Andrew Haslam - Book Design

Creating a Book

• A printed book is the product of a collaborative process. The designer’s task may vary from book to book, but it will always involve working with others as a team.
• Proofreader, Consultant, Reader, Art Director, Designer, Picture Researcher, Permissions Manager, Image Makers, Rights Manager, Marketing Manager, Print Buyer, Production Manager,  Printer, Print Finisher, Binder, Distribution Manager, Sales Representative, Retailer. 

Approaching the Design

• Documentation, Analysis, Expression, Concept 
• A conceptual approach in graphic design seeks out the ‘Big Idea’ - The underpinning concept that encapsulates the message. 
• Makes use of pun, paradox, chiche, metaphor and allegory. 
• Need to establish a relationship between text and image
• Need to contemplate the book’s external form in relation to it’s internal structure. 

Book Designer’s Palette

• Format, relationship between the height and width of the page. 
• Jan Tschichold - The Golden Section and Fibonacci Series, the constant relationship between square and rectangle. 
• Paper Sizes
• Grid
• Type Size, Body and leading. 
• Books can have formats derived from content.
• Grids based from geometry, measurement, typographic elements.
• Modernist grid - Muller Brockman - The lines of text align with the pictures, and display letters, titles and subtitles. Using a rational structure.
• Books without grids - Type - Forces the designer to look at how meaning is shown through paragraphs and how vertical and horizontal space are used within the book.  
• Create a system of arrangement.
• Children;s illustrated fiction
• Use the principle of repetition, allowing the child to anticipate events. 
• Many Publishers have began to produce over sized copies so that teachers can read the out loud. 
• Photographi books - rely on really high quality printing.
• Book Covers - Documentary Photography, Expressive approach, Ideas through illustration, using pattern, Typographic covers. 
• Manufacture - Line and tone, colour, screen, Printing effects, full colour reproduction
• Light primary RGB Additive
• Pigment primary CMYK Subtractive colour
• Paper weight, Bulk, Grain, Opacity, Finish Surface, colour, Stock
• Books in a series are generally produced on common stock to retain the series feel and allow to work to a fixed cost. 
• Physical feel, subject, readership, printing and binding process. 
• Paper Engineering - Pop up, fabrication. 
• Lithography, screen printing, binding.
• Designing the forage
• Hand finishing and machine finishing
• Foil blocking, stamping, die-cutting, laser-cutting, perforating, paper drilling, thumb indexes
• Holographic images