OUGD504 - Type In Context - Publication layout ideas.

At this point in my project, I have the confidence that my designs are going in the right direction and my research is becoming more specific and relates to my themes. Beginning to looking at my images and experiment with layout. Printing out each of the 26 letterforms has proved really useful for understanding what it will communicate.

I started by just ordering the images A-Z this helped me get a feel for the different combinations of images and if all the images felt coherent and together. My plan when printing these photos was to begin to get an idea of the layout in the publication and how it could be structured and ordered.

Using a similar sized piece of white paper as the page that would feature the description or information on each image. For this layout the description would be on the right-hand page, this is the layout I used for my presentation and it felt to be the most common and standard layout. A point to consider with this layout is that each letter will be on its own and at times some letters need more context. 

This A, for example, could be confusing if seen singularly, this layout also gives the images plenty of space for more content.

As I had tested using the description page on the right it seemed useful to see how the description on the left would look. In terms of the overall design, this would change the structure of the publication. I do however think with the image on the left like this the description could be seen as the main focus and take away from the images. 

This layout would show the descriptions of each image on a separate spread the page after, this would allow the viewer to see the images full bleed alongside each other then give an explanation of the context that would be more interacted with as there is nothing to distract the reader. This layout is slightly unusual and uncommon because of this it may be a distraction to the reader.

This layout has been taken from the London Letters article in Eye Magazine. It would show all 26 letterforms then after the descriptions. This allows the images to really be the main focus and can be admired without any distraction. This layout worked really well in the London Letters, a project similar to my own so must then be a consideration for my publication.

In the Pentagram book 'Overlooked' each image had been placed in the middle towards the gutter like shown above, this allows for descriptions on the right and left sides of the page. I felt this did not show the images in their best light and may be confusing or over elaborate.  

I did however find it interesting to try out a different layout, I had always considered using my images full bleed and this experimentation has made me rethink this decision. These designs then lead to two more ways of composing a singular page as seen bellow.

Moving the description space to bellow the images as seen above would allow the pages to include both the image and the description, this would cut down the size of the publication if it needed to be smaller.

I also had a look at the images each with an frame around them, as I felt they would look best in full bleed it was great to experiment with a different style and I was pleasantly surprised to see that it didn't take away from the images and worked well with the concepts. 

After trying out a few different layouts I thought of this idea using a singular page in-between each letterform (possibly in a different stock) to break up the images and add a description but not take up too much space. This idea then lead to the idea bellow.

I found if I used an half size page in-between each photo that had a description on each side this would allow the reader to look at both images at once but read the description one at a time. This small half page could be printed in different stock or even a different colour to make it even more engaging. I was very pleased with this idea and would have only found it through this extra experimentation. 

After looking at a range of layout ideas I began to group my letterforms starting here making the beginning of the 'THE QUICK BROWN.....'. This was initially just a test to see how the letters read together not in alphabetical order, but I wanted to photograph it as I felt there was something about it that really worked. The 'The' in particular felt very coherent.

As the context of my images in undeniably about Orkney's testing this letter seemed appropriate, however it is slightly too unclear and is a difficult work to read.

In a discussion on my work Simon Jones split up my images from naturally found and man made, I have done the same again above. We spoke of how it is a pretty good split between the images and this could in someway be a feature in the publication. I suggested the idea of printing some the naturally found on matt and the man made on gloss. This is an idea I may return to as I feel it could be beneficial for this publication.

Another idea I had been thinking about was the possible embossing and de-bossing of each letter form in respect of the photo. Shown above the different image that would be embossed and de-bossed. This is another idea that I feel could really help improve and take my publication further. 

Printing these images has allowed a more detailed overview of what different kind of options there are in terms of layout. Through this experimentation the idea of using a small insert between the images seems the most appropriate as it offers more than one way of reading and doesnt use as much paper.

Overall I have found this extremely useful, I would not usually print out my images at this early stage but testing out layouts has really widened my ideas and will help me realise what feel most appropriate compared to my chosen context. I thought that my images may not translate into printed material but was delighted to see that when printed they feel even more tactile and intriguing. Printing them at this small scale has again re-contextualised the images and they feel different at this scale.