book forms pro cess jour nal rachel suding
bookforms fall 2016
bookforms process journal Rachel Suding
University of Louisville
Hite Art Institute
Professor Meena Khalili Fall 2016
table of contents
bookforms process journal Five Dollar Toy
I. Toy
III. Process
4 6
II. Logo & Packaging
12
IV. Print
28
20
Dutch Designer portFolio
30
I. Initial Spreads
32
III. Process
38
II. Research IV. Print
34 50
Process Blog
60
Final Word
84
the five dollar toy composed of pure imagination
e
just five dollars the beginning of a unique project On the very first day of class, we were given a
But I still wasn't finished. I wanted this little
were to take a trip to the hardware store
so I picked up some green twine to wrap
very interesting project right off the bat. We
purchase random objects that would be used to build a toy for which we would design a
logo, packaging, and a combination poster
and informative booklet. The price limit was
the kicker here—we had just five dollars at our disposal. This project was unlike any that we
had ever received before, and I was feeling a little apprehensive. Building a toy? I thought
to myself. I don't build things. And creating a
logo? And packaging? You could say that I was feeling a little overwhelmed.
Thus began a very nerve-racking trip to Lowes
on a Tuesday evening. I wandered the aisles of the store for at least an hour, unsure of where
to even begin. As I scoured the shelves for the cheapest little pieces I could find, I began to pick up a few ideas. I stumbled upon some
electrical outlet plates and saw eye sockets—this could be used for a face! So, I started rolling
with it. I found some S-hooks to use as arms and a rigid strap that was conveniently shaped as
a pair of legs with feet. Perfect! I already had a little figure for well under five dollars.
6 :: Bookforms Process Journal
figure to be feel homemade and approachable, around the outlet plates. This helped channel a warm, fuzzy friendliness for the character I was
about to bring to life. I was still uncertain about how this toy was going to be put together, so I sought out some electrical tape. I figured it would come in handy for me at some point during the assembly of the toy, as I didn't
quite trust the twine to bind every single piece together. I had a few other thoughts of how to use it as well.
With all of my supplies in tow and carefully calculated, I made a beeline for the self-
checkout. Before sales tax, my total for these materials was $4.90. I must admit that I was
impressed with myself for staying within such
a limited budget. With a solid idea in my head, I headed home to begin sketching, designing, and building my toy.
All of the pieces, unassembled, costing a total of $4.90 before tax.
The Five Dollar Toy :: 7
al was born he totally comes in peace
The goofy little guy I had envisioned came to life by the work of my own two hands.
This creation was formed entirely by my own imagination! I couldn't believe what I had accomplished so far.
I named him Al the Alien, or just Al, as he would become known. To say I immediately fell in love with him would be an understatement.
The Five Dollar Toy :: 9
all about the eyes they do more than just see Al is adorable; there's no denying that. But that
Al is aimed for the audience of ages 14 to 40.
him to have. He is also interactive! Much like a
to help out with any creative slumps the user
was not the only quality that I intended for child's doll, he has interchangeable parts.
In this case, they are his eyes. Al comes with four pairs of eye tabs that can be mixed and
matched as the user pleases. All they need to do is pull out the tabs by the black antenna,
pick their pair, and slip them back into the slots on the top of Al's head.
So, of all the parts of this toy that could be made interchangeable, why go with the eyes?
Eyes are incredibly expressive. They reveal so much about how someone is feeling. A
traditional child's doll would always have the
same expression on its face—they would either be completely stoic, or they would have a
bright smile—and the only parts that you could customize were its hair or clothing. These toys don't really go very far beneath the surface
level, but Al is different. While other typical doll toys appeal to the user's sense of fashion and style, he appeals to the user's feelings, giving him a much higher level of maturity.
10 :: Bookforms Process Journal
He is small enough to fit on a desktop, ready may be experiencing or just serve as a fun little break from whatever project they are
working on at the time. His green color keeps him gender-neutral so that his presence can
be enjoyed by anyone. While Al is technically intended to be for a slightly more mature
audience, there is no reason why a younger
child would not be able to play with him. They would likely enjoy all of the silly variations that they would be able to create by mixing and
matching his eyes and adjusting his glasses.
the preparation
sketches that make for a most humble beginning With my toy built, it was time to create a logo for it that complemented it well.
Every design project starts somewhere. That somewhere, other than ideation, is usually
inside of the designer's sketchbook. I knew
that I would be not be able to produce any sort
the letters into the lenses. Again, too obvious. I figured that playing with the letterforms
themselves would yield some decent results. I
even tried a handwritten script of his name, but it just didn't feel right. I had hit a wall.
of logo for this without first starting small and
To break free from the creative slump, I started
into my head, no matter how outrageous.
with aliens. When I reached the phrase "rocket
sketching out every single idea that popped
Not having had much experience with creating logos, this became one of the more daunting
challenges for me. I am not going to lie—it was very much a struggle. I was making it way too hard for myself by overthinking everything.
As I went along, I started out too close to the toy, initally attempting to play with the shape of
Al. After receiving classmate feedback (which
I had desperately needed, as I was just as lost as Al when he crash landed onto our planet), I quickly realized that going in that direction would be much too obvious.
12 :: Bookforms Process Journal
So then I began to play with Al's glasses, inserting
making a list of words and phrases associated ship," a lightbulb went off in my head...
preflighting it digitalizing the logo
Because I created Al as an alien, his logo called for a gesture to his “background.� Thus, I chose to go in the direction of a rocket ship with his name cleverly incorporated into the body of the ship. But how could I make this happen
cohesively without being too obvious about it? I spent many hours tweaking the smallest parts of the each form. I wanted everything to be set in just the right spot so that it could truly bring Al to life as a real product.
The Five Dollar Toy :: 15
16 :: Bookforms Process Journal
final blast off many iterations later
This is it. This is the logo that made me feel the
To be able to produce something like this really
suggestions from classmates, more adjusting,
as a third-year member of the design program.
magic of Al. It took quite a bit of adjusting, suggestions from Meena, and very small
refinements, but in the end, I could not be happier with how it turned out.
shows how much growth I have experienced Looking back at my previous work makes
it evident. I would have never been able to
produce work of this caliber two years ago.
The body of the rocket reads "AL"—the right fin
The craziest part of this was that it was only a
maintain the balance of the form. The space
the packaging, booklet, and poster.
serves as the base of the L, and the left fin helps between the A and the L gives the appearance
small fraction of the project—I still had to design
of a highlight, helping to bring the form forward in a three-dimensional space. The exhaust
nozzle and flame work together to made the entire form read as a rocket.
An unfathomable amount of hours were put into the design of this logo for it only having been a few weeks into the school year.
Getting to this point honestly surprised me. I had absolutely no idea that I was capable of
creating a logo at all, let alone creating a logo like this. The only times I had really learned anything about logo design were in high
school—and not even that much, then—and in our Foundation Design Methods class.
The Five Dollar Toy :: 17
rock(et)ing out al lives inside of his packaging Keeping with the outer space theme, I created Al's
That night, I took a trip to the craft store and
this little box was more time-consuming than
chalk, ready to test it out on the chipboard.
packaging in the form of a rocket ship. Building it was difficult. I started out with a brown
chipboard box and left the opening end at
the bottom of the rocket so that it would be
easier to retrieve the toy. I also attached a small "exhaust nozzle" to use as the base so that the
box could stand up on its own. As for the top, I
pulled out the tabs of the closed end of the box
I figured that if it didn't adhere well to the
chipboard, I could just draw my own designs
onto the box and use the chalkboard paint on
a different project. Luckily, the paint smoothed
itself onto the box like a dream, and the rocket was ready for custom chalk drawings!
and used extra pieces of chipboard to tent the
The only thing missing from the packaging was
rockets are cylindrical in reality, the boxier
just plain black with no label. To remedy this
box as the nose cone of the rocket. Although
design was more applicable to Al's rectangular form and made more sense in a shelf setting. Finally, I attached fold-out fins to the sides of the box to further establish the rocket ship.
There was something lacking from the brown chipboard, however. The rocket ship was
intended to be Al's home, but it didn't quite
feel finished. During our class critique on our
packaging, Meena suggested that chalkboard paint might be a neat addition to the rocket— that way, it would add even more creativity-
stimulating content to the toy because users
could decorate Al's home without permanence.
18 :: Bookforms Process Journal
picked up some chalkboard paint and colored
the logo. At that moment, the rocket ship was
problem, I created a simple belly band for the
box with the logo and tagline on the front and little stars dotting the sides.
Al was finally complete with accessories, a logo, and packaging! He was ready for the shelves. Now, it was time to take on the final part of
the project: designing an 8-page booklet that could be folded out to reveal a full poster.
bunch o’ dummies dummy books, that is
This is when I learned how helpful dummy books
I ended up making four different dummies with
shape of each page in a sketchbook before
layouts. It was my duty to create three interior
are. They save you from having to draw out the filling in the content. Having the physical form of the piece in your hands helps when you're
trying to actually generate the content for each page and each spread.
For this project in particular, it was especially helpful for the assembly stage. We had to cut and fold our final booklet-posters ourselves,
so it was nice to get a few different models to practice with before making the final piece.
20 :: Bookforms Process Journal
different ideas on how to create all of my page spreads to describe Al and his features, an
exterior spread with as a cover, and a fun poster on the other side of the completely unfolded booklet. I had to think carefully about what I
wanted the user to see first, and how to entice them to keep reading further.
Physical models are so helpful for getting a feel for the layout.
The Five Dollar Toy :: 21
how to begin
create, print, proof, repeat
After the sketching and dummy stage, it was
This was the time for experimentation. I made
most basic iterations of the layouts began with
deleted things, replaced things, received more
finally time to take on the project digitally. The image placeholders and lots of lorem ipsum.
Once those were in place, it became a matter of
carefully selecting which images I wanted use in the booklet and writing the body copy to fill in the dummies.
No initial layout is ever going to be seen in your final product, however. I made way too many
revisions to count. Almost every elelment of my
layout ended up in a different place by the time I finished all of the spreads for good, save for the logo on the front cover.
changes, received feedback, adjusted things, feedback; if you just put this sequence on
repeat, you get a very real picture of the design process. It never truly ends, which is sort of the beauty of it all.
The turning point for me was when I started to experiment with a chalkboard-drawing style
to tie it back to my packaging, as seen on the booklet with the black cover. This proved to
be quite helpful when it came to adjusting my poster...
The Five Dollar Toy :: 23
poster polishing posters are meant to excite you, not to bore you
This poster looks pretty lackluster, right? I
agree. Don't worry, it was not the final version. Al deserved to have his most interactive feature
Printing the poster out and tiling it helped me
figure out if anything was too big or needed its location slightly adjusted.
put on display here, so I decided that I would
I knew that I wanted to keep all the elements
different expression in his eyes. This showed
to make it better—until I started working with
use four different photos of Al, each with a
the versatility and freedom that the user had to customize him. No words were necessary; the imagery spoke for itself.
in the same places, but I wasn't quite sure how chalky patterns in the booklet spreads. That completely changed the entire feel of this poster in the best way possible...
The Five Dollar Toy :: 25
finished, finally
Counter-clockwise, from top left: first interior spread, middle interior spread, final interior spread, cover Right: full poster
26 :: Bookforms Process Journal
subheader
all printed out al becomes a reality
There is something truly joyful about receiving
doing right now, I would have laughed in your
on. Michael Winters of Material Printshop in
I really think that this project accelerated
a printed piece that you have been waiting
Louisville did such a beautiful job with printing our double-sided poster-booklets.
I felt an instant rush of happiness and pride when I met my finished, printed piece for the first time. It only got better as I carefully cut the
slit in the middle of the poster and folded the booklet. On that day of critique, Al was truly
brought to life. All of the sleepless nights, tears, and stress was completely worth it just to see
my growth as a designer. I worked on many
different aspects of design for a single project, including areas in which I feel I have weaker
skills. Throughout all of it, the importance of
sketching—tons of it—really stood out to me. I
like to think that I already know that I need to
sketch before going digital with my work, but this project really brought that knowledge to the surface.
my toy, my logo, my packaging, and my printed
I also realized just how much I am capable of
real. It was unbelievable to think that I had
assembled was a result of my own imagination,
piece all sitting in front of me, looking totally created all of these pieces on my own!
In only five weeks(!), I managed to purchase $5 worth of random items from a hardware store, brainstorm them into a toy, assemble said toy,
design a logo for the toy, create packaging for the toy, and design a booklet that unfolded to
reveal a poster on the back. It is literally insane to me that I was able to do all of that in such
a short period of time. If you had told me two years ago what caliber of work I would be
28 :: Bookforms Process Journal
face. I cannot believe how far I’ve come.
creating on my own. Every physical piece that I my own critical thinking, and my own sheer
creativity. I literally started out with pure nothing and ended up with physical work that I am
very proud of. Having completed this project,
I am truly starting to feel like I am growing and getting better as a designer, and I am certain
that I’m beginning to reach new potential that I had never thought possible.
dutch design portfol breaking intercontinental barriers
ner lio
just choose three three designers, that is
The most preliminary part of this new project
was to go through a list, compiled by Meena, of Dutch designers and pick three that intrigued
reflecting our research; folios; and a timeline featuring noteworthy dates in their lives.
us. From there, we needed to do two things:
The three designers I chose were Sven Lamme,
to them via email so that we could (hopefully!)
Bakker, an object and sculpture designer;
research them and their work, and reach out
interview them for more pertinent information. After compiling the information, we needed to design one spread for each of them that
featured three images, one of the designer and
two of their works; 200-500 words of body copy
a public space and furniture designer; Aldo
and Cécile van Eeden, a jewelry designer. All
images included on the spreads are courtesy of Sven Lamme, Cécile van Eeden, and Aldo Bakker, and can be found on their websites.
sven lamme | 3
sven lamme public space design
top: Zeezucht Zit left: Sven Lamme right: Hoge Zit
Sven Lamme’s career as a designer began with a love for drawing and a disdain for studying. He went to art school to study graphic design, then later decided to pursue 3D design at Hoge School voor de Kunsten Utrecht (HKU). After he graduated, one of his teachers offered him a job at their studio, Scholten & Baijings. He proceeded to open Studio Niels & Sven in 2006 with one of his friends from HKU to start designing lines of furniture but later decided that they were taking different directions in their careers and ended the collaborative studio. He now has his own studio, Ontwerpstudio
Lamme, and does commissions. Lamme is certainly a multi-faceted designer—his talents carry through graphic design, sculpture design, and furniture design to name a few. The work he loves doing the most is design for the public space, and it is currently his greatest focus. When it comes to starting his spatial design projects, he looks to the space for inspiration and begins brainstorming ideas, narrowing them down, and creating a final form. Lamme says that his final forms look simple to the viewer, but his process is much more complex. The pieces to the left are Zeezucht Zit and Hoge Zit. Zeezucht Zit is a sculpture shaped like a buoy in the middle of the wavy landscape of Zeezucht. It is placed in the intersection of three crossing pathways. Viewers can sit on the edge of the buoy like a bench and enjoy the peaceful view of the surrounding trees. Hoge Zit, or “high seat,” is a spiraling staircase with a love seat at the top for viewing the surroundings. Both pieces were developed for the Balij forest in collaboration with landscaper Terra Incognita. They are meant to be both landmarks for the area and seating as a way for viewers to see their surroundings from a unique perspective.
1997
2000
2005
2005
2006
2012
2012
2015
Began studying at Junior Academie voor artdirection en design
Hired for first job, desktop publisher at Valkieser Solutions
Graduated from Hoge School voor de Kunsten Utrecht
Began work with Scholten & Baijings as junior designer
Left S&B; formed Studio Neils & Sven with friend from HKU
Disbanded N&S; independent designer at Ontwerpstudio Lamme
Collaborated with Terra Incognita for Balij forest seating landmarks
Collaborated with Platvorm for museum expositions
aldo bakker object design
Aldo Bakker is not your average designer. He is the son of two designers, Gijs Bakker and Emmy van Leersum, and his upbringing resulted in a permanent state of defiance. He chose to skip traditional education and built his career upon finding his own strengths and following his intuition. His work rejects the constructs of time and trend, leaving the viewer to ponder the functional purpose of the piece. Bakker’s design process is quite different from that of most other designers—they begin from his curiousity of certain forms rather than stemming from an unsolved problem. As he sees forms that pique his interest, he begins to sketch them and brainstorm ways that the form can be transferred into an object. He focuses more on the beauty of the shape rather than the functionality of the piece until the final stages of his work. He seeks out new ways of using everyday objects by transforming them from their traditional forms. By combining diffeent forms, he ends up creating new, unique objects.
1971
Aldo Bakker is born
1998
Glass-line is created
ALDO BAKKER | 3
Left: Pitcher Right: Fat One Bottom: Aldo Bakker
Much of Bakker’s work does not have an immediately discernable purpose; it often takes critical thinking and interpretation by the viewer to reach a true conclusion, but even then, the function of the object may still be truly ambiguous. This is one of Bakker’s goals as a designer—he wants to challenge the user to approach the objects in a nontraditional way. His work is extremely unique in that its forms are familiar to the user, yet Bakker is not attempting to make them identifiable. The true genius of his work resides in his ability to allow for functionality without sacrificing physical beauty. The two commissioned pieces featured here are Pitcher (2014) and Fat One (2015). Each are vessels for holding liquid with nontraditional forms. Pitcher is made of stainless steel, and Fat One is made of pure silver with a 3D printed stainless steel handle. Both have unique shapes that differ from the classic form of a pitcher or vessel, yet they do not follow a specific trend or style, essentially making them timeless.
2014
Pitcher is created
2015
Fat One is created
CÉCILE VAN EEDEN JEWELRY DESIGN In 1980, Cécile van Eeden graduated from the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam with training in jewelry design. Since then, her work has been featured all over the world, including galleries in Barcelona and Taipei as well as museums in San Francisco. She began managing her own shop and gallery in 2000 in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, giving her more freedom with her presentation to the world. Van Eeden’s greatest challenge with jewelry design is making the jewelry accessible to all people, but
it makes its way through special exhibitions in art galleries, jewelry stores, and interior design stores as well. Her jewelry is produced in small batches, giving her greater flexibility to use high-quality precious metals when she designs, namely silver. A defining trait of van Eeden’s jewelry designs are their simple yet concise forms. She dedicates a generous amount of research to each piece so that she can characterize them individually by shape, size, variation, finish, and functionality, to name a few qualities. All of her
jewelry possesses a highly refined and sophisticated aesthetic. The two pieces shown here are sets of wedding rings. The first set is called “Tamino and Pamina,” featuring a classic circular band shape with an asymmetrically-aligned strip along the band with a different finish. One of the two rings contains small gemstones spaced throughout the strip. The second set, “Romeo and Juliet,” are two identical, interlockable rings with a “Z” form. Van Eeden’s rings stand out among traditional pieces without feeling gaudy.
1980
2000
2016
Graduated from Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Opened first self-managed shop in Eindhoven, the Netherlands
Celebrated 25th Anniversary of working in her studio
TOP TO BOTTOM: Ring set, “Tamino and Pamina”; Cécile van Eeden; ring set, “Romeo and Juliet”
CÉCILE VAN EEDEN | 2
totally visual it's research, but in the form of imagery When selecting my three designers from the
Sven Lamme has such a broad portfolio of work.
work that attracted me the most. Aldo Bakker's
the public space, but he also creates a lot of
list, I felt that it was most important to find the
abstract sculptures are so beautiful. He creates
functional pieces, but his goal is to design them
in ways that have never been attempted before. His pieces are very unconventional, but that is what makes them so unique.
CĂŠcile van Eeden designs jewelry, but what is
special about her pieces is that they are often designed in pairs—namely her wedding ring
sets. It's not often that you see a married couple
furniture and dabbles in designing interior
settings. Much of his work is commissioned for others, such as the two red sculptures to the
left. These pieces were part of an installation series for the Balij Forest in the Netherlands.
His furniture and interior spaces are very sleek
and modern but also retain a feeling of organic origin; this makes sense given his appreciation for outdoor design.
wearing matching rings. Maybe they are made
Gathering this imagery gave me some good
same shape or style. Usually they are tailored
prelimary spreads.
of the same metal, but they are not always the to individual taste rather than united as a pair.
Her sets of rings are nearly identical—they take on the same form and same material, usually
with just one small difference. Oftentimes, she
will insert small gemstones into the piece; for a bolder statement, she completely changes the
color while keeping the rest of the ring identical to its mate.
34 :: Bookforms Process Journal
He has designed plenty of sculptures for
ideas on how to go about designing my three
CÉCILE VAN EEDEN
ALDO BAKKER
Each of these three designers creates unique pieces that
have a functional purpose.
Whether they are pitchers by Aldo Bakker, rings by Cécile
van Eeden, or sculpted seating by Sven Lamme, they are all interactive in some way or
another. I liked that they were
all created for a greater cause than just visual pleasure. All images included are
courtesy of Sven Lamme,
Cécile van Eeden, and Aldo
Bakker, and can be found on their websites.
SVEN LAMME Dutch Designer portFolio :: 35
the exchange a matter of hours, or none at all Emailing these three designers was maybe the
first email. It made me smile to think that even
Being a natural introvert, I was a little afraid to
successful and very busy designer like Sven had
most nerve-racking part of this entire project. reach out, so it took some courage.
I emailed each of them three questions of a similar nature, hoping to find out more
no trouble at all replying to an email sent by an American college student.
about their design process, inspiration, and
Right off the bat, I was most attracted to the
were broad questions that could yield a
of the other two designers, so he'd already
beginnings as a designer. I figured that these multitude of responses.
Aldo Bakker's assistant sent me an email that
directed me to the biographical section of his website, which wasn't very helpful. CĂŠcile van Eeden never responded to me. Sven Lamme
work produced by Sven as opposed to that
had more points in my mind when it came to
selecting a designer to continue researching for the final output of the project. The fact that he
was so friendly and willing to communicate was what really sold me.
more than made up for their lack of response,
Thus, I proceeded with a focus on Sven Lamme.
his life. As if that wasn't enough, he also got
piece, which made me simulatneously nervous
however. He was so friendly and open about
back to me within hours of me sending him the
36 :: Bookforms Process Journal
with the drastic time zone differences, a highly-
It was finally time to begin developing the final and excited.
My Email: Good afternoon Mr. Lamme, My name is Rachel Suding, and I am studying graphic design at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky.
Currently in our Bookforms class, we are studying Dutch designers, and we were asked to research a few designers of different media for an upcoming project. I am fascinated by your work, and I had a few questions I wanted to ask you.
1. How would you describe your design process? 2. What is your greatest source of inspiration? 3. How did you get started as a designer?
I am hoping to hear back from you before October 10, if possible. I understand that you are very busy, and I sincerely thank you for taking the time to respond to me! Best regards,
Rachel Suding
Sven's Response: Hi Rachel, When I was young I'd love to draw. I didn't like to study during my high school years so I decided to go to art
school and study Graphic Design. After working at a studio I decided to go and study 3D design at the HKU. After
graduating one of my teachers, that also had his own design studio (Scholten & Baijings) asked me to work for him. I worked there for almost 2 years and learned a lot. Also during that time a friend from the HKU asked me to help him with a design. We decided to start a business named Studio Niels & Sven. We did a lot of work for fashion brands
and other companies. We tried to design furniture lines a several times but had a lot of bad luck with producers etc. After 7 years we decided that we had different ideas about our future so that was it for Studio Niels & Sven. I started Ontwerpstudio Lamme. The things I loved doing the most were the designs for the public space. So now I focus on that but still design and make furniture and all kind of other stuff. Also I collaborated with Platvorm. A dutch studio
that designs expositions for Museums. The work is great, we combine all kinds of media, graphic design and spatial design.
The last years I mostly do commissioned work. It starts with the briefing and I try to sketch everything that comes up. With that you want to get rid of all the clichĂŠ's or combine those to a new form. Then the sketches become digital
and also I start making physical sketches and material study's. With this information I work towards a definite design
with propper drawings and detailing. With the drawings I can start producing. I make a lot myself but also have a lot
of connections at alls kind of companies. In the last part of the process the drawings come to life, that is really great! For the public space I think it is important to use the space as inspiration. I love the work of different designers and
also use that in my work. I also like old stuff. I try to simplify the forms to end up with clean designs. This means that usually it looks simple but it's not.
If you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask. Best regards, Sven Lamme
dummies for days just some more teeny-tiny booklets
Two of my experimental dummy books. The top dummy is the shape that I ended up choosing.
38 :: Bookforms Process Journal
This time around, the dummies were for
figuring out how I would assemble my folio. Where would I make die-cuts? How would I be able to arrange three spreads? That was
the greatest challenge that I faced—it was an intentional parameter of the project.
So I grabbed a pile of scrap paper and a pair
of scissors and got to work. It started out with building smaller 25% scaled dummies and
slashing the paper in random places. This was
the way to get the creative juices flowing. There has to be some order to the design process,
however, so I went back to Sven's work to look for some inspiration. Much of his work was
sleek and angular with an organic feel, so I
channeled this into the shape of my dummy models.
The booklet first unfolded horizontally, then the recto page of the first interior spread unfolded vertically, creating an L-shape out of the
unfolded paper. I softened a 45-degree angle to make a cut from the midpoint of the top of the booklet to the midpoint of the right side
of the booklet, repeating the same cut on the recto of the first interior spread.
Dutch Designer portFolio :: 39
metamorphosis
from caterpillar to blooming, beautiful butterfly Nothing is ever perfect on the first try, and if anyone ever tells you otherwise, it is a boldfaced lie. There was so much trial and error
involved with this project. I feel like a broken
record for saying that because it's true for all
projects, but this one was a real struggle for me. There were so many different elements that I had to create and balance throughout the
entire project. Many tears were shed; many
hours of sleep were lost. I had never been so stressed over a project. But I kept reminding
myself that it was all about the transformation. It was going to start out as a wee caterpillar,
but eventually, it was going to become a full-
fledged butterfly. I just had to be patient with myself in the meantime.
Nothing is ever perfect on the first try.
40 :: Bookforms Process Journal
making space when you take the quote literally I struggled with the placement of this quote
I wasn't immediately sure how I felt about this
quotation marks, but they fought the leaf for
nestled into the space below the leaf, but after
for a while. I liked the embellishment of the
attention in the airy, open space. The quote
felt too heavy for the organic form of the leaf, so Meena suggested nixing the decorative
quotation marks and lifting the quote over the
leaf so that it would also peek out over the top of the diagonal die-cut before it unfolded to this vertical spread.
42 :: Bookforms Process Journal
suggestion. I liked the way the quote kind of
playing around with the position of the quote, I ended up liking Meena's suggestion more and more. It still wasn't quite there, but it made a
lot more sense after I changed out the leaves themselves as well...
Meena's suggestion for the resolution of the quote and leaf debacle.
Dutch Designer portFolio :: 43
Before: A composition made using free stock photography leaves. They're okay, but not quite realistic.
44 :: Bookforms Process Journal
photosynthesis
okay, maybe not literally, but digitally
After: The composition revised using leaves that I picked up on campus and scanned. What a difference!
Dutch Designer portFolio :: 45
not quite there a wrestling match with experimental type While one is designing, it is just as important to recognize failures during a project as it is to
celebrate successes. I had never tried to create experimental type before, but it was another parameter of this project. Boy, did I struggle with this!
My issue with this parameter was that Sven Lamme, from what I had gathered, was not a very spontaneous designer. His forms,
while bold and angular, were quite simple in
appearance. How could I embody this through typography? I was completely stumped.
The image to the right is what I used as a
placeholder of sorts. It was big and bold, but it
was definitely not there at all. I was determined to use this typeface (Rift, from Adobe Typekit) because it represented Sven well to me, so I
played around with moving the letterforms into columns, and it started to come together...
46 :: Bookforms Process Journal
sven LAMME Dutch Designer portFolio :: 47
assembly line after many, many trips to FedEx
I had the paper. I had the final spreads. I was
The third time really is the charm, I guess,
would print them. For the sake of convenience
on my third trip to the print shop. I brought
ready to print. It was just a matter of where I
and saving money, I decided that I was going
to print my finished piece in the UofL art library using my brand new Mohawk paper. Seemed like a solid plan, right?
I was wrong. The printer did not like my paper and wouldn't cooperate with me, so I ended
because everything finally printed out perfectly my final two copies back to the design lab,
hoping that I could muster up enough mental
toughness in order to assemble them perfectly. It was getting late, and I was simultaneously hungry and running out of patience—a dangerous combination.
up driving twenty-five minutes to the 24-hour
Of course, it all worked out in the end. I was
printer accepted my paper without any fuss,
felt like a tremendous weight had been lifted
FedEx Printing & Shipping Center. Luckily, their so I printed out two copies of each spread and headed back to campus, ready to assemble everything in the morning.
Well, anything worth having does not come easy, and if that's the case, my final product
able to bind my final copy with no problems. It off of my shoulders. To celebrate my success, I grabbed some takeout on my way home and devised a presentation. Confidence finally
started to take the place of the stress that had consumed me for weeks on end.
was no exception. It took me much longer to cut and assemble everything than I had
estimated. I went back to FedEx three more times to get more copies printed out after
either noticing small errors I'd mistakenly left in my files, suffering binding fails, or both. In that moment, any little mistake I made became a new frustration.
Dutch Designer portFolio :: 49
50 :: Bookforms Process Journal
finished
shooting the final photos When the reader first approaches the folio,
they are met with large, inverted typography
that is bold yet simple—giving them the same
sort of feeling as they would experience if they
were approaching one of Sven Lamme's larger outdoor sculptures. It feels industrial as well as organic when paired with the wood texture.
A diagonal cut across the top corner revealing part of a leaf invites the reader to open the book and explore what's inside.
Dutch Designer portFolio :: 51
Opening the first fold reveals a small biography and photo of Sven. He was so friendly to me in his response to my interviewing email,
and I reflected this by choosing a photo of him smiling. On the opposing page is my metaphorical imagery: leaves.
A fragment of a quote peeks out from behind
another diagonal cut in the corner, enticing the reader to dive further into the folio.
52 :: Bookforms Process Journal
Dutch Designer portFolio :: 53
54 :: Bookforms Process Journal
Now the folio is completely unfolded, putting Sven's interior works on display. The rest of
the quote is revealed to the reader: "I think it is
important to use the space as inspiration," as he
said in our email exchange. I hadoriginally hung the quote below the leaf, but laying it over the
leaf worked best by giving the spread more air. A subtle timeline descends along the edge of the vertical spread.
The entirely unfolded interior of the folio features a white background; if the reader were to flip it over in this state, they would find a completely wooden background on the other side of the folio.
Dutch Designer portFolio :: 55
When the reader folds the folio back into its original state, they can flip it over to the back of the cover to view one of Sven's exterior
works, Hoge Zit, and look to the colophon at
the bottom of the page for information about paper used, resources, and printing.
This project was admittedly a great source of stress for me because it threw me into a
previously unknown territory, but I am very appreciative of it because it caused me to
grow. I reached out to other designers, broke international barriers, built upon my project
presentation skills, and endured a true printing
and assembling experience that involved quite a bit of trial and error.
56 :: Bookforms Process Journal
Dutch Designer portFolio :: 57
weekly proces blog a collection of reflection
y ss
week one holdout & chris ware
For Week 1, we were asked to listen to two
with the changing world and resist intimidation.
Design Matters featuring Chris Ware.
proven to be a much more different design
podcasts: “Holdout” from 99% Invisible, and
“Holdout” was an interesting listen, telling
the story of Edith Macefield from the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. As the small town
grew more populous, developers wanted to
class than those that I have priorly taken. I am starting to delve into unknown territory and
experience new kinds of stress, but I am going to be resilient with the help of my passion.
build a mall in the same location as Macefield’s
Design Matters with Chris Ware gave me a lot
and they built the mall around her house on
he feels empathy for others and how it impacts
property. She refused their buyout offers,
three sides. What really resonated with me
about this podcast was Macefield’s resiliency
during such a great change. Despite the mass construction going on around her—not to
mention the constantly increasing offers for her
property—she remained put until the end of her life, leaving her home to a construction worker she had befriended meanwhile. Resiliency is a
great example of a trait that a designer should have. The world of design is everchanging,
and it is up to us to adapt when necessary and
remain through it all, just as Macefield did. She could have easily sold out—and she had many
opportunities to do so—but she rolled with the
changes and didn’t let it stop her from living her life. As designers, we must be able to keep up
60 :: Bookforms Process Journal
On a more personal level, Bookforms has
of inspiration. Ware talks about how strongly
his cartoons. “If you feel empathy for a group of people or a nation, you are less likely to
attack them,” Ware says. By including atypical
characters in his work, such as one he modeled after a real-life amputee that he met, he is able to not only reach out to those who go through the same experiences in real life, but he also helps foster empathy in others who may not
quite understand the conditions under which
these people live. It is important to him that his work reflects the true human condition in all its variations, and writing about it helps him learn as well. Listening to Ware describe life—“long periods of waiting,” often with anxiety,
nervousness, sadness, happiness; basically, the whole spectrum of human emotion—gives me
hope. I think that too often, we try to hide the
imperfections of our lives instead of embracing them and powering through them. Everyone
goes through these feelings at some point in their lives; why hide them? As designers, we have the power to evoke emotion in others
with our work. My goal with my work is to give people a window into not only my personal
world, but also the world of others whom they may not have considered. I like to consider
myself very empathetic, and I want to use my
work to help evoke that feeling in others, just as Chris Ware does.
The photo included shows my work-in-progress for our $5 Toy Project. Everything pictured cost me only $4.90 total, and the finished
product is going to be cute and quirky. I went
to the hardware store on Tuesday night feeling completely overwhelmed, not knowing where to even begin looking for things to purchase. I found a roll of green twine, black electrical
tape, two small “S” hooks, a rigid strap, and two power outlet plates. From there, an idea was born; an idea that will continue to grow and
change and develop over the next few days, just as I will as a designer throughout my career…
Image courtesy: goo.gl/j2NssZ
week two
structural integrity & massimo vignelli For Week 2, we were again asked to listen to
Spending immense amounts of time with one
from 99% Invisible, and Design Matters
we become so accustomed with the qualities
two different podcasts: “Structural Integrity” featuring Massimo Vignelli.
“Structural Integrity” described a situation in New York City with the CitiCorp Center, an
interesting piece of architecture in Manhattan. While the building had seemed to be okay
at first, a student that had been studying the
building for a project discovered that it was not completely sound architecturally. In the event of a windstorm, the building would not have
been able to sustain such forces in its corners,
which would have then caused it to completely collapse and potentially kill thousands of
of said project that we do not always notice
when something seems off. Critiques used to
stress me out, big time—I was always afraid that my peers would think my work was stupid or
horrible or wrong. But now, I really look forward to them and get a little disappointed if my work doesn’t get talked about much. Feedback from others makes us better designers. In the case
of CitiCorp, investigation and feedback saved
thousands of lives and a whole city skyline. For me, it shows me what areas I need to improve
upon and helps foster my critical thinking skills.
people while also inflicting extreme damage on
Massimo Vignelli’s feature on Design Matters
the building’s original engineer, and the issue
design challenges that I face. Sometimes
the city. The student actually pointed this out to got resolved before anything disastrous could take place. I can relate this heavily to my logo
design process with our $5 Toy project. When we come up with ideas and start to develop
them further than just basic sketches, it is very important to have feedback from others. A
new set of eyes is going to be much better at spotting potential issues than your own.
62 :: Bookforms Process Journal
project trains our brains in an odd way where
gave me some more insight to overcoming
when I am faced with a new project, I become incredibly overwhelmed. With our current
project, for instance, I was completely freaked out right off the bat. I had no idea how I was
going to make something, let alone something creative and thoughtful, for under $5 from a
hardware store. That was simply not my domain. Despite feeling this way, I came up with an idea
that I really grew to admire. Vignelli talked a
lot about how sticking to the design process will lead you in the right direction with your
work, despite any fears you may have about it. I sometimes start out shaky with new projects, especially ones that push me into completely new territory (re: this one!). But once I start to
get the ball rolling, it rarely, if ever, stops. That’s exactly how I am feeling about Al, my toy. I felt totally lost for logo ideas, but I kept sketching and sketching and found an idea that really excited me.
The top photo shows a comforting workspace: my bed, my Cardinal blanket, and my laptop with the iterations of my favorite logo idea.
I am starting to feel more at peace with this project—not that I am not ready to face any
further tension. The bottom photo shows Al
sporting his “unamused” expression. His eyes are interchangeable and can be mixed and
matched to suit the user’s desire. It truly amazes me how much can be expressed through only
the eyes! I have a feeling that Al and I are going to become best friends by the time this project is complete. (I already love him, if I’m being perfectly honest.) Hard work certainly does go a long way.
Section Title :: 63
For Week 3, we were asked to listen to “The
Broadcast Clock” from 99% Invisible and read the first eight chapters of our textbook.
“The Broadcast Clock” was a great listen,
talking about the structure of the NPR show, “All Things Considered.” I had never really
thought about the structure of public radio—the idea of a timeline and schedule for a single
show had not crossed my mind, but it makes
perfect sense. Each segment has a certain time
allotment with breaks in between for newscasts, advertisements, music cuts, and more. Timing is absolutely critical to the success of carrying out the broadcast; this is emphasized by the clocks and time calculators strewn across the studios. Running late on different segments is not the only issue producers must worry about—it’s
not good if a segment finishes too early within the timeframe, either, whether it falls short by
whole minutes or even as little as 30 seconds. The producers then have to problem solve for a way to fill the remaining space. When I listen to a broadcast, I don’t tend to think
about the process of how it was produced
and structured for the public ear. I am in the
moment, listening to the show and enjoying it.
week three
the broadcast clock & chapters 1-8 Similarly, as designers, we are producing for
textbook I have ever outright purchased
and (hopefully!) enjoys it in the moment, but
of the semester. It is the pioneer of the design
the public eye. Our audience views our work they may not always realize what goes on
process-wise. (Sidenote: I think this is where
the misconception that designers are able to
whip out a final product in mere seconds came from.) Behind the scenes, there is so much that designers do that is invisible to the general public. We brainstorm, we sketch, we plan,
we adjust, we probably cry, we adjust some
more, we finish. But the world doesn’t see all of that; they just get to view the end results. In a
broadcast, every single second is precious, and I think that can be said for the design process
instead of renting and returning it at the end
library I plan on growing within my bookshelf. I love grids, so I think I’m really going to enjoy reading this book over the course of the
semester and going back to reference it later on in my career. The first eight chapters went
over basic grid structures and elements in an easy-to-comprehend fashion—and the book
itself having a beautiful structure itself certainly maintains my interest alone. It is definitely
getting me geared up to start working with my booklet and poster for the $5 toy project.
as well. Having a timeline and setting little
The image to the left shows Al in his final state.
go much more smoothly rather than winging it
for my poster. I’m totally in love with how Al has
deadlines for things helps the whole project
without a plan, and of course, using as much of
your allotted time as possible will benefit you in the end.
Diving into the textbook for the first time
was a great experience. Reading for a class
is sometimes excruciating for me, but that is
It is one of the photos that Meena and I shot turned out. I absolutely cannot believe what I have accomplished in only three weeks of
class—a handmade toy and packaging with its very own original logo! I’m so excited about
what I have done so far, and I’m looking forward to creating the booklet and poster.
because the content does not always pertain to my personal interests. This is the first class
Weekly Process Blog :: 65
week four jessica hische & chapters 9-18 For week 4, I listened to the Design Matters:
me if I can design things for them (and usually
from my Layout Essentials book.
am still trying to figure out how much to charge
Jessica Hische podcast and read chapters 9-18
This was definitely my favorite podcast so far. I felt a connection right off the bat with Jessica Hische because she has a cat named Olivia
Benson, based off of her love for watching Law
& Order: SVU while she works. I just discovered SVU this semester, and I also watch it while I
work. (Coincidence? Maybe.) I loved hearing about how she got to where she is now—she
was overlooked by her choice school, but then
them, if at all. Listening to her talk about her
self-generated projects inspires me to do more of my own projects outside of class. I think I’m
going to keep going with Al, even after we have moved on from the $5 Toy project in class. I’ve
loved creating him and designing for him so far, and I know that I’m definitely going to keep him around for a long time. I may even decide to make him some friends…
she went on to become extremely successful.
Chapters 9-18 in Layout Essentials continued
teacher was skeptical of my skills, but now,
as dive into more complex considerations with
I always felt like my high school AP Studio Art I think I’m starting to prove him wrong. One
of my favorite points that she made was that
student designers need to study design history and gain the actual knowledge of design
processes and styles rather than basing all of their learning successes on the outcomes of
their portfolios. I think this is a very important
thing to consider as a student. When all is said
to discuss some basic grid principles as well
creating grids. All of it is becoming more and more helpful now that I have started creating my booklet for my project. I especially enjoy paying attention to white space—I think it’s
starting to become part of my personal design style. I love having this book as a resource, especially one that I can keep forever!
and done and there is a degree in my hands, I
The photo I have included this week is of my
accomplishments, but if I don’t actually retain
a lot of good feedback comments written on
do want to have a strong portfolio to show my the skills that I have learned along the way, how will I ever be a great designer? Another part of
this podcast that I absolutely loved was hearing
about all of her quirky side projects. Her Should I Work For Free? website is absolutely fantastic. Not only was it hilarious to read, but it was
actually pretty helpful! My friends constantly ask
66 :: Bookforms Process Journal
offer to pay me, to be perfectly honest), and I
printed and tiled poster-in-progress. There are it that I’m going to explore over the weekend. I really feel like I’m heading in a positive
direction with this project, and it’s feeding into my passion and love for design.
week five
revolving doors & chapters 19-27 For week 5, I listened to 99% Invisible’s
public in such a profound way. This truly reveals
27 in my Layout Essentials book.
We have the ability to help solve problems that
Revolving Doors podcast and read chapters 19-
The podcast told the story of Theophilus Van Kannel, a man who had such severe social
phobia that he invented the revolving door in order to avoid the socially awkward moments
that accompany the polite act of holding a door for others. What had started out as a solution to his internal social problem turned out to
be a genius invention that ended up serving a greater purpose. The revolving door was
found to be much quieter than a traditional
swinging door in addition to saving energy—it
also prevented outside weather from creeping into the building while disallowing the heat or
cool air inside the building to escape. Despite
just how important designers are to this world. are bigger than ourselves, even if the solution seems very distant. It’s very inspiring to know just how far my reach extends. Last week,
ESPN’s College Gameday came to Louisville for this first time in our history, and my best friend asked me to create a sign for him to hold up, as is tradition with Gameday. He
ended up making it on national television a few times with the sign and got it featured on their
official Instagram. I was completely floored with excitement. Even small things like that, though somewhat superficial, help me realize how
much of an impact I leave on the world as a
designer, whether it is on a small or large scale.
being such a major innovation, the doors were
Chapters 19-27 in my book went further into
doors for the fear that they would get caught
it more visually interesting. I really appreciate
hardly used. People were afraid to use the
in them or worse, stuck in such a small space
with someone else. (I’m not going to lie; I, too, used to have a low-key fear of getting caught in a revolving door. I have since grown out of
that phobia.) Andrew Shea, a designer in New
grid structure and elements that will help make this book not only for the information it is giving me about creating and establishing grids, but also for the inspiration I feel from all of the example work.
York City, took notice of this issue and created
The image I have included today is a small
messages to the public increased revolving
this for quite a while, but it all started to come
signage to accompany the doors. These simple door usage to 71% from the mere 20-30% that MIT had calculated in 2006. It’s incredible to
me how much Shea’s design work impacted the
sample of my $5 Toy poster. I struggled with together towards the end. I’m super happy
with the final product, and I can’t wait to see it printed out at full-size.
Weekly Process Blog :: 69
week six
maria popova & chapters 28-36 For week 6, I listened to Design Matters
of mine, or something that I feel very strongly
36 of my Layout Essentials book.
from those broader categories: my style evolves
featuring Maria Popova and read chapters 28-
I loved hearing Maria’s thoughts on creativity. The way she explained both of them made a
lot of sense to me. She started off by explaining
the connection of creativity to our own intuition. They are often pattern-based, and they are reflected in different ways across all of the
different aspects of our lives. It stems from what we truly care about, be it things or people,
over time as I gain more knowledge, design-
related or not, and experience more of my life.
Even though my work carries similarities as time goes on, it will always evolve in the same exact way that I do. That is such a bizarre (yet totally amazing!) thing to think about. It definitely
reveals the symbiotic nature of design work—I
am a part of my work, and my work is a part of me.
and this same theory is channeled into our
The chapters I read in my book this week began
quote from her that I particularly admired was,
to work with them. I have a strong feeling that
creativity: we create based on what we love. A “Our creativity comes from all these existing
pieces of stuff that we gather over the course of our lives.” Basically, she explained that
everything that makes up us as individuals, from inspiration to memories and knowledge, can be recombined into new ideas as we create.
to shift focus towards modular grids and how this book is going to become my best friend
over the next week, and that’s definitely not a bad thing. I’m looking forward to beginning our next project and diving deeper into the bookform!
I had never really thought of creativity in this
The picture I’ve included tonight displays
that I prove her theory to be true in my own life.
to Clemson for the weekend with the Cardinal
way before, but I can definitely pinpoint ways When I think about it, everything that I create
carries a little piece of myself within the work,
whether it is my general design style, an interest
70 :: Bookforms Process Journal
about. More refined creative details emerge
tonight’s workspace. After packing up to travel Marching Band, it was nice to be able to wind
down and relax with the podcast and my book. I find it very therapeutic after a long week.
This is what relaxation looks like. (Well, if you're me, anyway.)
Weekly Process Blog :: 71
week seven
guerilla public service & chapters 37-45 For week 7, I listened to the Guerrilla Public
something that is incorrect, minuscule or not, it
chapters 37-45 of my Layout Essentials book.
sometimes. He took the initiative to try and
Service podcast from 99% Invisible and read
I was very intrigued by this week’s podcast.
One day, artist Richard Ankrom was driving
on the 110 freeway in Los Angeles and need
to merge onto Interstate 5 North, but failed to
make his exit. After realizing that he missed the exit because the freeway sign was not properly labeled, he decided to take matters into his
own hands. He made his own I-5 North label
for the sign and took the process very seriously, going so far to look up the exact California
Department of Transportation specifications
online and create the sign according to their standards. He even knocked down the shine
lingers in my mind and bothers me to no end
solve the problem on his own, risking his own well-being, and ended up being applauded
for his efforts. What is stopping me from doing this as a designer? Even if there is a chance
that my solution would not be acknowledged, I shouldn’t let that stop me from trying it out
and seeing what happens, whether it pertains
to a class project, a real-world design problem, or a life scenario. Boldness is something that I want to acquire as a trait, and while I may not
want to go so bold that I break federal laws like Ankrom, I think that there is definitely a reward
that comes with taking risks in both design and life.
on his sign so that it would blend in with
The chapters in my book are growing more and
interstate for a number of years. Then, on a
design, and they are certainly helpful to me as
the smoggy signs that were already on the
quiet Sunday morning, he took his homemade label up to the original sign and installed it
himself, risking getting in trouble with the law.
Caltrans actually commended him for his work
on the sign, although they asked that he would not do it ever again. This story really inspires
me to be bolder in both my design work and my general life. Similarly to Ankrom, if I spot
more in depth with different aspects of grid
I begin to design spreads for our latest project. The image above shows a snippet of an email
I received today from Sven Lamme, one of the Dutch designers I am researching. I was very
excited to hear back from him so quickly, and I really enjoyed reading his responses to my
questions. I am hoping that the other designers I emailed will reply to me soon as well.
Weekly Process Blog :: 73
Saks Heart by Marian Bantjes, courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue.
74 :: Bookforms Process Journal
week eight
marian bantjes & chapters 46-54 For week 8, I listened to Design Matters
work and mission through visuals. This project
54 of my Layout Essentials book.
exactly what Marian stated is necessary for
featuring Marian Bantjes and read chapters 46-
“Wonder is at the heart of my work.” I absolutely loved this quote from Marian Bantjes; she was very interesting to listen to. She started off
as a typesetter but ended up very unhappy with her career, so she entered the world of graphic design. She talked a lot about
how she prefers finding new ways to solve
problems to avoid predictability and make her
viewers think a little more about what her work means. Something she mentioned that really resonated with me is that she sees so much
design work that lacks visual communication— many designers will create pages and pages
is going to be an excellent way to develop
great design work: visual communication. I
think at this stage, hearing her emphasize that
importance is going to help me focus more on that aspect of my work and improve it for not
only our current project but for future projects
as well. I also really enjoyed hearing about her
self-described tendencies to be unconventional in her design work. She looks for unique ways of solving problems, which is something that I want to be able to attain in my own work.
Qualities like that really set her apart from other designers, and that is something I hope to achieve someday.
of text with a few accompanying illustrations,
My Layout Essentials book is going to be a
to one another, they do not always connect
have such a strong resource to refer to as I build
and even though they are supposed to relate quite how they are supposed to. This hit me
as something very important to consider with the next stage of our Dutch designer project: the [port]folio/lookbook. For this project, we need to use lots of imagery to represent our
chosen designer accompanied by only 200-500 words plus a timeline. Body copy is obviously very informative, but with a placed limit, it
is important that we convey our designer’s
lifesaver with this project. I am so glad that I and rebuild my grid for my Dutch designer
lookbook. I felt kind of overwhelmed when we received the parameters for the next part of
the project, but after bouncing ideas off of my classmates (#teamRGB forever!), I am starting to feel more confident. I keep thinking about
everything that I created for the $5 Toy project in such a short span of time, and it motivates
me to keep discovering what else I am capable of.
Weekly Process Blog :: 75
week nine awareness & chapters 55-64 For week 9, I listened to the Awareness podcast
to its other functions, such as honoring a loved
my Layout Essentials book.
one creative idea can bloom so quickly into a
from 99% Invisible and read chapters 55-64 of
The podcast this week discussed the AIDS
epidemic in the 1980s and how artists came
together to bring the movement forward into
the public eye. Patrick O’Connel, an artist from
New York City, joined up with other local artists
huge national movement. This tiny symbol is
now recognizable worldwide, and it has even
been adapted to other awareness movements by merely changing the ribbon’s color (read: pink for breast cancer).
and formed Visual AIDS to create artwork
Until I listened to this podcast, I had no idea
their work in gallery shows and host events for
of the ribbon that I see everywhere today. What
related to the illness. The group would display the public, but what really got the public on
board with the movement was the red ribbon symbol. The ribbon itself was inspired by the yellow ribbons around trees at the time that
were meant to honor those who had served
in the Persian Gulf War, and the red hue of the ribbons was decided upon because it was the
color of blood. The ribbon really began to take off as a movement—celebrities began wearing them at award ceremonies, and it grew in
popularity with the general public from there.
It was such a versatile piece for explaining such a large, difficult topic. People would wear the
ribbons and be asked about what they meant, so it served as an educational tool in addition
76 :: Bookforms Process Journal
one suffering from AIDS. It’s so amazing how
that a group of artists was the original creator really inspires me is that they did it selflessly— they were not trying to promote themselves
through this movement. Rather, they were trying to build awareness for a subject that many
people at the time may not have understood
very well. This is the type of artist that I want to
become. I do not seek fame through my work; I just want to be able to make a difference in this world. I’m not sure that many people actually realize how important artists and designers
are to our society. I hear a lot of people sort
of brush off art majors with the classic phrase, “Have fun getting minimum wage for the rest of your life.” Excuse me? We literally shape
people’s perception with our work. When it
“” I think it is important to use the
s pac e
comes to creating a major movement, such
as Visual AIDS, we are the ones who start the fire. I’ve been gradually teaching my closest
friends, all of whom are music majors, about
the work I am training to do and showing them
as inspiration.
that examples of it are all around them. I wish
that every single person who has ever doubted
the importance of an art degree would listen to this podcast because I think it would be a true
eye-opener. It blew me away, and I am an artist
myself. Imagine how much it would change the perspectives of someone else!
As for this week’s Layout Essentials excerpt, I find it very clever how the chapters I read
on a weekly basis correlate to specifics in our projects. These chapters mainly dealt with
experimental typography which, coincidentally,
is one of the parameters for our Dutch Designer folios. I’m definitely going to keep going back to these chapters as I finish up my project. I
don’t want to call myself afraid of experimental type, but it’s newer territory for me, and I am
still a little hesitant. I think that referencing these chapters will help boost my confidence as I play around with type in my project.
week ten
stefan sagmeister & chapters 65-73 For week 10, I listened to the Design Matters
am creating. Of course, I don’t feel this way all
chapters 65-73 of my Layout Essentials book.
I start to see it as an object that is causing me
podcast featuring Stefan Sagmeister and read
Stefan’s podcast was a pleasant listen. I
especially liked when he went into talking about art as an experience rather than an object. This
is such an important concept for us to grasp as
students because a huge objective in the mind
of a student is what our final grade will be. One
the time; when I start to hit a wall with a project, stress and worry. But Stefan’s words presented themselves as a gentle reminder to focus on
what I’m getting out of the project rather than worrying about the grade I’m receiving or
feeling resentful when I am struggling to solve my work.
major thing that Leslie, Steve, and Meena have
As always, my Layout Essentials book seems
should not care about grades. Yes, everything
my work head-on. Right now, I feel like I am
all stressed to us time and time again is that we we work on for class is attached to a grade. Yes, that feels very important right in this present moment. But that tiny little letter should not
be our sole focus when we are creating in the classroom. The process is what truly matters
most at the end of the day because that is what
causes us to grow as designers. When I entered ART 205 with hopes of admission into the
design program at UofL, project grades were
my top priority—process took a back seat, even though it was still very much a part of my final
product. As I’ve continued to advance through the program, I find myself starting to care
less about my grade and focusing on actually taking in new knowledge and producing my
work from what I have learned. (I could go on for days about how much I hate grades, but
that’s a rant for another time.) As a result, I feel like I am improving on a daily basis while also becoming more passionate about the work I
to target the exact problems I am facing with struggling to create flow and bring the piece to life. Chapter 67, Pace Yourself, says that “layout is storytelling,” and I need to remember this as I tackle my arrangement of text and images.
Pairing the book with the feedback that I got from our 50% scale critique, I think that I am
starting to find ways through the wall currently in front of me with this project. I still have a
moderate way to go before I can call myself close to being finished, but now, I feel like I
have the tools to head in the right direction. The image I have included today is my 50% scale dummy book in front of one of my spreads
onscreen. Physically seeing and holding my
piece definitely helped me figure out what is working right now, what needs adjustments, and what needs a complete overhaul. I’m
excited to keep changing and building this
project, and I can’t wait to see everyone else’s final products.
Weekly Process Blog :: 79
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week eleven
ten thousand years & chapters 74-82 For week 11, I listened to 99% Invisible’s Ten
throughout history thus far, so it becomes more
82 from my Layout Essentials book.
future generations of people will comprehend
Thousand Years podcast and read chapters 74-
Ten Thousand Years piqued my interest in a much different way compared to the other
podcasts I have listened to so far because it
got me thinking more about the language of design rather than the process. The podcast
talked about the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico, the United States’ only center
for discarding nuclear waste. This is where all of our country’s nuclear waste will be stored
forever. A major issue here lies in whether or not WIPP is a good solution to the problem of a necessary storage area for discarded
radioactive materials, but there is a greater
question to pose here. If this waste is supposed
difficult as time goes on for us to predict how such a symbol. As designers, it is our duty to
be able to visually communicate in an effective manner to all walks of life, including lives
that have yet to exist. Connotation is so, so
important in all of the work that we create. It looms over us while we are designing, and I
think that it adds to our careful, precise nature in a way that isn’t noticeably visible in our
process. Our final pieces—if they succeed—will
display the meaning we are striving to convey, but outsiders don’t really see how we get
there. It almost feels like a sub-language that
only designers speak. For me, that’s one of the coolest things I’ll ever know.
to stick around basically forever, that means
The book, once again, is targeting the issues I
for ourselves as well as for future generations.
project—no surprise there. Chapter 74 is about
that it will last from birth to death and beyond The generations of the future are going to
need to understand what WIPP’s purpose is
and the various dangers to human life that are associated with it. That’s when design enters the picture. When a government-organized
panel got together to discuss this unresolved
communication issue, they turned to symbols— the skull and crossbones, namely, per the
suggestion of Carl Sagan. Like verbal language, however, the connotations of symbols can
evolve over time. The symbol of a skull and
crossbones has had many different meanings
feel like I am currently facing with my portFolio interruptions to the grid, which is one of my weak points in my project. Everything is so
grid-heavy right now, and I need to find a way
to break it up a little more. A perfect example is my front cover for my portFolio, as seen to the left. I’m starting to play around with the type,
and I feel like it is heading in the right direction, but I’m going to experiment with breaking that grid in particular. I’m excited to see the end
results. This project has admittedly caused me more stress than usual, but I think that I am really starting to get a lot out of it.
Weekly Process Blog :: 81
week twelve tina roth eisenberg & chapters 83-91 For week 12, I listened to the Design Matters
started talking about work that I was struck the
read chapters 83-91 out of my Layout Essentials
every single day. It’s my happy place.” Same,
podcast featuring Tina Roth Eisenberg and book.
There are very few things more inspiring to
me than hearing someone gush about how
they get to do what they love as a career. Tina Roth Eisenberg was such a delightful listen as I wrapped up two projects for two different
classes in the same week. She talked about how ordinary objects that we see and use from day to day contain undiscovered beauty. To form this idea into a project, she carries a camera
with her everywhere to photograph everyday life as it happens as well as the objects we
interact with. This project helps capture a new
appreciation for the ordinary in life, and I think that is very important, especially in times of
distress and anguish. It truly is the little things
in life that make it so beautiful, and it made me so happy to hear about how Tina expressed this through her work. As I kept listening, I
grew more inspired by her outlook on life in
general. She stressed finding small things to
make yourself smile, which I think is something
that we can all benefit from. But it was when she
82 :: Bookforms Process Journal
most: “I love my studio. I love coming to work Tina. Same. My happy place is my “studio” as well; whether it is the design lab at school or
my desk at home, my workspace is where I am
most comfortable. As the semester progresses, I find myself—despite all of the stress I have endured—becoming filled more and more everyday with a love for design. I have a
blooming love for every single part of design, from the struggles to the instant ideas, from
the successes to the failures, and everything
in between. You could wake me up and spin
a roulette to determine my general mood on
any given Tuesday or Thursday morning, send me to class in the lab from 9 to 5, and watch
me leave with a smile on my face. It just makes me so happy, even when I am frustrated with
a project. This semester especially, I feel a fire igniting in me—in the best way possible—with
the work I am completing. I cannot believe how
far I have come with my classmates, and I am so proud of all of us.
This week was certainly one to be proud of. We had our final critique at Stewart & Associates
for our Packaging class, but on a more relevant note to the content of this blog, we finished
our Dutch Designer portFolios and presented
them today. To be perfectly honest, this project caused me an immense amount of stress.
But I do not say that spitefully. I gained so
much out of this project: I developed better communication skills, learned the trial and
error of the printing process, and built upon my problem-solving skills with the physical
assembly of my piece. Overall, I am very proud of what I accomplished. I know that there are
still areas of this piece that can be developed
and fine-tuned more, and I am looking forward
to making these changes and truly transforming the work into a strong portfolio piece. The
image I have included is a snippet of my piece featuring a quote from Sven Lamme himself. I
will remember this quote as I begin new work. I am so very excited about how much I have grown and will continue to grow.
Weekly Process Blog :: 83
final word
ending on high notes & handlettering I don't like to brag about myself. I'm not a braggy person at all. But I made some truly
great work this semester. I grew in ways that I had never thought possible in such a short amount of time. Though I still experience
design envy on a regular basis—let's be honest,
who doesn't—I know that I am just as capable as a designer. With each passing day, I fall more
and more in love with graphic design, and I am happy to say that this class contributed greatly
to my confidence level, despite all of the stress, tears, and sleep deprivation.
We ended Bookforms on a high note with
a guest presentation by Elise Welsh of Old
Glory Paper Company. She gave us a beautiful handlettering demonstration, out of which I produced the text to the right.
To conclude this process journal, I want to give a heartfelt thank you to my brilliant professor Meena Khalili for being both my critic and
my cheerleader through this semester. She
has helped shape me into the designer I am
currently as well as the designer I will become. (She also photographed my work for me, as
seen on pages 8, 11, 19, 29, 50, 53, 54, 57, and 64, as well as all photos in print for the Five Dollar Toy project. Thank you, Meena!)
84 :: Bookforms Process Journal