Research point: The Golden Section

There’s a common mathematical ratio found in nature that can be used to create pleasing, natural looking compositions in your design work. We call it the Golden Ratio, although it’s also known as the Golden Mean, The Golden Section, or the Greek letter phi. The Golden Ratio describes the perfectly symmetrical relationship between two proportions.

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Research point: The language of type

In this project you’ve been looking at the conventions of type and how these can be applied to text to make it readable in different contexts. Typography is an art and a skill and, as such, it merits further study. To gain greater insight into typography, research the following areas in more detail and make

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Assignment two: Jacket design

This assignment will allow you to put into practice what you have learnt in all the projects and exercises you have done so far, in particular your ability to work through the design process and undertake creative problem-solving in relation to a set brief. The brief Create jacket artwork for the Beat generation classic, On

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Exercise: 10 book designers

Research Using a combination of library and internet sources, find an example of one cover design each for the designers listed above. Document a thumbnail image (photograph or drawing) of each cover in your learning log. Write a very brief description of each cover design and an overview of the designer. Do this in note

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Exercise: Form and genre

Look carefully at four or five books from different publishing genres. Choose genres that we haven’t talked about yet (i.e. avoid children’s books). For example, you might look at a cookery book, a biography of a sports personality, a travel guide, a work of historical fiction, a teenage film tie-in like Twilight, this course guide

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Exercise: The Figure

Using an image of the figure plus the words ‘The Figure’ set in 24pt Arial upper case, create twelve thumbnails, with only the image of the figure changing scale.   I At first I thought that it would be difficult to create 12 different thumbnails with only the image of the figure changing scale. But

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Exercise: Flatplan

Using one of the hardback books that you sourced in Part One, create a flatplan of the first eight pages of your selected book. I’ve decided to make a flatplan for a cookbook. I think it’s perfect for this task because there’re many illustrations in this book. I didn’t want to make a flatplan for the

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Assignment one Introducing yourself – ‘zine

This first assignment is about introducing yourself so that your tutor can get to know you, your interests and your work better.  Design an eight-page simple folded and stapled fanzine that says something about who you are, your interests in books and your wider cultural influences or interests. Use text and image material you have

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Exercise: Working to a brief

The Brief: ‘Identity’ Using ‘Identity’ as your theme, create several images which explore aspects of your self Generating ideas Thumbnail sketches Illustrations For this exercise I’ve decided to draw three illustrationns for the three main types of identification. 1) Physical appearance 2) Biological identity 3) Personal identity    Physical appearance Everybody knows the old idiom: don’t judge a book by its cover. It’s

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Exercise: Influentional books

Think about the influence of books globally.  In your learning log, create a short list of books, with accompanying images, which you believe to be important in a global context. Global: Objective   Excluding the Bible and the Quran we can add other religions holy books on this list.   The Tripitaka The Tripitaka is

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