The Crystal Goblet
Goal: Evoke a feeling of tradition for short story readers by applying classic layout and typesetting
Role: Design Lead
Timeline: 3 weeks
Typesetting | Layouts | Publication Design
Overview
Layout and typesetting create a mood for readers. This project aimed to evoke a feeling of tradition and history for readers of a short story, and I learned the fundamentals of typesetting and layout design in the process.
Research and Ideation
After researching traditional book layouts, I chose to use the Van De Graaf canon because while it is a traditional layout technique, it is asymmetrical and has an artistic flair. I sketched thumbnails for a variety of pages, and after getting feedback, I transferred the layouts into InDesign where I conducted type tests and finalized the typeface. Finally, I created a hard copy prototype to ensure the pages flowed well and to identify areas needing attention.
Final Design
I created two color variations to explore how color changed the feeling the design evokes and hand stitched the booklets using an awl and wax-covered string. I thought the red/blue variation offered an interesting twist by juxtaposting a traditional format with bright colors.
Conclusion & Personal Takeaways
This project gave me an opportunity to immerse myself in typesetting and learn about features of InDesign that streamline the process. In an ideal world, I would assess the layout and typesetting to determine whether it evokes the right tone and helps readers consume and understand the content.
Developing a physical product brought home how my design choices impacted the experience of reading the short story. This project gave me a deeper understanding of subtlety and ensuring that design choices don’t overpower the subject matter. Sometimes less is more!