design context

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Ken WongDesign Practice

CLARITY

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CONTENTS

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FOREWORD 05MASSIMO VIGNELLI 06BIBLIOTHEQUE 08CARTLIDGE LEVENE 14Selfridges Wayfinding System 16WIM CROUWELL 20BUILD 22EXPERIMENTAL JETSET 26TIBOR KILMAN 30STUDIO 8 32HEY HO 36RENE KNIP 40BRUNO OLDANI 42SPIN (PROA INSIGHT) 43USEFUL 48GLOSSARY 58ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 60

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Thank you to all those who have helped put this together. It has taken 3 years of what some may describe as absorbing subliminal advertising; glancing at projects and work from the graphic design world for hours at a time.

Yet here is a collated selection of which, when someday one may be approached by an inquisitor, asking about my key influences and favorite household studio’s/ agencies at this point in time. The following names and opinions may be recited as being fundamental to my development and be just as significant to others as myself.

This publication looks at selected pieces of work by a limited number of agencies. Agencies which I feel are important to the graphic design world, where elements of their work can be seen in personal design resolutions, whether present in the practical or lateral approach.

As Massimo Vignelli once stated in an interview, graphic design serves the purpose ...to decrease the amount of vulgarity by replacing the vulgarity with things that are more refined. With this in mind, the synthesis you are now holding can be seen as a refined, simple and clear look into the context of my design.

We as designers are all aware that the industry is filled and fuelled by multiple disciplines and specialist skills which perhaps makes defining this practice such a difficult task. Specifying what you are good at, encouraging the growth and interest in the field is something all designers go through.

Personally, I believe graphic design should solve a problem, and in doing so it should speak to a specific audience. Clarity can only be successfully defined in this manner. In the same interview with Debbie Millman, Vignelli also famously stated that... the client comes with a problem. The doctor analyzes you and gives you a diagnosis of the situation and then a cure to make you better. Graphic design should always do this, without a

FOREWORD

solution to a problem then ultimately there is no purpose for the designer, we would merely be fine artists.

This book displays a range of work varying from wayfinding systems to exhibition design by different agencies, yet they all share a strong link in that they are executed charmingly and predominantly using type and layout. Typography and layout plays a fundamental and key role within this contextual synthesis, it is a personal attraction and interest. Contemporary society solves many of its major and minor problems using typography and layout, some better than others. I too believe it is possible to solve many problems using and arranging visual text.

There are pages within this publication which consist of selected extracts/ opinions of those with more wisdom than I. Compiled by those perhaps, whom have earned the right to make statements which influence (or disdain) the process which growing designers develop. They have been included because to some degree, they exemplify and reinforce personal beliefs and support this publication better than one could attempt to rationalise.

Towards the end of this book is a section of useful information with regards to print and stock, carefully selected to cater for individual requirements and past experience of what is essential within this practical interest. The information gathered throughout this book has been acknowledge and referenced at the very back, if one was to investigate further as to where such information was ascertained.

So, here’s to problem solving in graphic design, through the use of typography and layout led design.

Enjoy.

By Ken Wong

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HOW DO YOU GENERALLY START A PROJECT?

MASSIMO VIGNELLIText:How to think like a great graphic designer

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BY LISTENNING AS MUCH AS I CAN. I AM CONVINCED THE SOLUTION IS ALWAYS IN THE PROBLEM. YOU COULD DO A DESIGN THAT YOU LIKE, BUT IT DOESN’T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEN, THE DESIGN IS EXCITING. BUT I FIND IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. THIS IS WHY I RESPECT ARTISTS. WITHOUT A PROBLEM, I DON’T EXIST. ARTISTS ARE LUCKY; THEY CAN WORK BY THEMSELVES. THEY DON’T NEED A PROBLEM.

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BibliothèqueLondon, UK

BibliothèqueFloor 310-16 Scrutton St.LondonEC2A 4RU

+44 207 3778060

How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul.

OUR DESIGN METHODOLOGY IS BASED ON ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH. WE DELIVER CLEAR, RELEVANT AND THOUGHT PROVOKING COMMUNICATIONS, REGARDLESS OF SCALE OR BUDGET.

Our brief was to design an engaging, typographically-led, content-driven book, within a limited budget. As this is a reference book, the contents quickly became the basis for the cover design. Word-heavy books can sometimes seem too dry and academic. We countered this by devising a flexible grid that allowed a controlled level of expression.

Text and images: Bibliotheque website.

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The brief for The Design Council Annual Review stipulated a more engaging way to look at the facts and figures representing three key areas of policy: Competitiveness, Sustainability and Innovation.

Rather than use two dimensional data, we worked with photographer Dan Tobin Smith to build an environment in which to house three-dimensional expressions of these key figures. The graphs levitate in the space, freed from being default statistical representations, becoming something more visually emotive.

Design Council

BibliothèqueLondon, UK


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Identity manuals usually contain artwork examples at reduced size. They are often a minefield of grids, measurements and specifications. Our solution was to provide the end-user with a clear overview of the identity components.

A 60”x40” format poster allowed us to reproduce specimens at actual size. Due to a lack of wall space (it’s a precious commodity in design studios) we decided to suspend the poster, rather than surface-mount it, to allow utilization of both sides of the poster, giving maximum clarity and visual impact.

Moving Brands


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BibliothequeLondon, UK

Alpha are a large international company who supply retail and catering services for major airlines and airports. We worked with Alpha to create a new identity system, which would fully support an established logo, and help build an efficient and respected b2b brand.

The broad scope of the project included guidelines for a large vehicle fleet, building signage, stationary,

brochures, reports, exhibition environments and internal comminications. The vehicle fleet is currently being rolled out, and is operational across several major European airports.

Alpha


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A major exhibition at the V&A tracking the development of design throughout the Cold War, as the Soviet Union and America engaged in an aggressive contest to build their own spheres of influence. The exhibition features a wide array of artists and designers of the period inclding Dieter Rams, Otl Archer, Charles Eames, Le Corbisier and Stanley Kubrick.

They devised a moduler captioning sysem that could be integrated intot he display, ensuring ease of legibility and close proximity to the objects. The approach for the large-scale contextual imagery was to convert the images to a coarse dot screen. This became a wat of controlling image infidelity which for the most part was crude and low-resolution,whilst at the same time reflecting the print-production processes of the era.

Cold War Museum Exhibition

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Cartlidge LeveneLondon, UK

238 St. John StLondon EC1V 4PH

+44 20 7251 6608

OUR APPROACH IS SIMPLE: WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT DESIGN AND COMMUNICATION AND WE ARE DRIVEN BY EXCELLENCE. WE PLACE EMPHASIS ON CREATIVITY AND CONCEPTUAL THINKING AS WELL AS HAVING A PRAGMATIC OUTLOOK AND A KEEN EYE FOR DETAIL... WE UNDERTSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR CLIENTS, BUILDING MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS AND DELIVERING PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS THAT WORK.

Des

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Cou

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Ann

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Text & images:Cartlidge Levene website

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The

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Des

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Aw

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Creative Review/ How do you approach a project like this. What research did you do?

Ian Cartlidge, Cartlidge Levene: We began the project in September 2005 and we knew that the wayfinding problems at Selfridges were immense. The only approach was to build a completely new system based on a total understanding of the problems. So we fully immersed ourselves in the store environment and recorded and analysed key journeys. We also established a kind of open house ‘project room’ at the store for two weeks where we built up a picture of the issues from Selfridges directors and staff who could drop by.Melissa Price, Cartlidge Levene:

We also recognised that the retail environment is very different to other environments we’ve been involved in signing on past projects, like the Barbican Arts Centre. Customers are in the store to enjoy the shopping experience, and part of this is enjoying ‘getting lost’ in the spectacle and theatre of the shopping environment. We decided we’d ‘turn down the volume’ rather than shout above the many brands and concessions vying for attention.

CR: What kind of issues did Selfridges want you to look at as part of the brief?

ic: Selfridges were aware of most of the problems they faced and provided a brief that talked about

CARTLIDGE LEVENE

SELFRIDGESWAYFINDING SYSTEMCARTLIDGE LEVENE HAVE DESIGNED SELFRIDGES’ NEW WAYFINDING SYSTEM. MARK SINCLAIR SPOKE TO THEM ABOUT NAVIGATING THEIR WAY THROUGH SUCH A LARGE UNDERTAKING.Credit words & images:Creative Review

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“...to deliver a wayfinding system that works, actually moves people from a to b, and to design it in a way that is simple and stylish and reflects the brand.”

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being ‘customer friendly’, ‘easy to maintain’, ‘environment enhancing’, ‘impactful’ etc. The brief was two-fold: to deliver a wayfinding system that works, actually moves people from a to b, and to design it in a way that is simple and stylish and reflects the brand.

CR: What problems had you highlighted that needed attention?

ic: The need to create a flexible solution was vital. In the past Selfridges had been dogged by signage that was constantly out of date and stickers were appearing over information on signs in an attempt to update them. Not only does it look unprofessional and undermine the brand, it also, crucially, breaks the trust between the sign and the customer. People lose faith in the information and are more likely to seek reassurance by asking staff for directions. We wanted to create a beautifully-designed product that offered a simple and affordable method of change but also had a sense of permanence. We collaborated with product designer Julian Brown to achieve this: our concept was to

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to interrupt the flow of shoppers into the store with information at the point of entry but to make the escalators function as ‘wayfinding hubs’.

CR: What kinds of materials did you use for the signage system? Who did you bring in to source the materials?

ic: We explored several materials for the signs but the one that gave us the solution we were looking for was acrylic. In terms of the totems, this fitted with the ‘beautiful frame’ concept and allowed us to create a sign with considerable physical presence but, because of translucency, not too overbearing. The totems are made from bonded layers of acrylic, 90mm thick. The digitally-printed graphic panel sits in the middle behind 40mm of clear acrylic which creates a beautiful jewel-like optical effect and provides a sense of quality and permanence: like a piece of bespoke furniture relating to its environment, rather than a standard. The totems on the Ground floor were the most daring and challenging to make, at 3.5m high.

mp: We worked with acrylic fabricators Alternative Plastics who pushed the acrylic fabrication process to its limits to achieve

create beautiful frames that simply held information, beautifully-detailed but not overpowering, allowing the information to do the work.

CR: What kinds of issues regarding the building did you have to take into account?

ic: Selfridges’ Oxford Street store first opened in 1909 and the shop actually comprises three building phases constructed at different times. The third building in Duke Street was joined via a bridge section, therefore different construction methods have been used, making universal fixings for hanging signs and floor mounted signs impossible. We enlisted the help of Endpoint and structural engineers Techniker to survey the various floor and ceiling conditions and develop appropriate fixing methods. All work had to be done during the night with no sign of activity the next morning, a considerable logistical challenge. We also realised that, when you enter the store, you quickly lose sight of the door and the next landmark that you encounter is one of the four escalators. We decided not

Cartlidge LeveneLondon, UK

“We decided not to interrupt the flow of shoppers into the store with information at the point of entry...”

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Courtesy of www.mad.co.uk

these large-scale, bonded, acrylic signs and Endpoint met the huge challenge of installing the signs around the store. During the design and implementation process we worked closely with architects hmkm who were involved in refurbishing many areas of the store, enhancing sightlines and the clarity of the space.

ic: For the hanging signs the information had to be easy to change, at height, by the in-house team. Again, working with Julian we solved this by using two clear acrylic

rods which hold a digitally-printed wrap. The wrap can be simply un-hooked and re-applied when information changes.

CR: What typeface did you decide to use?

mp: Avant Garde. We didn’t want to continue with Helvetica, the face previously used by Selfridges. We felt that while Helvetica is highly legible and effective as a font for signage (think Vignelli) for the Selfridges retail environment it

didn’t have enough personality and individuality. Avant Garde provides an equally legible solution and hints at the Deco heritage of the store with the geometric form of its characters. We did consider taking this a step further with numerals in Bauhaus but after much consideration we though this may be too whimsical. Selfridges have since adopted Avant

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“Avant Garde provides an equally legible solution and hints at the Deco heritage of the store”

Garde as their in-house font.CR: Did you leave any guidelines with their design studio? What’s next for the project?

mp: A major element of our handover was to ensure that the system is always considered as a connected whole, rather than as individual signs being changed

without thinking about how this links into the rest of the system.ic: The scheme will be rolled out to the Birmingham store in 2008. While this presents its own set of wayfinding challenges, the underlying principles and design concept will remain the same.

More of Cartlidge Levene’s work for Selfridges can be seen at cartlidgelevene.co.uk. Cartlidge Levene have been working on the wayfairing system for Selfridges’ London store since late 2005. The system was finally implemented at the end of last year.

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WIM CROUWELL

Text:Bibliotheque

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“OF COURSE DESIGN IS ABOUT PROBLEM SOLVING, BUT I CANNOT RESIST ADDING

SOMETHING PERSONAL.

A PAGE SHOULD HAVE TENSION.”

Wim CrouwellWords

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BuildLondon, UK

Studio Build LtdStudio 112 Hilton Grove12-15 Hatherley MewsLondon E17 4QP UK

+44 20 8521 1040

WE MAKE IDEAS REAL THROUGH BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED DESIGN. WE BELIEVE GOOD IDEAS CAN BE APPLIED TO ANYTHING- WHICH MEANS THAT WHILST WE LOVE PRINT, WE WORK IN ALL KINDS OF WAYS.

ESTABLISHED IN 2001 BY MICHAEL C. PLACE, BUILD HAS SINCE FORGED AN INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION AS A FORWARD THINKING GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO WITH AN EXCEPTIONAL EYE FOR DETAIL AND A UNIQUE SENSE OF STYLE.

Images and text:Wearebuild

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CD sleeve design for Record Camp, a release by electronic music label Brooklyn.

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BuildLondon, UK

Posters for the London Design Festival 2006, printed black and white. Build created the identity/ look and feel of the exhibition, on show here is the catalogue for the event.

Images and text:Wearebuild

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Limited run posters to promote ‘Helvetica’ by Gary Hustwitt.

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Experimental JetsetAmsterdam, NL

Jan Hanzenstraat 37/11053 SK AmsterdamThe Netherlands

+31 (0)20 4686036

[email protected]

THE MEMBERS OF THIS AMSTERDAM BASED TRIO ARE MASTERS OF GRAPHIC EXPRESSIVENESS.

FOR THE WORLD FAMOUS STEDELIJK MUSEUM CS THEY WERE ASKED TO CREATE THE HOUSE STYLE FOR THE INSTITUTES TEMPORARY EXHIBITION SPACE IN A FORMER POST OFFICE WHILE THE STEDELIJK’S HOME WAS UNDERGOING RENOVATION.

“WE OFTEN DESCRIBE GRAPHIC DESIGN AS TURNING LANGUAGE INTO OBJECTS”.

Images and text:Experimental Jetset and Look at This

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Images and text:Experimental Jetset.nl

Experimental JetsetAmsterdam, NL

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AN EDITORIAL DESIGNER SHOULD TAKE AS MUCH INTEREST IN THE CONTENT OF THE PUBLICATION

AS THE EDITOR, BECAUSE DESIGNING A MAGAZINE IS UNQUESTIONABLY AN EXTENSION OF

EDITING IT. BOTH ROLES ARE CREATIVE ONES THAT ARE ROOTED IN AND PLAY PART OF A

CREATIVE PROCESS, AND HOW THEY FUNCTION TOGETHER WILL NEARLY ALWAYS DETERMINE

THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF AN EDITORIAL PUBLICATION.

SO, IF EDITORIAL DESIGNERS SHOULD “BECOME” EDITORS, THE CONVERSE IS EQUALLY TRUE

AND EDITORS SHOULD “BECOME” EDITORIAL DESIGNERS - OR AT THE VERY LEAST THEY SHOULD

UNDERSTAND EACH OTHERS ATTITUDES, ROLES AND AREAS OF EXPERTISE IN ORDER TO BUILD

THE NECESSARY TRUST THAT CREATES A FIRST-RATE PUBLICATION.

Tibor Kalman

Text:Editorial Design

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AN EDITORIAL DESIGNER SHOULD TAKE AS MUCH INTEREST IN THE CONTENT OF THE PUBLICATION

AS THE EDITOR, BECAUSE DESIGNING A MAGAZINE IS UNQUESTIONABLY AN EXTENSION OF

EDITING IT. BOTH ROLES ARE CREATIVE ONES THAT ARE ROOTED IN AND PLAY PART OF A

CREATIVE PROCESS, AND HOW THEY FUNCTION TOGETHER WILL NEARLY ALWAYS DETERMINE

THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF AN EDITORIAL PUBLICATION.

SO, IF EDITORIAL DESIGNERS SHOULD “BECOME” EDITORS, THE CONVERSE IS EQUALLY TRUE

AND EDITORS SHOULD “BECOME” EDITORIAL DESIGNERS - OR AT THE VERY LEAST THEY SHOULD

UNDERSTAND EACH OTHERS ATTITUDES, ROLES AND AREAS OF EXPERTISE IN ORDER TO BUILD

THE NECESSARY TRUST THAT CREATES A FIRST-RATE PUBLICATION.

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Studio 8London, UK

Studio8 Design1 Sans WalkLondonEC1R 0LT

020 7251 6430

[email protected]

STUDIO8 PRODUCES A DIVERSE RANGE OF WORK ACROSS MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES. THE STUDIO’S TEAM BRING A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND ENTHUSIASM TO EVERY NEW PROJECT AND OFFER A SCOPE OF CAPABILITIES THAT INCLUDES EDITORIAL, EXHIBITION, SIGNAGE, CORPORATE LITERATURE, WEBSITES, AND BRAND IDENTITY.

FUTUGuest design and art direction of Polish magazine FUTU

Text and Images:Studio8design

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MAP

Images:Studio8design

Design and art direction of ‘MAP’ magazine, a quarterly international arts magazine.

Studio 8London, UK

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Ken WongDesign PracticeGRAPHIC

Design and art direction of biannual magazine ‘Graphic’. Each issue examines a different theme within contemporary visual culture.

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Hey HoParis, FR

4 Villa Belliard 75018 ParisFrance

+33 (0)1 44 85 75 20

[email protected]

HEY HO IS A GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO FOUNDED IN 2007 IN PARIS BY JULIAN HOURCADE & THOMAS PETITJEAN. SPECIALIZED IN PRINTED DESIGN, WE PRINCIPALLY PRODUCE BOOKS, MAGAZINES, POSTS AND VISUAL IDENTITIES.

SIMULTANEOUSLY, WE ARE ANXIOUS TO OPEN TO OTHER AREAS OF DESIGN, OFTEN IN THE FRAMEWORK OF PERSONAL PRODUCTIONS.

Words: & Images: heyho.fr

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Journal Particules

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Editions Galaade

Hey HoParis, FR

Images: heyho.fr

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Editions Galaade

Jean Daniel Book

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A CHINESE PHILOSOPHER ONCE SAID, “WHAT IS A VASE. A VASE IS NOT A

PLACE WHERE YOU CAN ‘PUT A FLOWER’. YOU CANNOT PUT IT IN THE CLAY.

YOU ARE PUTTING THE FLOWER INTO A SPACE THAT ALREADY EXISTS, WITH OR

WITHOUT THE VASE”. THE VASE, LIKE ARCHITECTURE OR TYPOGRAPHY, IS SIMPLY A WAY OF

MANAGING SPACE.

RENE KNIP

Rene KnippWords of wisdom

Text: S Book 3

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Born in the Netherlands, 1963. René Knip graduated from the Academy of Visual Arts St. Joost, Breda, The Netherlands in 1990 after having spent time living in France and

England.

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BRUNO OLDANIIS LEGIBILITY STILL YOUR NUMBER ONE CONCERN?

Oh yes. I still think it’s important to know where the bloody conert is being held! You see all these posters with all of these ‘extra features and you can’t find the venue. All I want to know is, where it is, when I have to be there, and who is playing. If that information doesn’t get through easily, then it’s worthless.

DO YOU IMPOSE AN OVERRIDING ‘PRINCIPLE’ FOR ALL THOSE WHO WORK HERE AT YOUR STUDIO?

Yes I do and it is, “if I say its so, then that makes it so!” I have built this studio around me, and I think I can still see the good things and the bad things. I still think it’s a primary function to be able to read and more importantly understand the message. The flow of information today is so large, that if you want to be heard, you have to make it quite clear.

MANY MAGAZINES FIND A TARGET AUDIENCE THAT APPEAR NOT TO WORRY ABOUT LEGIBILITY. IT SEEMS TO BE THE ‘FEEL’ OF THE VISUAL CULTURE THAT SURROUNDS THE ‘NICHE’ READER THAT IS IMPORTANT.

I believe these ‘waves’ come and

go. Design magazines review a lot of good industrial design without a problem. But when they show graphic design they surround the work with deliberately unusual layouts that obscure the content. It makes me very angry. Particularly if they’re doing it to my work! The magazine of the Norwegian Graphic Design association does exactly this. When good design is good enough it can stand by itself. It doesn’t need to be surrounded by visual noise...I regularly meet very young designers, straight out of college, who name ‘Twen’ as one of their major influences and design guides. I wonder if this will be the case with Carson in 40 years time. Maybe, maybe not. I find it difficult to read Carsons’s concepts. Of course when I suggest this to my colleagues they say “You old fool, how could you understand the concept, unless you speak the language of the target audience, and they are all 25 years old.” I think it’s a very sad day when we have to design mutually exclusive work. I also think it’s a worrying indicator for the futurue structure of our society if everything becomes fragmented. I think you can and should design for all.

Bruno OldaniWords

Here is a selection of responses found from an interview with Bruno Oldani.

Born 14 March 1936, Zurich, Switzerland.

Fields: Communication design, graphic and typographical design, corporate identity, packaging design, editorial design of newspapers and periodicals, book covers, LP & CD covers, illustrations, television graphics, signaqe and information systems, audio-visual programs. Interior design, exhibition design. Industrial design, product design. Photography

Text: S Book 3

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SpinLondon, UK

Studio 233 Stannery St.LondonSE11 4AA

+44 (0)20 7793 9555

WE BELIEVE GRAPHIC DESIGN IS A DIALOGUE BETWEEN CLIENT, DESIGN AND AUDIENCE. WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT UNLESS THIS CONVERSATION IS ENGAGING, VITAL AND DIFFERENT, IT WILL BE IGNORED. OUR APPROACH IS TAILORED TO EACH CLIENT AND TO EVERY PROJECT WE UNDERTAKE. WE SOLVE PROBLEMS IN A PERSONAL, INTELLIGENT AND INSIGHTFUL WAY. WE ARE RATIONAL, BUT WE ALSO TRUST OUR INSTINCTS.

OUR WORK CONNECTS WITH ITS INTENDED AUDIENCE IN A MEANINGFUL WAY, AND GIVES OUR CLIENTS A CREATIVE AND COMMERICAL EDGE. DETAILS COUNT: RESEARCH, CONCEPT, MATERIALS AND PRODUCTION - IT ALL MATTERS.

PROACredit all images and text from:Spin website

A LOOK INTO SPIN’S WORK FOR THE PROA ARTS FOUNDATION IN ARGENTINA.

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First things first, Spin developed a typeface which would eventually become the identity for the PROA foundation museum. They produced this typography style book showcasing the development and thinking behind the resolution.

Images:Spin

Words: Ken Wong

SpinLondon, UK

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A strong typographic resolution meant that it could then be transfered across different mediums as part of PROA’s branding, and identity reinforcement, such as press releases, handouts throughout exhibitions, merchandise (bags), tickets and business cards.

SpinLondon, UK

Images:Spin

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The versatility of the identity design gave breadth for the PROA founda-tion, therefore making it applicable in many contexts making a fully refreshing rebrand possible.

Interior decor, staff name-tags, win-dow transfers, signage and also the website. Where something which is so simple can become a much larger and appreciated body of work.

The simplistic and stylistic approach to which Spin resolved this project gives a timeless sense of interna-tionalism to the design, which then resonates longevity.

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USEFULThe following section references some information for dealing with print.

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A0

A1

A2

A3

A4

A5

A6A7

A8

B0

B1

B2

B3

B4

B5

B6B7

B8

FORMAT

A0A1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8

B0B2B3B4B5B6B7B8

C0C1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8

MM

841 x 1189594 x 841420 x 594297 x 420210 x 297148 x 210105 x 14874 x 10552 x 74

1000 x 1414707 x 1000500 x 707353 x 500250 x 353176 x 25088 x 12562 x 88

917 x 1297648 x 917458 x 648324 x 458229 x 324162 x 229114 x 16281 x 11457 x 81

ISO PAPER SIZES

USEFUL:PAPER SIZES

Info:The layout book


C0C1

C2

C3

C4

C5

C6

C7C8

DL 210 x 99mm

ID185.6 x 55mm

118mm

40.5mm

124mm

CD125 x 124.5mm

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USEFUL:COMMON BINDING

SQUARE BACK BINDING (ADHESIVE)

Brochures, hardcover books and magazines with a thickness greater than 5mm will use one of these three main types of adhesive binding, which look the same but are different.

Section SewnPrinted sheets are machine folded into sections (commonly 16pp) and then sewn in the folded spine using thread. The sections are glued together along the spines. This is the traditional method for optimum strength and durability and will be used for hardcover books and prestigious soft cover brochures.

Perfect bindingPrinted sheets are machine folded into sections (16pp). The sections are collated and gathered, have their folded spines shredded off and then are glued along the spine. This method is used for most magazines and paperpacks as it is economical, however pages can eventually drop out.

PUR (Polyurethane Reactive Hotmelt)The same method as perfect binding but using a much stronger adhesive which (in theory) will not fall apart. It is used for brochures manuals and reports & accounts.

Wire Stitching “Creep issue)Because a wire stitich document is made of up 4pp sections, the number of printed pages will start to affect the physical propertes. The inner sections will start to protrude beyond the outer pages. Adjustment must be made in the planning stage to avoid problems.

Why is binding important?Designing for print often requires consideration for tactile qualities in book format. There are many ways to showcase information, each resonating different qualities and sometimes the binding is dictated by economic or budget restrictions or simply by the design itself.

This section shows common options for perfect and special binding.

Info:Size Format Stock

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SADDLE STITCH LOOP STITCH SIDE STITCH

This is the commercially used term for stapling. The folded sections and cover are put over a machanised ‘sapple’ and stitching wire is then punched through the outside of the spine.

This is a variation of wire stitiching where the wire is formed into a loop on the spine of the job. If using this method, it is important to specify the correct measurements.

This is another form of wire stitching, where the wire penetrates the whole thickness of te document from front to back cover. It is commonly used for cheque books.

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SINGER SEWN JAPANESE BINDING STUD OR SCREW BINDING

Thread is sewn through the printed pages of a book. This is done on a ‘saddle’ with the thread go-ing through the spine in the same way that a saddle stitched job is produced.

Japanese binding involves the use of one piece of exposed thread or twine which penetrates the text and cover, linking holes on the outside of the cover and wrapping the spine.

Holes are punched through both the text and cover. A nut with a sleeve and a bolt is then inserted and screwed together. The screws are usualy made of brass or plastic.

USEFUL:SPECIAL BINDING


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THREE HOLE SEWN

This describes a looser binding method which is ideal for small booklets and sections. The thread is sewn into the spine through three holes and is fastened wit a knot on the inside.

SIDE SEWN

Also produced similar to the Singer style, yet the thread penetrates the whole thickness of the book, so is visible on the outside covers. Nor-mally the sewing is set 5 to 10 mm from the spine. This does not affect the readable area of the text pages.

FRENCH FOLDING

French folding describes a job which has a folded edge on the foredge. It is made using 4pp sections with the open edges in the spine. It can only be perfect bound, stab stiched or side sewn.

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GSMStands for Grams per Square Meter. In the metric sys-tem, the weight ior substance is expressed as gsm or gm2. It is calculated by the physical weight of one sheet of paper measurin 1x1 meter. In reality no one actually folds down a sheet of paper that large to weigh it, so it is generaly measured using a scaled down measure of 10 x 10 cm.

BULK The thickness or caliper of a sheet of paper is often described as ‘bulk’. It is measured using a micrometer and expressed in microns.

PAPER AND BOARDSubstances up to 170gsm are generally classified as ‘paper’ weights. Weights above 170gsm are usually classed as board.

COLOUR/ SHADEMost paper made is white. coloured paper is made by adding dies to the pulp and (on some paper machines) later in the papermaking process. When paper is made it is constantly monitored to give a consistent shade and colour.

SPECIAL PAPER WEIGHTSThere are instances where specific weights have been developed for particular uses or economical manufactur-ing, for examples: Tissue paper 17-22gsm; Airmail paper 33gsm; Bible paper 28-60gsm; Newsprint 45-48gsm; Blank paper 28-44gsm.

UNCOATEDUncoated papers come in a wde variety of finishes and qualities. They are often described as ‘Offset’ or ‘Cartridge’ papers. These are typically rougher and used for more general uses such as envelopes and pades. Laser papers are generally smoother and designed to work well for office printing.

Uncoated ‘Text & Cover’ papers are usually of the highest quality for excellent reproduction in brochures and will generaly show very good results when printing solids and four colour imagery.

COATEDAll papers begin life as uncoated. Coated papers are produced by applying a coated mixture of china clay, chalk and latex. this can be done either on the paper machine (at the end of the drying process) or on a coating machine. Applying a coating has the effect of making a sheet smoother and more receptive to the ink resulting in a technically superior printing surface.

Matt-coated papers are produced by applying the coating but then scraped off using a very sharp blade, leaving a smooth matt finish.

USEFUL:STOCK INFORMATION


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ACID FREEPapers which have a PH value of 7.0 or above and do not contain free acids - which cause premature ageing of paper. An essential quality for books and documents requiring long life.

ART PAPERHighest quality of mineral coated paper. The coating results in an exceptionally smooth paper, with high brightness and opacity, and even ink absorbtion.

BANKA thick and strong paper of between 45-60gsm originally used for duplicate typewriter copies.

CARTRIDGEOriginally the term had a precise meaning and was the paper used for making gun cartridge cases. It was a strong paper with a fairly rouch surface.

CHROMO PAPER AND BOARDUsually one side is coated, having a heavy coat-ing weight and containing the best types of mineral pigments. Often used for book jackets and labelling applications.

DUPLEX BOARDBoard made up of two layers of different paper material/ colour.

EQUILIRBRIUM RELATIVE HUMIDITYWhen paper is in moisture equilibrium with the atmo-sphere to which it is exposed. In this state the edges of the sheet will not distort. This is particularly impotant for offeset litho printing, where there is 100% contact with the paper in the printing nip.

FORMATIONThe manner in which fibres are distributed in papers, which can be seen when examined with transmitted light (holding it up to a light). There are extremes between ‘even’ and ‘wild’ (blotchy).

IVORY BOARDSWere once ivory coloured, but are now often white with a smooth finish, even formation and have been made with an exceptionally smooth surface.

METALLIC PAPERSThese include metal foil laminated to base paper, coated paper printed with metallic ink, or coated paper with al-lunminium deposited on it while in a vacuum. These tend to be used for decoration, labels and can be produced on one side or double.

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Absolute MeasurementA measurement of a fixed value, e.g. an inch.

AlignmentThe vertical and horizontal position of type within a text block.

Appropriationtaking the style of one discipline or item and applying it to another.

Art decoDesign style celecrating the rise of technolog.

Asymmetrical gridThe same ayout used on both recto and verso pages.

BalanceVisual equilibrium in a design.

Banner/ Streamer Headline across the top of a page.

Baseline gridSeries of horizontal lines for positioning design elements.

BauhausGerman art and design school (1919-1933) that focused on functionality rather than adornment, through use of geometric forms.

BroadsideText rotated 90 degrees to the spine to read vertically.

Byline Authors name at the top of a story

CanonsGeneral principles guiding design choices.

Classical principlesIdeals about proportion and style originatingin ancient Greece.

CMYKCyan, magenta, yellow and black are the subtractive primary inks, which are combined to reproduce the red, green and blue additive primaries in the four-colour printing process.

ColourPage element density that provides colouration.

Columnsertical dividions of a layout into which text is flowed.

Contrast Refers to placing the different elements of a design in uch a way that the contrasts between them become evident.

DeconstructionismA postmodernist approach that undermines the frame of reference and assumptions behind a pattern of thought.

DyptychJuxtaposition of two images as part of a whole.

Dual narrativeWhere two narratives or themes are present in a design.

Dust Jacket Warp around as book covers.

Ears Areas either side of the masthed where weather news or other announcements appear.

Endpaper Heavy cartridge paper pages at the front and back of a hardback book that join the book block to the hardback binding.

Entry point A visual device such as a pull quote, sidebar or list to draw readers into a story.

FieldsDiscrete areas within a layout for text or image placement.

Gestalt Refers to “form and appearance”. Used to describe how a design is not a single element, but a combination of different elements or forms that work together in a particular configuration.

Golden ratioA division in the ratio 8:13 that produces harmonious proportions.

GridA guide for positioning elements.GutterThe centre alleyway where two pages meet at the spine. Also the space separating columns.

Hierarchy Refers to the order of importance of design elemts, these can be determined by size, colours and spacing.

IndentationA space inserted into a text block to give a starting point.

Interior designInterior space experience formation through use of surface and spatial volume.

Jumpline A continuation instruction for a story to continue on another page, such as “continued on page 3”

JuxtapositionSide-by-sideimage placement to create a relationship between the images.

Kicker A small headline , usually underlined, which is above and to the left of the

GLOSSARYThis glossary consists of key technical and simple terms regarding layout

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Layout The placement of text and images to create the appearance of a page.

LeadingSpace inserted between lines of text.

MatricesDfferent structures used to divide a page and guide element placement.

ModuleSee fields.

Nameplate The block that graphically presents the name, subtitle and date line of the newspaper.

NarrativeThe meaning of visual communication.

OrderOne of several styles prevalent in ancient Greek architecture.

Overprinting Where one ink is printed over another to dd textue and create new colours.

Pacemomentum or flow of a publication’s content.

PasserpartoutA freame or border around an imge or element.

Passive/ Active Gutters This refers to how the gutter is naturally assumed to be less active to other areas of a spread, placing important elements within the passive gutter area downgrades its ranking in the hierarchy. Be aware, depending on the pages and thickness of a book can also determine how large the gutter will be.

Picture boxesSpaces ceated in a layout for the placement of images.

PixelA screen picture element that can be used as a very fine grid.

PluralismThe use of multiple narratives.

Point size Font size in points.

Porkchop or thumbnail Half column picture

Recto/ Versothe pages of an open book with recto being the right hand page and verso the left hand.

Relative measurementMeasurement relative tot he size of the type set.

RenaissanceRevival of classical concepts of art and beauty in the 14th - 16th century Europe.

RGB Red, green and blue are the additive primaries of light that produce white light when combined. In four-colour printing the additive primaries are reporduced using the subtractice primaries CMYK.

Roman roadA string of sequential images.

Sidebar Secondary story, or provides more information for a main story.

Signage Signage is ny structure or display found on a building or in a street which conveys information to members of the general public.

Standing Heads Headlines that do not change

Symmetrical gridA layout mirrored on the recto and verso pages.

ThumbnailsSmaller versions of a publication’s spreads giving an overview of its pace.

Information taken from: The Layout Book & Editorial Design

Tombstone Placing two or more similar sized headlines side by side.

TriptychJuxtaposition of three images.

Typographical hierarchy Formed by using different typesizes with the larger, heavier weight assuming more importance than smaller and lighter weights.

Unity Unity is the need to join the disparate elements in an artwork together to form an undivided or unbroken completeness that is greater than the sum of the individual elements.

VistaA view, scene or prospect.

Well The magazine section where feature articles are published, usually in the middle.

White SpaceThe empty, unprinted and unused spaces.

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Experimental JetsetExperimentaljetset.nl

Wim Crouwell Striking The Eye: An Interview With Wim CrouwelCreativereview.co.uk 2007

KhttKhatt foundationKhtt.net

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Sbook 3N. LongSouthampton Solent 2006

New Typograhic DesignR. Fawcett-TangLaurence King 2007

Editorial LayoutY. ZappaterraLaurence King 2007

How to think like a great graphic designerD. Millman Allworth Press 2007

The Layout BookAmbrose and HarrisAVA Publishing 2007

Look at thisA. ShaughnessyLawrence King 2006

Size Format StockStudio 8Fenner Paper 2009

Offline

Online SpinSpin.co.uk

Hey HoHeyho.fr

Studio8Studio8design.co.uk

BibliothequeBibliothequedesign.com

BuildWearebuild.com

Cartlidge LeveneCartlidgelevene.co.uk

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THIS PUBLICATION IS DEDICATED TO LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN.

2006 - 2009

design context

Documents

graphic design world

exhibition design

personal design resolutions

massimo vignelli

range of work

different agencies

selected pieces of work

limited number of agencies