Project 1 – Outcome
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Project 1 Outcome – Final story/book
the most meaning-less, subjectless, structureless, pointless story.
How a story can be communicated using the least possible amount of text and visual elements? A journey through shapes, lines, arrows, and words, that altogether create the most meaning-less story. Or not?
Specs
Size: A6
Pages: 52 (including the cover and back cover)
Digital printing, 1 Colour R/V (Black)
Paper: Redeem – Natural White 100gsm (inside pages) + three different colours 120gsm paper (cover)
Binding: Saddle stitch binding
Printing on different types and weights of papers to see which one works better.
Have a look at the final book/story here:
or have a look at the pdf if you prefer↴
Enquiry: Diagrammatic language and its use, with particular emphasis on its potential to construct or shape a narrative. Diagrams elements as facts vs interpretation, clarity vs ambiguity, subjectivity vs objectivity (in-depth research in only one type of diagrams that I’ve been exploring during Unit2).
Tool/Technique: Diagram/Diagrammatic language/diagrammatic illustration (shapes, lines, arrows), using digital software (Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Indesign).
Constraints: 1 point size for all the visual elements, same type size (7pt) for the text, black colour.
Medium: Printed book. This will offer a different experience to the reader, providing time to go through it, make connections, understand the narrative and even create new narratives.
Aim: Trying to create and communicate a story/narrative using the least possible amount of diagrammatic elements (shapes, lines, arrows) – VISUAL GRAMMAR.
In general, the book communicates a random short story developed while making the diagrams (writing the storylines and creating the diagrams simultaneously, but it is also a journey through my confused thoughts while walking). This helped me develop my technique/tool in order to use it for a specific subject/topic that I will work with, in project 2.
Keeping it simple. The simpler the written text is, the easiest the dia[grammatic] visualisation is. Also, the short captions/ storylines will help the viewer to understand the diagrammatic illustrations easier (connect the elements, follow the story). Additionally, various feelings may arise while going through the book, according to the use of the design elements in the space (layout), the position of the text, etc.
+ The diagrammatic illustrations without the ‘captions’, can be interpreted in many ways (the value of imagination/thinking, exploring how people respond to things they don’t understand and how this confusion/misleading can form new interesting narratives).
Apart from the diagrams, I have also focused on the text(storylines), treating them in a way to express their meaning/function. Not only placing the text at a certain place in the paper but thinking about the layout, text’s position, word division, etc.
Printing, folding, stapling, trimming…
According to the paper choice for the inside pages and cover, I have printed the book several times, in different paper types, colours, and weights. In week 4 post of this blog, I explain my final choices and what each paper offered to the book.
Circulation
I have sent the digital version of the book to some friends. They were all positively surprised by the result. They have also understood the story and there were able to go through it. Even if the digital file worked fine when I have shown them photographs of the actual printed book they agreed that this offers a different experience to the reader.