OUGD404

Study Task 06

What is a book ?

The definition of what a book is today is rather broad, frankly a book is a set of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of ink, paper, parchment or other materials. A book can communicate many forms of documentation including information such as a story, rules and instructions. Books can simply reflect what we do and whats happening around us, they also point us in the direction the author / designer is trying point us in ( purpose / meaning), for example keeping your attention and visually keeping you drawn to the book.

London-based studio Zak Group designed this book to exhibit the work of artist Tony Oursler, the book documents over 1000 objects that show a visual history of social, spiritual and intellectual belief systems. The design reflects this, with its use of typefaces based on both 18th Century types, as well as materials used in the book’s slipcase and a screen-print on the cover. The book is well made, and reflects its content intelligently. 

This minimal and subtle publication design is given a nice touch by the stock used and the binding technique. The stock is a mix of a peach and brown colours that offset each other perfectly, the binding is tape bind, this bind type is sits ideally with the minimal concept.

The layout and typography are the two big design elements that I love about this two page spread, firstly the use of handwritten type gives this a page a calm approach and adds a diary / scrapbook feel. The exposed content and use of white space effectively draws the eye to the image covering two pages, by doing this it gives off a bold feel to a page occupied by few elements.