Design for Print: Around The World In 80 Pages - Design Development

Composition progression

Selecting the developed spreads

With the decision to name the publication Around The World In 80 Pages, the design had to reform the development by selecting 20 spreads (which would equal 40 pages and account for half of the 80). This made us really consider the content and flow of the publication, ordering what colours translated well onto the next page and ensuring a variety of visual language is used to best tell the story. 

As both designers had attachments to all their outputs, the filtering stage was done together so the designers could look at each others work, and thus observe with a greater critical eye. This way the spreads that worked best for the overall publication would be selected.

Final USA Spreads & Ordering

 

 

pull out

 

Typographic Decisions 

The design needed to chose a relevant typeface to use for the introduction of the USA section, the AUS section, and the over cover, foreword and index. 

The collaborators discussed relevant options as it was important that contrasting / conflicting typefaces were selected. Initially, the USA publication wanted to go with GT America for its obvious link to the states, and the AUS publication was drawn to Domaine. Developments were made with considerations for each until both designers agreed there was no need to use the same typeface, as long as the overall tone matched. Henceforth, the typographic treatments were again developed individually, until both individual productions were finished and the casing and cover was to be discussed. 

Use of typeface

The conclusion to use GT America for the USA section was due to its youthful, contemporary feel. The context of the typeface is also relevant due to its hybrid qualities with American and European genres, translating the briefs concept of colonisation and globalisation. 

Test prints

The design wanted to ensure there were multiple test prints, to get a clear idea of what stocks presented the images best. Due to restrictions with binding and costs, the USA section decided to do a standard 2-sided saddle stitch. The design did however, want to incorporate different paper stocks to give the various imagery different tones (i.e. dark/ black pages more glossy stock to shimmer like LED lights at night, versus a matte thick card for more orthodox imagery).

Due to the nature of the compositions being full spreads, the pages had to be folded and lined up perfectly before stapling to ensure a successful finish. 

These pages were printed separately as pull-outs to see how they could fit into the design, with the hope of making the publication more interactive. This was initially because the design wanted to print the Denny's picture on stock that did not print double-sided, but would make it pop, as this was a popular favourite from feedback. Although the tracing paper composition was successful, the fold did not work well with the Denny's image and so for progression into the final production, the design would replace another spread that was less relevant for this. 

Postcards

The concertina approach for the LED pull outs was going to be too difficult and expensive to print with the amount of images. It was therefore decided that a simple stack of postcards would go well with the concept of a travelling designer. 

They images experiment with zooming in on certain places to capture the details of colour and typography. Despite being really drawn to some of the images produced through this approach, the final production found this method a bit too repetitive. Instead they were numbered 1-20 in a series and given fun names that would in turn constitute a playful extra quality to the publication development. The postcard series thus followed the same visual language as the USA publication, using GT America for their captions. 

Original zoomed idea (each would be double-sided):

Printing the final USA section

Two tests of the publication were printed prior to the final, which found the use of digigreen silk paper to print blotchy and patchy images. It was thus advised to not use this stock for the heavy ink that the images requires. As such the design decided to use a series of mattes with different weights to achieve similar variations to the ones originally intended. Olin regular 200, 300 and recycled 300 gsm were thus used to heighten certain compositions through their various weights and tints of white. 

The cover printed USA in bold on acetate, which was layered on top of a vibrant yellow paper containing the introduction, that would then be folded to mirror the themes of line, colour and grid systems within the spreads. 

The printed design then needed to be carefully folded and aligned for binding. The design decided that staples were an appropriate method of binding over stitching, due to its more urban and relaxed connotations. 

Once the publication was bound and using the laser guillotine, the sides were trimmed accordingly.

Casing & Cover 

Once both the USA and AUS section had been completed, the collaborators could come together and work out the exact measurements for a casing that would hold the experience together.

Both designers agreed that the existing cover design held too many associations that might distract from the content and alienate some audiences. As such, we wanted to create a sense of mystery and intrigue, by stripping back everything - as graphic designers generally do.

The publication sought to reflect the design process, from the more hectic, saturated and compact idea generation stage to refinement and condensing of ideas for production. This is what we decided to replicate through the cover and casing design. 

Chris Moorby from Commission Studio in London came to give a talk for Creative Convo week. In a critique of our development, he referenced to us a publication that uses no bind. The design really liked the idea of this but couldn't work out how to apply it successfully to our publication. This idea was then progressed further after a visit to Evolution Print in Sheffield where there was another non-bind publication which worked really well in producing an element of surprise to the viewer, and a laid-back feel to its production. 

The design then came up with a fold out system that would hold the two sections AUS and USA, as well as the postcard stack. The left fold out would hold the introduction message, and the right side the index. The original cover art design would be printed onto middle section to be exposed when the contents of case is removed. This is turn adds another layer is discovery, mirroring that process of travelling. 

Finally, the collaborators discussed what typeface to use for the casing - specifically the foreword, index and heading. The design did not want to favour either one of the existing sections. It wanted a neutral, tradition typeface that wouldn't give much away, yet also held an authoritative, specialist tone. Baskerville was thus chosen for this development. 

Testing the design

Net plan

The original idea was to have a button to close up the package, however this seemed unnecessary. We thus decided to make an additional acetate case that would keep the box shut as well as mirror the methods of production of the contents. In this way we would apply the open bind idea in a subtle yet relevant way.