Publishing Design - Task 3A
Publishing Design / Task 3A / Book
Loh Shu Huan / 0349621
Bachelor of Design in Creative Media
LECTURES
INSTRUCTIONS
PROGRESSIONS
Task 3A: Book
After the content (visual and text) has been developed, the next stage is to determine the format (size and binding method), and an appropriate & attractive layout based on a suitable grid system, choice of font(s), and use of colour.
- Binding method: Staple Binding (Saddle Binding)
- Total pages: 32pages, which is smaller than A4 and bigger than A5.
- Adapt a suitable grid system.
- Determining paper type, for both cover and inside pages.
Text Formating
Fig 1.1 Text Formatting - It Was Fate, PDF
Grid System
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| Fig 1.2 Grid System - 1 |
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| Fig 1.3 Grid System - 2 |
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| Fig 1.4 Grid System - 3 (Final Grid System) |
Layout Reference
Type Specimen Sheet
| Fig 1.4 Type Specimen Sheet |
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Layout Progression
Draft 1
Layout from the first page till the end of the 1st chapter.
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| Fig 2.1 Draft 1, Thumbnail, 27/9/2022 |
Attempt 1
Some pages are too empty, the total number of pages exceeds 32 pages need to add 4 more pages in total (32+4).
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| Fig 2.1 Book Layout - Attempt #1 - JPG, 4/10/2022 |
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Attempt 2
To enrich the space, I added more visual elements into the pages, such as the repeatition of the visual and some patterns.
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Final Layout
I aligned the publisher with the title and the author.
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Cover Design Progression
I draw another visual for my book cover, which illustrate a girl stepping on a big hand. From the feedback given by Mr.Vinod, he wanted me to think of are there any other way to place the book title in a more attractive way.
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To look more like a real barcode, I researched how to set the margin of the barcode. Both left and right margins should be at least 10 times as wide as the narrow bar.
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Besides, I moved the publisher and illustrators to the bottom and kept the author's name in the middle.
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FINAL SUBMISSION
Complete Thumbnail (JPEG & PDF)
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Cover Front & Back (JPEG & PDF)
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Complete Spreads (JPEG & PDF)
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Printing Progression
Test Print Spreads - Once we have all the spreads ready, Mr.Vinod asked us to test print one or two spreads to see the actual size of the book.
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Test Print Black and White - After that, we tested print our book in black and white version before we print our colour Mock Up.
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This final print out cost me RM65. (@Angel Print)
Cover: Matte Laminate Art Card, 260gsm
Inner: Art Paper, 128gsm
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FEEDBACKS
Week 5
General Feedback:
- Book Layout: Emphasises the book title and follows the author's name, the publisher should not be too close to the first two.
- Word "Imprint" don't need to appear on the page.
- All the headings (Content, Introduction, Chapters) should be in the same size, same font, and same position.
- When designing the layout, don't need to be too detailed first. Always check the overall flows in thumbnail size.
Specific Feedback:
- Book Layout: (Introduction page) There is too much space in the spread and needs to be reconsidered. Too much or too little white space is not a good thing.
- The first page of chapter 1 can be reconsidered.
- The second page looks good, but don't fall in love with the layout, it will limit our creativity.
- The third page looks good too, the small picture on the top is not necessarily.
Week 6
General Feedback:
- Excluding the cover (4 pages). The content in total needs 32 pages, but if we exceed 32 pages, we must plus four more pages due to the signature system.
- Always do black and white test print before printing in colour.
Specific Feedback:
- The starting point of both headings and body text needs to be consistent.
- Be careful with the widow and orphan.
- Introduction page is too empty. Suggest adding more thread in the visual.
- The second visual of chapter 1 can be enlarged and maybe add to more upside down in different sizes.
- Be more experimentation with the typeface of the pull quote.
- If both the heading and body text are serifs, they should be the same typeface family. The point of using different typefaces in one layout is to introduce contrast, between the heading and body text.
- I'm doing well in terms of spreading out the layout properly which is the part that goes well.
- Be aware of putting the visual in the middle of the spread because sometimes it gets swallowed in the gutter, but luckily we are using staple binding not perfect bind.
- The last visual of chapter 2 is a bit too plain, suggest adding the pattern all around in the background.
- Excluding the cover (4 pages). The content in total needs 32 pages, but if we exceed 32 pages, we must plus four more pages due to the signature system.
- The layout is looking quite decent but can be more experimentative with the typeface.
Week 7
General Feedback:
- Do a colour test print before printing the final book.
- Submission for blog task 1 & 2 will be on 18th October
- Print a colour mockup before Task 3B
Specific Feedback:
- Font size looks good
- Can proceed to colour mockup
REFLECTIONS
Experience
In my opinion, the most challenging part of this task would be position text and visuals at the same time. I have to experiment quite a lot of things such as, the font size readability, the line spacing. And we need to be careful to avoid the widows, the rivers and such. Publish a book needs to build up a strong base. It required patience, sensitivity to all the details, attention and experimental siprit.
Observation
Transition and consistency are the most important thing in book layout design. A good book layout design will have a smooth transition and the consistency will tell the story by itself. I learn that while doing the book layout design, we should look at the whole first before looking at the details.
Findings
I learned that to print a book the best way is to walk in to the printing shop, touch and see the materials with different textures and finishing. I regret that I chose to place an order online and walk in to pick up. Due to the time limitation, I helped my friends to place the printing order online and pick-up in the next day. Once I was in the printing shop, my order was still in the queue as they have a lot of orders. I wait in the shop for 4 hours to get 5 books (including my friends' books). The final outcome looks ok, but if I choose to walk-in and pick the materials with my hands and eyes it will be much better.
FURTHER READING
Barcode Mechanisms
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The margin of a barcode call Quiet Zone, which is the right and left ends of the barcode symbol. If the margin has insufficient space, the barcode reader cannot scan the barcode data. Same as the white background of the barcode, if it is replaced with any other colours the barcode scanner cannot scan the data too. It is advised to make the barcode as tall as the printer would allow. The laser may stray from the barcode if the barcode is not high enough, leading to unsteady readings. It is advised to keep the height at least 15% longer than the barcode.
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