it matters ...

It matters ... is a small-scale graphic booklet I designed in my final year at University. The brief for this project was to explore the relationship between words and images within a specific graphic context. In response to the brief, I created a series of visual collages inspired by an extract from one of my favourite books 'We are Called to Rise' by Laura McBride. The book's title is inspired by the poem Aspiration by Emily Dickinson, which features in the booklet's centre spread. Throughout the final collages, I used themes such as enlarged human features and shadows to create a visual link across the pages to create a seamless reading experience for the viewer.

During the finding out phase of the project, I narrowed down the topics I wanted to focus on and gathered texts. I decided to choose a text that was meaningful to me, and that I thought had potential to be narrated by imagery. Once I had chosen the extract, I analysed the text to find common themes that I could use as a thread to tie the booklet together. The text I chose was based on action so I then gathered imagery based on these to gather some ideas.

I designed the booklet over a 8-week period, each week presenting a different iteration of the booklet. During the process, I tried different visual treatments and found that the double-page collages I was making were working really well. I added text strips and positioned these carefully throughout the booklet to draw the reader's eye to certain sections of the collages. In cases where this was not appropriate, the text falls on the same baseline. 

Making the booklet allowed me to learn how to saddle stitch. Making the booklet consisted of printing the booklet using the 2-up saddle stitch option on indesign, and carefully trimming each page to the correct size. I then folded each page by hand with a score and paper bone to minimise any damage to the paper or ink. As the outer and cintre spreads were black and white, I found it was really important to ensure that the black ink didn't crack. I then used an awl to create 5 holes and used a bookbinding thread and needle to saddle stich the booklet together. I then trimmed the foreedge of the booklet to ensure it was neat, and went in with a fine pen to correct any damage to the ink on the outside of the booklet. 

This project taught me the importance of paying attention to small details, that might seem insignificant to the reader but makes a vast difference to the experience of interacting with the booklet.