How to Design a Coffee Table Photo Book Assignment

Assignment Task

Book Redesign

For this project, you will pick a poorly designed book of your choosing, to redesign. You should pick a book that has large images so you can scan them at hi-res. Coffee-table books are good as they usually have large images, and all the necessary components, such as text, captions, titles, subtitles, etc. You will only be doing sample spreads, not the entire book. The spreads are listed under specs.

Creative Brief, Research, Mood boards, Sketches

Think about a specific target audience for your project. In addition to finding a book to redesign, you should also gather inspiration for look and feel of your redesign. Look for good appropriate examples of type treatment, photo/illustration treatment, color themes and over all layout. Create 3 different mood boards that are all appropriate for your book. Label your mood boards with key words. This should be a point of reference throughout your design process as well as an indicator to your client as to the direction the design is heading. Keep your sketches loose but tight enough to give a general visual idea of your explorations. You should explore at least 10 different spreads with text and images that you can expand into more variations or adapt to the front end of the book.

Type Studies Computer Sketches

Explore many different body-copy typefaces as well as different point size and leading combinations. Look back at your Explorations for ideas. Choose the 3 most promising concept directions and comp up on the computer. Do not worry about details like rags and kerning. Make sure to many different levels of hierarchy.

Computer Roughs

Choose the most effective direction and establish a grid. Make sure the grid can adapt to all the different spreads you’ll be designing. Add in the markers—page numbers, running heads, etc. At this point, you should the system working together cohesively—all spreads and the cover.

Type Specimen Promotion

Type foundries deliver promotional materials when they release new typefaces. Your task will be to develop an engaging, type promotion which includes a type specimen. This must appeal to graphic designers and a type savvy audience. We will be working on all the details as they develop during the semester. As with every major project, you will start with a creative brief; however, you will have more freedom to develop your content. In regards to format, it can be anything from a multi-page promotional brochure, to a poster which unfolds. Most importantly, this piece should be fun and engaging; it should make the typeface sing, show its proper usage and illustrate its appeal.

Creative Brief, Research, Mood boards, Sketches

Think about the specific target audience as you research similar projects and solutions. Pull and clip inspiration that you can use to develop you design and that can provide background knowledge about the subject. You should have at least 10 samples of beautiful typography. Create 3 different mood boards of possible look and feel. Label with key words. The chosen mood board will be a point of reference throughout your design process. Sketch at least 15–25 thumbnails of different concept and layout directions. Remember keep sketches loose at this point but tight enough to give a general visual idea of your explorations.

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