02 I Editorial Design.
When August winds start to blow
(Redone)
Brief summary
A unique concept was developed for a hardcover printed book based on a person whose story is worthy of telling. Students had to conduct in-depth research about their subject in order to develop an editorial concept and narrative strategy, as well as write partial original text for the book, develop a design concept and execute selective imaging components. Convincing prototypes, presentation boards with 3-D mock-ups, had to be produced for the book. Only a selective part of the book was to be executed and showcased. All the text and imaging components of the book had to be original and self-generated by the students.
Project deliverables
01 I Creative writing piece
02 I Editorial spreads
Dust cover
Cover
End paper
Title page
Copyright page
Contents page
Chapter title page and editorial spreads
03 I A3 Presentation boards
Improved deliverable
For this project I redesigned the A3 presentation boards and redesigned their designs and layouts.
Visual strategy
The inspiration for this editorial narrated book is taken from the life of Heide Köster, a German woman born in Germany during the Second World War, in which she moved to Kroondal, South Africa with her family to start a new life. After she met her husband in Kroondal, who fought in Germany during the war and migrated to South Africa, they moved to a farm in Vryburg to start a cattle farming business. The most memorable memory Heide confessed to me were the beautiful landscapes of the Kalahari that spread around the farm and the golden sunsets setting over the camel thorn trees. But with beautiful days like these, it was also accompanied by challenges and danger, especially when the August winds swept up after a dry winter and could cause many destructions like wild fires.
Throughout the book, I want to highlight the August winds, and conceptualise the idea of change, conflict and movement occurring in the life of the book narrative. The concept around movement itself will be prominent towards the writing as well as the stylistic approach. August winds in South Africa, especially in the North Western province, indicates the end of winter and the promise of rain. But with this promise of life and rejuvenation, danger glooms with it. Grass and fields being dried out by the winter, can lead to catastrophic fires brought on by western winds. August winds therefore has a double meaning and high contrast between life and death. The narrative and the visual stylistic approach will represent the beauty of movement as well as the deadly devastation it can cause. The movement in the book will come to life with each page, as if the reader experience each turning page as wind blowing through it.
Throughout the visual design, I want to convey movement and life. As if each visual, line work and colour is alive and breathing. The movement is suggestive to the story narrative, where August winds is portrayed as a character itself. Bringing joy and life but also destruction and darkness.
I aim to take inspiration from the microscopic cell forms and line work and integrate it into my visual style. The cells represent Heide’s studies in science, and when she worked in a lab in Germany, studying skin cells. She made a joke and said that a part of herself is still literally in Germany, because they used their own skin cells for the experiments. By incorporating it with visuals, I want to represent each visual as something that is a living force with its own breath. The cell visuals along with the movement of the medium represents the life and movement on the farm. As well as the battles she faced on the farm.
Research & development
Mood Board
blah
Book Cover - Front & Back
Visual style
Throughout the visual design, I want to convey movement and life. As if each visual, line work and colour is alive and breathing. The movement is suggestive to the story narrative, where August winds is portrayed as a character itself. Bringing joy and life but also destruction and darkness. I aim to take inspiration from the microscopic cell forms and line work and integrate it into my visual style. By incorporating it with visuals, I want to represent each visual as something that is a living force with its own breath. The cell visuals along with the movement of the medium represents the life and movement on the farm. As well as the battles she faced on the farm.
The illustrations is created from watercolour paintings, which depict certain scenes in the narrated editorial book. Choosing water colour as my main medium, it allowed organic shapes and colours to unfold and bringing life to each illustration. Likewise, the illustrations contributed to the idea of movement and life which is the overall tone of voice of the narrated editorial book.
Creative writing
The inspiration for this editorial narrated book is taken from the life of Heide Köster, a German woman born in Germany during the Second World War, in which she moved to Kroondal, South Africa with her family to start a new life. After she met her husband in Kroondal, who fought in Germany during the war and migrated to South Africa, they moved to a farm in Vryburg to start a cattle farming business. The most memorable memory Heide confessed to me were the beautiful landscapes of the Kalahari that spread around the farm and the golden sunsets setting over the camel thorn trees. But with beautiful days like these, it was also accompanied by challenges and danger, especially when the August winds swept up after a dry winter and could cause many destructions like wild fires.
To view the complete written piece of the editorial book, please go to the following link.
Book design
August winds in South Africa, especially in the North Western province, indicates the end of winter and the promise of rain.
But with this promise of life and rejuvenation, danger glooms with it. Grass and fields being dried out by the winter, can lead to catastrophic fires brought on by western winds.August winds are conceptualised to represent the idea of change, conflict and movement occurring in the life of the book narrative. August winds therefore has a double meaning and high contrast between life and death. The movement in the book will come to life with each page, as if the reader experience each turning page as wind blowing through it.
Book Anatomy
Hardcover book & dust jacket
210 pages
Dimensions:
A4 Portrait size book
210mm (w) x 297mm (h)
Spine: 20mm (w) x 297mm (h)
Total size dimension: 440mm (w) x 297 (h)
Book Cover Spread
Dust Jacket Design
Flat editorial spreads
