditional media. This study

reader. An important consideration that continues to be made by a book

will explore both forms in some depth in order to address contemporary

designer therefore is the reading manner, which can take many forms,

issues in book design and to seek to fulfil the readerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs.

and is intended to enhance the readerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience of a text. There are

The Authentic, the Mass-Produced, and the In-Between There are mainly two distinct types of books: on one side there is the

On the other extreme side, there is the single conceptual one-off piece.

book that is objectively made for mass-distribution; and on the other the

These books are the pinnacles of book design. They often step in the art

book that is made as a conceptual one-off piece.

section because of the way they are done, and since design follows art it tends to show us where the bookmaking industry is heading. These

The mass-produced book’s main aim is to be sold or delivered to

books are mainly made for conceptual reasons, ranging from prototypes

the greatest number of people possible. To do this it needs to have

to artists’ books. They are unique in their own right and tend to be more

a specific audience and a good marketing strategy. The marketing

liberal, adventurous, and playful, in both their design and content. This

strategy might affect how the book will be designed. A mass-produced

shift in content and design creates a visually stimulating engagement

book should be cheap, hence lower production costs are a necessity. To

with the reader, which makes it far more effective in projecting its

keep this production cost to a minimum, designers opt for existing and

content from other traditional print media.

low-cost technology. These one-off prints tend to be of a much higher production cost than These types of books are the most common you can find on a bookshelf,

their mass-produced counterparts, but their value in research and new

and if placed on a bookstore shelf, they need to compete with other

outlooks on book design may change the whole idea of a book and

similar titles. Thus, a focus on the main selling point of a book – the

how it is made.

book cover – is prominent. Paperbacks are the main type of books that fall in this region. These books usually contain writings and literature.

There is no right or wrong way of dealing with the design of a book. Most

These books are considered some of the simplest books to physically

books find a balance between these two extremes. For example, a book

produce, not because they are of lower quality, but because their

needs to go into mass production, but to sell out it needs to have that

content – or text for reading – made them so.

extra something that sets it apart from its competition.

Exploring the Book as a Product A book can be seen and appreciated in many ways. Living books do not exist in a vacuum, they have a life of their own. With contact, they can affect a reader with their form and content. A book can be studied and evaluated in 3 main aspects: the material, form, and process in which it was constructed; the organisational elements of the content; and most importantly, the impact it has on the time and society in which it exists.

the mass-produced

the in-between

the authentic

clay tablet

papyrus

scroll

SPQR

codex

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Aliquam velit sapien, gravida non mollis nec, pretium non purus. Suspendisse mi turpis, ultrices a laoreet eu, mollis tincidunt metus. Suspendisse condimentum consectetur iaculis. Donec semper mi eu mauris eleifend hendrerit. Sed libero magna, semper eget tincidunt vel, laoreet eu eros. Aliquam pharetra justo eget velit lacinia nec tincidunt nisi malesuada. Aliquam nec sem magna. Suspendisse justo felis, consectetur et pellentesque sit amet, iaculis nec ligula. Nullam vulputate, eros non congue rhoncus, leo justo venenatis odio, id auctor nisi turpis non sapien. Nullam sit amet magna vel dolor malesuada condimentum sit amet et massa. Vivamus quis erat et nisl convallis elementum id non odio. Nulla egestas mattis ante, pharetra consequat orci mollis sed. Donec imperdiet est vitae purus pretium fermentum adipiscing libero luctus. Integer imperdiet, purus vel dictum facilisis, justo lectus cursus metus,

manuscript

computer tablet

Book Form: A Brief History Origins Writings and stories in ancient times required to be preserved for future

Illuminated manuscripts emerged in the 4th century. Manuscripts, from

generations. The very first portable material used to hold text were clay

Latin, means â&#x20AC;&#x153;hand-writtenâ&#x20AC;?. It was speculated that the manuscript

tablets, found in Mesopotamia. Text (or images) was marked on moist

form derived from the Codex, and happened as a means of separating

clay which was then fired to get dried. Clay is an everlasting material but

Hebrew scrolls from Christian text. Although the illuminated manuscripts

takes too much space, is brittle, and is heavy to carry around.

were made for spiritual meaning and a meditational process for monks, by 1423 the first known printed cover was produced.

Papyrus was the next major invention. Made out of marrow from stems, it was a flexible material which could be rolled up. Because it was a very precious material, it was used only by the rich and elite people of the Egyptian society. Papyrus scrolls were usually made up using numerous sheets pasted together forming a long sheet. Papyrus was eventually replaced by parchment, a material made out of animal skin.

The form of the scroll eventually evolved into the Codex. The Codex introduced page numbers, contents pages, and the ability to bookmark the pages. Also, the new format helps the medium stay flat on a table. The Codex originated from an unrolled version of the scroll. Eventually scrolls were folded into an accordion format, making it look like a traditional book.

Gutenberg’s Movable Type What made books mainstream? What was needed for the book to

The book cover became a regular feature with the help of new typefaces.

become an object for the citizen? Books in those times were made

Books started to become commercial and the book cover started to be

especially by crafted people; usually having specific groups of people

given more importance because of its position on the bookshelf.

just for the craft of binding the pages together for example. One of the most time consuming elements of the book production though is the

The introduction of packaging, advertising, and publishing industries

printing of the pages. Books before used to either be filled by hand

fuelled the need for typefaces and graphic design as a job. The book

(manuscripts), or printed using woodblocks. Although woodblock printing

became a carrier for new typefaces during that time and the book cover,

is similar to today’s offset printing, it was very difficult to produce. For

being a package design for the book, flourished.

each page, a specific woodblock was needed. Each woodblock would be made entirely by hand, engraved word by word. Also, woodblocks were

Note that Sans-Serif typefaces were also introduced in about this

not very robust for a high number of printed elements.

time which gave a fresh breath to book design. These typefaces were being promoted by the Futurists and Constructivists because of their

The modern era of book making and printing was established with the

futuristic and bold look, and were becoming increasingly popular by

invention of movable type by Johann Gutenberg in 1450. The invention

finding themselves on the book cover itself. Propaganda and manifestos

consisted in the combination of three inventions, namely the printer’s

fuelled the typeface industry, together with the book design itself.

ink, the type, and the press. The production of books was still expensive but the time taken to produce was drastically reduced.

Jan Tschichold’s collection of essays written between 1941 and 1975, “The Form of the Book - Essays on the morality of good design”,

The movable type’s secret was the introduction of separate characters

condemned and criticized the bad use of page design during that

for each letter of the alphabet. Each of the characters was then collected

time. Typography was taken for granted. He produced various options

and arranged as though one were building a woodblock for print. The

for designers to create what he called perfect page ratios. In fact, Jan

characters could be used again without a lot of wasted material such as

Tschichold was noted for the introduction of asymmetric page layouts

the woodblock. This introduced the craft of typeface design. Typefaces

and the prominent use of white space.

removed the individuality of the book since it became a standard. During that time there were not many typefaces to choose from, but these created a platform where the standardization of the type became helpful for those who could not read handwriting.

During the 18th century, less expensive titles were being printed to meet the demands of a growing, literate middle class. The introduction of the steam powered printers greatly helped reach these numbers and cheaper production costs. Also, the Fourdrinier machine helped by producing paper in rolls rather than as separate sheets. The Fourdrinier was invented by Henry Fourdrinier.

Moveable Type

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TUMB TUMB

d Futuristsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; layout and typography

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Jan Tschicholdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s layout and typography

The Contemporary Book Today, books are not dead. They have become an art form. Limited in

The question about where the designer should stop, or better, what the

their forms, book designs are still evolving in both form and function.

relation between content and decoration should be. As said before, the

Although the book may have lessened its importance through time

bookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aim is to deliver its content, thus the book becomes a functional

because of other technologies, it still is a very well respected format and

object. There should be an awareness of the subjectivity in the content

constantly challenges its nature.

and decoration, which gives the book its individuality. Decoration should be made because it is needed, and if done, it should derive from the

Nowadays, the book has become a multidisciplinary way of doing things.

content itself (unless the purpose of the book is about decoration). The two should be evaluated attentively, in a balanced manner, and the

All of these books have to be designed. The designers need to decide

result can be a greater book than ever.

which paper, typography, and cover to use. There are many things to do, and no one way of doing them. It is like an adventure: sometimes you might get lost, sometimes you might get a good job; sometimes a book design will succeed, and sometimes fail. One must keep in mind, however, that the more elaborate the design, the less economically feasible it becomes.

Books should not be merely presented as themselves. The content is what will define them and the book should define the content. The book will form a question and you as a designer will have to find what the question is. Without this question, the book will not deliver its full potential. The book should communicate the content in a sympathetic way, but not attempt to be the content nor reinterpret it.

Digital vs Traditional The constant race between digital publishing and traditional publishing

The demise of traditional media on the other hand has been rumoured

helps both mediums to evolve constantly. Digital Publishing, with all of

since the introduction of the digital age. Despite the constant conflict

its advantages, easily gets distracted or diverted to newer media.

between the two, the book still lives, and the e-book is still looking for its natural form.

The Book as a Sculpture Books, being physical objects, are sculptural objects too. Readers tend to show off their collection on a dedicated section in their house or study. A library may boast its size with the books it provides. The interior design business itself promotes the use of books as part of a room. A room shows signs of life just by a collection. That collection may be a collection of music, paintings, photos, or books.

Jonathan Safran Foer takes his favourite book and shapes it to his liking, creating something completely new from a masterpiece. The book is sculptural, and continually changes as you read it. The book would not work on digital media.

A notable inspiration for this book could have been Brian Dettmer’s book sculptures, where he studies how a book, with its layers of information, can give you a general overview of what it contains when sculpted to reveal the underlying pictures. (This is an example of how art – book art, a very experimental form of art – predefines design.)

◄ To create Tree of Codes each page featured a different die-cut. Worked with Die Keure to produce the book, the designers have been turned down by every other printer they approached – frequently with claims of “this book can’t be made” ringing.

▲ Like music, fashion, and architecture, so much has already be done that you could be copying what someone else has already done. Brian Dettmer takes something someone else has already done, and gives his own intervention to make it his own.

THE BOOK

The Book Cover Books are traditionally stored, sold, or displayed on their side on

E-books still need most of the same processes of traditional book

shelves. In a book shop, only a few lucky ones are prominently displayed

publishing. The e-book still needs to be proofread, adjusted, edited, and

with their cover viewing the prospective buyer. David Pearson, a graphic

produced as a finished product. The e-book facilitates a writer to self-

designer who works on book design, decided to focus on the spine

publish without depending on a publisher. While this may mean more

of the book because of its functionality. His work mostly consists of

freedom of expression through books, its quality may not be as good.

series designs, making the spine even more important than the cover

When an author chooses a publisher to deliver his book or e-book, his

because of its constant layout. Despite the boastfulness of e-books as a

work gets sieved out to eliminate mistakes, and he produces a complete

superior medium, they still mimic the traditional form from the sales and

form of work without having the trouble of promoting his work, printing,

displaying point of view, for example, a wooden shelf displaying books

delivering and all the things needed for a successful publication.

side by side rather than stacked.

Publishing your work in the traditional form though makes the book less prone to errors because of the rigorous testing procedures carried out

The e-book is still in its infancy but it is already showing numerous

by different kinds of people, namely designers, writers, and printers.

advantages over traditional book design. The main advantages of the e-book are the production and distribution of the content. Because it

Digital publishing is looking promising but what about the current e-book

takes its form as digital space, e-books cost much less because of no

reading experience? In order to read an e-book you need a form of digital

printing. Distribution is instant and free thanks to the internet. Mistakes

device â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a computer or an e-book reader like the Amazon Kindle or the

can be corrected easily and instantly by re-releasing another version of

Apple iPad. Although numerous technological improvements are making

the book, for free. In comparison to the traditional book, it takes space,

it easier for one to read off a screen, many still prefer the physical book

weighs, and needs to be designed and printed. Also, if there is an error

for its form, texture, and clarity. â&#x2013;ş

in the book, it needs to be re-collected and republished.

Books stored on their side need to be distinguishable from their competition. A ‘front cover’ approach was used on their spine in this series by White’s Books.

► E-books for now are most popular for text based books, mostly the

Both media have their own strengths. Digital media and traditional

re-release of popular traditional paperback releases. Picture based

books can coexist without affecting each other. Just like when they said

e-books are still in their infancy, but are gaining popularity especially on

the internet will kill books, it just helped change its form.

the Apple iPad. What the e-book devices are doing today is the mimicry of a traditional book. Some experiments though demonstrate that the iPad has more potential than simply copying what is already out there.

Atomic Antelope Ltd. released a form of e-book which they think better suits the iPad. “Alice in Wonderland” for the iPad is targeted for children. It has a storytelling aspect to it where the reader can read the story and interact with the illustrations, but it does not share any features with a traditional book. This type of storytelling has been around since the introduction of the computer, but it has never been put on a portable level such as an iPad. Other publishers still have to tinker with the iPad’s interactive power but numerous companies are already seeing a new way to interact with information differently from the form of the book.

What the book does with form and paper, the e-book can do with graphics, sound, and code. The final form may be something completely different from what we were used to with traditional books.

Because of its different features from a normal e-books, Atomic Antelope Ltd.’s “Alice in Wonderland” is not sold through Apple’s iBook Store. Instead, it is sold as a normal iOS app through the App Store.

What is Reading? How do you read a book? Reading a book is the sole reason for having

Reading a book requires you to interact with it. From the very first time

a book. Each book entails different forms of reading manners. Reading

that you look at a book, pick it from a bookshelf, open the cover, and flip

text is not the only way of reading. Reading a book means to decipher,

the pages, you have already absorbed a lot of information from it. The

absorb, and understand what the book is all about.

size, the texture, the form and the title of the book already set you in a mood relating to what the book is about.

Traditional Reading 24

Writing 26

Feed 28

Pop-up & Sculptural 30

Destruction 32

Quest 34

Time 36

Traditional Reading The most common known action of reading is the reading of a text. The

This focused system makes the book work more like a machine. It

invention of the book in West Asia originated as a scroll. The form of the

should be fast and easy to use; and standard enough to familiarise

scroll, having a long continuous rolled sheet of paper was made that

oneself with the book.

way probably by pure coincidence. Paper was a very precious material, making multiple copies impossible that time. Thus, scrolls were read

Today’s sequential access type of reading is most commonly found

aloud by a person to a group of people. The interesting thing about a

in mass-text applications of books, which are usually distributed in

scroll is that the information written on a scroll is read in a sequential

paperback format due to its low cost. Paperbacks would have worked

manner, making it easier for the reader to read without interruption,

very well as scrolls, but they would have cost much more to produce and

such as when turning a page. During the Roman Empire scrolls faded

store. Paperbacks are notable for their relatively compact design that is

away, giving way to a newer form of book that was more similar to what

easy to carry around. Their counterparts – hardbacks – work basically in

we have today – the Codex.

the same format but have a more robust binding design, often popular with serious book collectors who want an everlasting book.

The Codex, having pages that could be turned around and written on both sides, gave rise to a more economic built to the book. Although it

Also, novels are usually divided into chapters. Chapters are helpful for

sacrificed the sequential access to reading, it introduced the “random

two main reasons: they provide a sequenced storytelling experience as

access” to information. The random access to information helped the

well as a more visually organised structure. The latter aspect refers to

reader to find specific information on the Codex faster and in a more

the designer’s point of view that chapters allow a text to breathe and

organised manner. Through time it became a tradition to offer a ribbon

separate ideas for a better visual reception of the book.

bookmark as part of the book. In these ways chapters place such books in between the original “scroll” The purest form of this random access type of reading element is usually found in registries and directories. Rapid and focused information is the most important aspect of this type of book. Through time, the alphanumerical hierarchy and layout design of these books became natural to all forms of data, ranging from phone books to computerised databases.

reading experience and the “random access” of the Codex form.

Random access through books is transitioning on computers. No longer do you need to search by name. A quick word and a search button will now do the trick.

i say

Writing In certain cases the writing element is more important than the reading part. Back in ancient times when the monks used to make manuscripts, apart from having different copies of the manuscripts, the process was a contemplating act – meditation through writing. For the monks the book becomes a symbol of faith. It is of common knowledge that when a person writes down he remembers more. Not because he has a hard copy of the thing he wrote, but because the mind subconsciously remembers more through writing. This way, the book as a meditation process is not lost. It has merely changed strength to a physical object.

Now that the book has become a mainstream object, what is its position in writing? As a writing process, the book has little to do. The writing is a journey for the writer to “find” himself inside society or to change society. Writing is sometimes used for therapeutic reasons as well.

Scholars and artists consider their first published book as a milestone for their profession. The book as a “statement” of their studies is considered to be of such importance because of the work required to produce it. Publishing a book is no simple matter. The writing process involves backup references, studies, and the writer’s intellect to produce.

▲ Marian Bantjes, tackles many design debates in her book one of which is the use of ornament against minimalism.

► The “Book of Kells” is still a mystery when many pages are missing. Yet, it still inspire many with its intricate patterns.

Feed Another form of writing action is the insertion of information. This action differs from “writing” because here the book is prepared and laid out in a manner that the user is restricted by some rules. This form of books ranges from puzzle books, school work books, colouring books, to others.

Because of the high production value, students sometimes are advised to copy all the text word by word so that they learn more and have the benefit of giving the book away to future generations to use it again. In fact some of these books are not made to support hand written text because of their small spaces to enter the answers required. As mentioned in the previous point (“writing action”), you remember more when you write than when you listen.

Other uses of these kinds of books are puzzle books and colouring books. These require directly insertion of information like numbers, words, or simply colour. These books are usually cheaply produced and sold because of their lack of reusability.

Colouring Books invite the user to fill the book with colour. Nothing will stop you though from using something different from colour itself.

Pop-up & Sculptural The book, being a physical object compared to virtual media, has the

Although it may be as detailed as the featured object (or model), good

possibility of having tactile qualities. The textured paper, the creases,

design can show the essence of the idea involved, using paper (or other

the folds, and other three-dimensional features make the book a

material) in its simple form and stripping down the object involved to its

sculpture in its own right. Its content though is usually flattened to fit on

fundamental shapes.

the page, and therefore the content is not sculptural as the book itself. A perfect example is found in the design concept by Olof Bruce et al. Numerous examples are found in children’s toy books, where the child

of Calvino’s “Invisible Cities.” What makes this example perfect in this

needs to train its senses. Pop-ups, different paper and materials,

situation is not the detail of the modelling involved, but rather, the

holes, thicknesses, and forms make the book perfect for this kind

portrayal of a typical cityscape.

of interaction.

It is limiting though to think that these books are just for children. Adults alike still inherit childlike qualities when viewing these elements. Pop-up elements and origami are still inspiring space scientists in their effective use of space. The book, usually designed to be a portable object, can eventually help display a new dimension emerging from an originally two-dimensional plan.

Olof Bruce et al. of Calvino’s “Invisible Cities” concept for illustrating the book can be classified as a sculptural piece in itself. Paper is manipulated to the extremety of size and folds. This interpretation utilizes paper instead of the original words to describe the cityscapes.

Destruction

What leads to the actual destruction of a book? When a book has lost its

person during the filling up of the book. Diaries change from helping a

fundamental use, that is, fulfilling its sole purpose, the book becomes

person keep track of his appointments to showing other people how the

something else. The destruction of a book does not mean that the book

user passed his year. Journals and sketchbooks change from inducing

has been physically destroyed, but it may change its purpose.

reason, knowledge and creativity, to teaching others what that person has learned.

What does it mean when a book has lost its purpose? Books are made for a reason.

In other situations, the book is merely disposed of and recycled into another form.

When a book has to be filled out or â&#x20AC;&#x153;fedâ&#x20AC;? information, the book is progressively being used. Unless the fed information can be rubbed

Can the destruction of a book become the reading element? Ripping

off, the book will eventually be used up. When it is used up there will

pages off, scribbling, adding pages, adding notes and doodles,

be nothing else to do about it. Assuming that the book has fulfilled its

and changing the form of a book, alters its use. Another level of this

use, like, for example, entertaining or teaching a person, the book has

destruction involves destroying pages to obtain information. This

finished its task. The book dies in its form.

destruction usually only happens once because a book can only be destroyed once; but this asks the readers for his full attention by

Can a book have further use after it has been used up? Each book has

engaging the reader directly with the formation of the book.

to be considered on its own. Different books have different uses albeit having the same use. One book may entertain, teach, induce boredom,

These types of books are not very cost effective because of their

induce emotion, induce creativity, and much more. The progress of all

production costs and the disposability of the books being a luxury,

these can be shown on the book. Therefore, a book may change its use

but they can be committed to low cost paper and binding, and on

from actual teaching and entertaining, to featuring the progression of a

smallerÂ scales.

Notable sketchbooks, journals and sketchbooks have found themselves as pieces of art by themselves. They sometimes reflect the true nature and secret life like this example from Frida Kahloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diary.

Quest Some of the books ask the reader to do certain things. Instructional books are usually divided into steps. Each step asks you to do one specific thing. Without fulfilling what each step asks you to do, you cannot continue to the next step. Some basic forms of instructional books range from recipe books to assembly guides and maps.

Quest books can be compared to a journey. In order to arrive from point A to point D you have to pass through points B and C (assuming that there are no shortcuts).

“Holes, Huts, and Hiding” is a series of books found only at the Stockholm Public Library amongst 500,000 other books. These books are hollow and each contains keys and maps to their designed locks. These keys provide a public adventure to various parts of the city’s underworld and infrastructure instead of simply giving out tour guides. These books provide a real sense of adventure, usually only found in fictional adventure stories.

A form of treasure map but in a book format, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Holes, Huts, and Hidingâ&#x20AC;? reignites the adventure from childhood by guiding you through Stockholm without the need of explorers and tour guides.

12:03 88:88 ampm pm

Time Time in book design involves the reader waiting to obtain his knowledge from the book. Certain actions carried out during one’s interaction with a book may take time. Using time as an element helps the reader pace himself in his interaction with the book. In the same way as a couple take time to prepare themselves for the arrival of a child during the 9 months of pregnancy, time can also give a totally different perspective to the reading experience.

“Well done” is a side-book created as part of an annual report for a food company. The book contains recipes and secrets to various meals. In order to not reveal the secret directly, the reader has to literally wrap the book in aluminium foil and bake it at 100ºC for 25 minutes. This was made possible with special invisible thermo-reactive ink. If done right, the empty pages will become filled with text, and the illustrations with empty plates filled with food. If done wrong, the booklet will burn.

Each book is a different scenario. There is no one exact way of developing a book because each book has different content to transmit.

“Well Done”, a side-book created as part of an annual report boasts its success by creating this book that need to be cooked to be read. Without the sufficient time to cook properly, the ink in the book will not show up or the book would get burned - just like any other meal.

sapien et mi aliquet placerat. Sed rhoncus orci odio. Nullam erat sapien, cursus id fringilla vestibulum, lobortis vitae tellus. Vivamus ultrices magna a ante egestas vulputate auctor massa imperdiet. Mauris tristique mattis ligula, vitae sodales lacus egestas vitae. Donec scelerisque feugiat leo, in fermentum eros accumsan non. Nullam molestie luctus ante nec faucibus. Donec id hendrerit velit. Ut congue consequat eros at consectetur. Curabitur vel elit arcu, in posuere urna. Curabitur volutpat placerat sapien sed sagittis. Maecenas porta nisi id augue accumsan et gravida quam dictum. Pellentesque elementum adipiscing mi, non lobortis dolor interdum sed. Sed magna elit, aliquam sit amet fermentum sit amet, rhoncus in enim. Ut lacinia augue a sapien scelerisque vel porta nulla posuere. Proin vel venenatis libero. Duis et commodo risus. Nulla facilisis metus sed tellus ornare iaculis. Sed eget turpis eros, a eleifend erat. Quisque in nibh risus. Integer porta, magna sit amet porttitor cursus, lectus tortor lacinia diam, ultricies cursus magna risus ut sapien. Aenean eget justo a turpis adipiscing tempor. Phasellus ut leo sapien. Pellentesque eu diam id augue commodo euismod. Aliquam molestie ipsum eu neque euismod imperdiet. Nunc ultrices accumsan arcu sit amet mattis. Quisque rutrum diam vitae dolor tempus ac hendrerit tellus tempus. Nam vestibulum, felis ut luctus mollis, enim nulla rutrum justo, et dapibus tortor lectus nec dolor. Nullam at leo metus, dignissim condimentum risus. Proin augue mauris, accumsan vel sagittis id, vestibulum sit amet lorem. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Pellentesque facilisis viverra magna, a varius augue hendrerit ac. Suspendisse magna felis, elementum eu luctus nec, venenatis et libero. Sed scelerisque lacinia ligula, eget suscipit nulla vulputate sit amet. Aenean viverra semper ligula, ac ultricies urna placerat quis. Fusce adipiscing, erat vitae luctus mattis, nisi nibh accumsan libero, a rhoncus turpis metus ut velit. In enim augue, lobortis id fermentum ac, feugiat eget nibh. Integer posuere facilisis lectus, ut tempus lorem tincidunt at. Proin libero lacus, facilisis eget interdum et, luctus in velit. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Etiam vitae ipsum arcu, et placerat erat. Vestibulum tempus mattis quam, ut accumsan metus fringilla in. Fusce viverra convallis nulla, non dapibus mauris tempus et.

libero luctus. Integer imperdiet, purus vel dictum facilisis, justo lectus cursus metus, vel hendrerit justo lectus sit amet nulla. Pellentesque non diam et mauris rutrum hendrerit. Aliquam nisi ipsum, mollis vel pulvinar eu, hendrerit at dui. Nulla eros ligula, tincidunt iaculis placerat ut, laoreet eget purus. Fusce vestibulum porta lorem sed malesuada. Nam sed quam ut elit malesuada lobortis. Cras justo eros, auctor non sagittis id, consequat eu augue. Maecenas at felis arcu. Etiam eget sapien et mi aliquet placerat. Sed rhoncus orci odio. Nullam erat sapien, cursus id fringilla vestibulum, lobortis vitae tellus. Vivamus ultrices magna a ante egestas vulputate auctor massa imperdiet. Mauris tristique mattis ligula, vitae sodales lacus egestas vitae. Donec scelerisque feugiat leo, in fermentum eros accumsan non. Nullam molestie luctus ante nec faucibus. Donec id hendrerit velit. Ut congue consequat eros at consectetur. Curabitur vel elit arcu, in posuere urna. Curabitur volutpat placerat sapien sed sagittis. Maecenas porta nisi id augue accumsan et gravida quam dictum. Pellentesque elementum adipiscing mi, non lobortis dolor interdum sed. Sed magna elit, aliquam sit amet fermentum sit amet, rhoncus in enim. Ut lacinia augue a sapien scelerisque vel porta nulla posuere. Proin vel venenatis libero. Duis et commodo risus. Nulla facilisis metus sed tellus ornare iaculis. Sed eget turpis eros, a eleifend erat. Quisque in nibh risus. Integer porta, magna sit amet porttitor cursus, lectus tortor lacinia diam, ultricies cursus magna risus ut sapien. Aenean eget justo a turpis adipiscing tempor. Phasellus ut leo sapien. Pellentesque eu diam id augue commodo euismod. Aliquam molestie ipsum eu neque euismod imperdiet. Nunc ultrices

sem magna. Suspendisse justo felis, consectetur et pellentesque sit amet, iaculis nec ligula. Nullam vulputate, eros non congue rhoncus, leo justo venenatis odio, id auctor nisi turpis non sapien. Nullam sit amet magna vel dolor malesuada condimentum sit amet et massa. Vivamus quis erat et nisl convallis elementum id non odio. Nulla egestas mattis ante, pharetra consequat orci mollis sed. Donec imperdiet est vitae purus pretium fermentum adipiscing libero luctus. Integer imperdiet, purus vel dictum facilisis, justo lectus cursus metus, vel hendrerit justo lectus sit amet nulla. Pellentesque non diam et mauris rutrum hendrerit. Aliquam nisi ipsum, mollis vel pulvinar eu, hendrerit at dui. Nulla eros ligula, tincidunt iaculis placerat ut, laoreet eget purus. Fusce vestibulum porta lorem sed malesuada. Nam sed quam ut elit malesuada lobortis. Cras justo eros, auctor non sagittis id, consequat eu augue. Maecenas at felis arcu. Etiam eget sapien et mi aliquet placerat. Sed rhoncus orci odio. Nullam erat sapien, cursus id fringilla vestibulum, lobortis vitae tellus. Vivamus ultrices magna a ante egestas vulputate auctor massa imperdiet. Mauris tristique mattis ligula, vitae sodales lacus egestas vitae. Donec scelerisque feugiat leo, in fermentum eros

convallis elementum id non odio. Nulla egestas mattis ante, pharetra consequat orci mollis sed. Donec imperdiet est vitae purus pretium fermentum adipiscing libero luctus. Integer imperdiet, purus vel dictum facilisis, justo lectus cursus metus, vel hendrerit justo lectus sit amet nulla. Pellentesque non diam et mauris rutrum hendrerit. Aliquam nisi ipsum, mollis vel pulvinar eu, hendrerit at dui. Nulla eros ligula, tincidunt iaculis placerat ut, laoreet eget purus. Fusce vestibulum porta lorem sed malesuada. Nam sed quam ut elit malesuada lobortis. Cras justo eros, auctor non sagittis id, consequat eu augue. Maecenas at felis arcu. Etiam eget sapien et mi aliquet placerat. Sed rhoncus orci odio. Nullam erat sapien, cursus id fringilla vestibulum, lobortis vitae tellus. Vivamus ultrices magna a ante egestas vulputate auctor massa imperdiet. Mauris tristique mattis ligula, vitae sodales lacus egestas vitae. Donec scelerisque feugiat leo, in fermentum eros accumsan non. Nullam molestie luctus ante nec faucibus. Donec id hendrerit velit. Ut congue consequat eros at consectetur. Curabitur vel elit arcu, in posuere urna. Curabitur volutpat placerat sapien sed sagittis. Maecenas porta nisi id augue accumsan et gravida quam dictum. Pellentesque elementum adipiscing mi, non lobortis dolor interdum sed. Sed magna elit, aliquam sit amet fermentum sit amet, rhoncus in enim. Ut lacinia augue a sapien scelerisque vel porta nulla posuere. Proin vel venenatis libero. Duis et commodo risus. Nulla facilisis metus sed tellus ornare iaculis. Sed eget turpis eros, a eleifend erat. Quisque in nibh risus.

Reading for different age groups and social positions Through time, the design of books evolved mainly in 2 different aspects:

What is powerful about a book though is that it can change a society with

technology and society. The former, technology, provides the means for

the information it carries. The book started to be of great importance

a book to be produced in its form, content, and price; and the latter,

during times when printing became feasible to produce in large numbers.

society, provides the theme, subject, and content for the book.

With an emerging middle class during the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s, printing became a major pillar in the development of society.

These 2 aspects move hand in hand together to form the book, usually creating a definition of society itself. The cultural aspect of a book defines a society by means of the bookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s method of collecting and keeping track of everything happening around it.

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Class The ground breaking introduction of “Encyclopédie, ou, Dictionnaire

In today’s society, though, things have changed. Lower class people are

raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers” (1751-65) (or, “Complete

usually uninterested in reading and are left uneducated by books. What

encyclopedia or dictionary of science, arts, and crafts) described and

if you provide them with books that are easy and interesting for them

illustrated most of the trades and their secrets of that time. The art

to read? Different people have different needs, and no single book can

critic and philosopher Denis Diderot’s aim was to produce an account

fulfil their various requirements.

of trade processes for future generations. Although only 15% of the population in that era could read, the book became a bestseller.

With the introduction of such books, many publishers started to republish old works mostly from manuscripts for the amateur part of the society who needed manuals on certain materials, manufacturing processes, or skills. Cheaper printing and hand-coloured engravings could teach the middle class to easily make bread, hats, wine, sugar, cloth, glass, and other numerous objects with the help of illustrated diagrams. The book stopped being a novelty, and became a major source of education for the society.

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The effects of the Industrial age introduced cheaper book production. “Encyclopédie, ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers” listed, described, and illustrated trades and their secret of that time. Craftsmen were enraged with this publication because their skills were at risk. This further shifted crafted objects towards the machines rather than specialised individuals.

Attracting the Unattracted The culture of reading books should be nurtured from childhood.

Visually impaired people already have Braille as their language. This is

Creating books for those who can’t read, or better, don’t want to read,

possible only because of their sense of touch. What if you use textures

creates a challenge for book design. Knowing how to read nowadays has

other than Braille? What if these books would engage these people with

become a compulsory thing, yet the appetite for reading can be lacking.

the rest of their senses? Sound and smell can already enhance the

With good design one can be urged on to reading a book. Being a child

possibilities of a more interesting book. (Taste was neglected because it

or an adult, reading should be fun, easy, and instructive.

is not hygienic to taste your book).

For all those who don’t want to read, books should be designed in a way to help them read. Enlarging the font sizes for visually impaired people, or simply using an interactive approach are a few of the endless possibilities.

Ktieb

Book

The Language Question Different societies have different needs. Malta, for example, is having

“The Best of Wim T. Schippers” is a book that can easily be an inspiration

trouble solving problems with bilingualism. Bilingualism in Malta is not

for solving this phenomenon. Having Dutch origins, the author, Harry

just a matter of having Maltese and English as languages; in Malta it has

Ruhé, decided to overlay his text in 2 languages, Dutch and English.

become a way to divide the country between those who use Maltese as

Using an optical illusion with the help of Schnippers panache, the text

their main language and those who use English. Eliminating the Maltese

could be read accordingly with the help of coloured transparent sheets.

language because of its limitations is not the best of options. Malta is

While it may not be the best possible solution for long reading texts,

not living in a vacuum. What language should be used in a bilingual

the overlay effect gives the text a distinctive look, makes efficient use

country? What language should be given prominence and priority on

of space of the page, solves the bilingual problem, and renders the

the displayed page? Should Maltese be the first language to show up or

reading experience a creative and playful one.

should it be English?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Best of Wim T. Schippersâ&#x20AC;? is a bilingual book utilizing the same technique used in stereoscopic 3-dimensional imagery to generate text in both English and Dutch. This technique can save up precious space in printed media while still mantaining an interesting and mysterious way to read the words in different languages.

Book on a Budget Creating the perfect book for every situation requires a lot of money to

The artist by the name of Heuberger produced this rudimentary book

invest in research and production. But what happens when the cost of

out of 1 folded sheet of A2 paper. This was possible with the use of

the book becomes one of the main factors in deciding whether the book

silk-screen printing in which he printed all of the pages at once and then

should be produced or not? People usually opt for leaflets and brochures

folding it by hand.

to promote their thing. What if they use a book? The book should cost little to produce to reach a wider audience with lower expenses.

Although these kinds of simple book designs are very handmade friendly, producing this book by machine is even faster but will reduce its

Many independent artists and writers often tend to opt for the DIY

value. The same principle of handmade goods that happened during the

approach. Printing and binding your own book is not easy but you have

Industrial age by William Morris applies here. Handmade objects can

full creative control over how the object will look and feel. It would also

have an edge on other industrialized goods; for example, a handbound

come cheaper, has a distinctive look, and it gives you pride in having

book is usually of better quality as well as being authentic.

produced something yourself from start to finish.

Made from 1 folded A2 sheet of paper, artist Heuberger may not be the first to produce something simple of this kind. The zine culture promotes self-publishing, representing freedom of expression done at home with limited supplies.

Children’s Books One of the most challenging aspects of book design is the creation

Who does actually use the book then? It is called the “children’s book”

of a book for children. As Bruno Munari says: “Knowing children is

because it is aimed at the children but parents are a substantial part

like knowing cats. Anyone who doesn’t like cats will not like children

of the book as well. The parents are the people who buy and read the

or understand them.” Understanding a child’s psychology is the most

book to their children. Therefore, the main aspects of the book – such

important aspect of creating the book.

as visuals and storyline – should be first targeted towards the parents, and then the children.

Age alone plays an important factor in creating the book. Children make dramatic changes in little to no time. A good book needs to cater for

This form of target audience for creating books can be seen with many

this change. A 2-year-old will start showing interest in the pictures of a

children’s animation films, where many aspects and dialogues of the

storybook. A little later, the child will start noticing the story itself.

story are usually aimed at the parents because of their presence while taking their children to the cinema.

Children will notice things like the colours of the pictures, the smell of the book, and other little details. They will not understand certain aspects of the story like love and hate until they are grown up. Also, they will not understand certain marketing and production concepts such as special editions, elegant printing, expensive books, and messy drawings. On the other hand, though, children want detailed illustrations, a very simple story, and visual surprises (Easter eggs) that engage the child due to their high observation skills.

Conclusion As outlined in this study, book design has come a long way. We have also seen that despite the heavy dependence on digitalization in contemporary communication, the role of the traditional book cannot be underestimated. Books have different functions in relation to the demands of the consumer or reader. They are able to fulfil educational and entertainment roles within society. We also acknowledge that books are being shaped by the various social requirements while they themselves shape the thoughts of those who create them. Being under constant development, books can, and will, never settle on one form. The fact that they continue to evolve reflects an important aspect of the nature of book design â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that it is, ultimately, an art form with unlimited potential.

TMIEM.

Sources http://wiedler.ch/felix/books (accessed October 15th 2010)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/briandettmer/ (accessed October 15th 2010)

http://www.davidpearsondesign.com/ (accessed October 15th 2010)

http://www.designhistory.org/books.html (accessed October 15th 2010)

http://www.bl.uk/treasures/gutenberg/homepage.html (accessed November 15th 2010)

http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2008/october/a-christmas-list (accessed November 15th 2010)

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2010/11/jonathan-safran-foer-talks-tree-of-codes-and-paper-art.html (accessed December 15th 2010)

http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2009/october/breaking-the-mould (accessed December 15th 2010)

http://www.philaathenaeum.org/Artbound/intro.html (accessed December 17th 2010)

Matthias HĂźbner, R. Klanten, (2008), Fully Booked, Die Gestalten Verlag: Berlin

Sara De Bondt, Fraser Muggeridge, (2009),The Form of the Book Book, Occasional Papers: London

Philip B. and Alston W. Purvis, (2006c), Meggsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; History of Graphic Design, New Jersey : Hoboken

Bruno Munari, (1966), Design as Art, Penguin: London

Rare Books, London : Sala; New York : Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum; Washington : Smithsonian Institution Libraries, 2001

Imprint This book has been written and fully designed by Adrian Gauci.

To stay informed about any other work visit www.adriangauci.com and his blog on www.adriangauci.tumblr.com

For a free online version of the words visit www.be.net/adriangauci

First printed in 2012.

Copyright ÂŠ 2012 Book Lung: The Living Book by Adrian Gauci All Rights Reserved. Any part of this publication can be transmitted in any form, electronically or mechanically, including photocopy, but with permission and credit.

ÂŠ 2012 Adrian Gauci www.adriangauci.com

Printed and bound by www.Blurb.com