The above images, give the style I was aiming for in my book, a representation only in appraoch and layout. I looked into a lot of Japanese publications to try and develop mine with some authenticity. It is subtle in its approach. The japanese symbolism with the red circle, and small type in the top header margin. Its so simplistic, but this is why it is so effective. The double-page spread is a style I want to replicate in my design process. A simple box containing context, with some flashes of a calm, cold colour palette, varying in opacity to apply a textured, mellow aesthetic, following up with a wood-block print illustrating the craftsmanship of some Japanese art. These pages will be left alone similiarly to the image above, because the images speak for themselves and the bigger they are, the founder the appreciation for this style of art. The trick will be trying to keep subtly in my designs whilst blending the text with the images to create fluidity throughout the double page.
The image on the right is my second page. Here I incorporated the japanese flag’s red circle, lowering the opacity, and including japanese brush strokes, to blend in with the paper, whilst trying not to detract from the content or overall design. Whilst still trying to maintain a correct, visually pleasing format.
“The grid system is an aid, not a guarantee. It permits a number of possible uses and each designer can look for a solution appropriate to his personal style. But one must learn how to use the grid; it is an art that requires practice.”
– Josef Müller-Brockmann
I attempted at engaging with the grid principle, it was a very difficult process. I am still finding it difficult to experiment with the canons page of construction method, and the mathematical process of using indesign, which is something I am more preventing as I simply do not understand the application and method enough to feel confident with it/ not being my particular style of work, so I have unintentionally been dismissing it, I think grids are a useful tool in a book design process. So I have attempted to apply the grid to my work, to get the correct alignment of text and format.
I believe the main reason I am drawn away, is due to the systematic method being applied to creativity. But it is necessary, in specific design purposes. My grid is specific to me, however it is not very productive/ I do not use the same grid template throughout my book design process, so I fear my final outcome will be out of balance. But I am attempted to use a design principle, as the brief is ultimately about experimenting with new ideas and methodologies.
Certain colour selections are put in place, due to the psychological properties they convey through the visual eye. I however have not based any part of the colour selection process on psychological properties, but more to the japanese aesthetic and whatever the main colour scheme is for the double page, I do not have a recurring theme in my book, I prefer a variety of colour selection, but I shall provide an example as to how I went about selecting my colour appropriation.
Above is another example of a double-page spread, a good example to explain my process. A difficulty which I did not foresee, was collating the right images with each other to create a co-operation in presentation, again I shall use the word fluidity. The two above images, were selected purposely, because they blend well as a colour combination, it is difficult to make the right selection. There were a lot of designs I had to take out because it did not match/fit the double-page design I was trying to incorporate it in.
No comments:
Post a Comment