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For project 3 I have decided to research an area which I would like to explore further in future. Publications design.

I love books and am fascinated with the print and binding process. This seemed a perfect reason to choose the subject for my project 3 brief.

Conducting research in to current practitioners I have come across numerous examples of beautiful aspirational pieces of publications design.

Pentagram - Dairy Today Cover Pentagram - Crazy from the Heat - University of Texas Press

Emily King - M/M

Pentagram - Frank Lloyd Wright - The Guggenheim Museum

I have a small collection of design magazines. All of which I believe to be great examples of well designed publications design.From my collection and by researching online and asking peers and tutors for advice I have gathered a number of artists, designers and companies that have produces amazing work.

It is from this selection that I researched further in to the kinds of publication that they produced.

Clase BCN - Claret

Pigeon & Peacocks - Issue.3 Cover

Its Nice That - Issue.5

We Draw Lines - Grand Théâtre de Genève

I could name a key participant, but I believe that all independent publishers, creators and designers that produce well made publications are the key participants. People that produce beautiful publications. A great example of this is the Polpo cookbook pictured below. Designed by Praline this piece of publications design is wonderfully made with perfect layout and typography.

All of the images within this report are form my research into publications design and I believe to be the ‘key participants’.

Praline - Polpo

The kind of work produced within my C.O.P as a whole can vary quite dramatically. There are numerous sub communities that produce differently designed and thought pieces that will appeal to different kinds of people.

With a few exceptions, my research focuses on independent publications designers. I believe the work produced to be better thought, better quality and far more creative. The publication below by Push Projects is a perfect example of this.

Push Projects - Made In England

Initial ideas for the final outcome came from exploring my research into patterns from project 1. This led me to research the fabric department at Liberty. The department does not have a catalogue. Why not create a designed catalogue that will be useful as well as luxurious to be in keeping with the brand.

This idea soon fel through due to lack of research and ideas.

Looking at work I had produced this year I found research surrounding a guide book for London. I thought this the perfect research for my project 3 brief. I would create a personal crafted and creative guide book to London. The production and the locations within will compliment each other.

The guide will be made by and for creatives. It will be a collection of interesting places to visit, eat and drink.

It will not be like your normal ‘tourist guide’ it will be hand made piece of work. Almost a London for Londoners guide. A selection of places off the beaten track. The real London.

I researched binding techniques, paper stock, layout, and language to produce mock ups of a possible final publication. I have explored creating designs for A5 and A6 and how to improve my binding by hand.

The outcome was a lot of test pieces. Different sizes, layouts, typefaces, artwork and colours.

SELFAt the final critique session I had a final prototype to show my tutors and peers. With this prototype I was looking for general feedback as well as answer to certain aesthetic questions on image and title page choices.Apart from these I was at the critique to receive feedback on the ‘final’ product I had produced.

I believe I have produced a piece of publications design that successfully answers the brief and is appealing to my choosen community of practice as well as possible consumers.

The finished look of the guide was just as I had imagined. Made by hand and printed on recycled paper makes it feel different.

TUTORThe feedback received from the tutors at the critique was positive. I am very happy with the reaction the guide received.

The tutors believed the project was at the right stage, had good content, was stable and was well produced.

Paper stock was a negative, the paper was thought to be too thick and would effect the book later on after being used.

PEERThe whole of project 3 has quite a few peer review sessions. One every week. This gave myself plenty of feedback to reflect upon form my peers.

At the begining of the project the peer reviews for my initial Liberty idea was not good. This was a factor in changing the project to the London guide research.

The peer feedback I received closer to the deadline for my London guide book was more constructive and I believe was helped by the amount of testing I had done over the project.

Comments from peers were positive towards the way the publication was hand made, but there was also concern over the typeface.

The feedback from both the tutors and peers was good. There was concern over typefaces but I corrected this by exploring different typefaces that were easier to read and were far more visually appealing and went with the feel of the guide.

As well as this I experimented further with paper stock to rectify the problem the tutors gave in their feedback. The original paper was 140gsm. The final paper weight is 96gsm. Hopefully it will now keep its shape for longer.

The peer feedback was useful, it was interesting to receive feedback from other students and share knowledge through a critique scenario.

I have learned quite a bit over the last five weeks. The project was tough at times when I did get lost and bogged down in research and became lost in information without knowing what to do with it. But I found my way eventually and came to an end where I have produced something I am really proud of. A publication.

I have learned layout methods, image making, printing methods, increased my knowledge of paper and immensely improved my knowledge on publications design and the current practitioners in which I need to be in contact with.

I have also learned the importance of reflective feedback. The feedback I received from tutors and peers was extremely helpful in the final week of production. It also helped in personal reflection.

To me this has already been a successful project.

The final outcome is an A6 ‘Creatives’ guide to London’

The outcome is as I hoped it would have turned out. I am very happy with the look and feel of the publication as well as the content.

I believe it answers the brief and would be of interest to experts within publications design. I am very proud of what I have created, this is definitely the kind of work I wish to do in the future. It would be amazing if I would be able to have this guide published in the future.

At the moment its a limited run of guides that I hope friends will enjoy exploring the city with.

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