Publishing Design

Week 1 - Week 14

Myra Elida Binti Abd Azis / 0358516

GCD61404 / Publishing Design

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Module Information Booklet

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Lectures

Publishing Design : Formats (1)

1. Typography Software Recommendation

   • Adobe InDesign is the preferred software for book design; Adobe Illustrator is not suitable due to file size and workflow inefficiencies.

2. Historical Timeframes Reference

   • BC (Before Christ) dates count backward from year 0, CE (Common Era) counts forward; examples include Mesopotamian tablets (~7000 BC), paper invention (179–241 BC), and Quranic parchments dated close to Prophet Muhammad’s time.

3. Mesopotamian Record-Keeping

   • Clay tokens and tablets served as the earliest forms of written records related to accounting and administration.

4. Palm Leaf Manuscripts

   • Used extensively in Southeast Asia and South Asia, with the oldest surviving examples dating to 800–900 CE in Nepal; vulnerable to degradation in humid climates.

5. Egyptian Papyrus and Writing

   • Papyrus made from Cyperus papyrus plant; writing included hieroglyphics and their cursive form (hieratic script).
   • Many records survive on tomb walls due to climate.

6. Chinese Bamboo Books and Paper

   • Bamboo strips tied together represent early book format; paper invented in China facilitated scrolls and later woodblock printing such as the Diamond Sutra.

7. Movable Type Printing Innovation

   • Early woodblock printing required laborious carving; movable type introduced in China but perfected in Korea using a simplified alphabet and metal type.

8. Parchment Production and Use

   • Made from animal hides; labor-intensive and costly, influencing book ownership and availability in Europe.
   • Some parchments made from human skin exist but are extremely rare and viewed as blasphemous.

9. Spread of Paper and Printing to Europe

   • Paper reached Europe via the Islamic world and Turkey by the 1400s–1500s CE.
   • Introduction of wood pulp paper in the 1860s lowered costs and increased production.

10. Bookbinding Evolution

    • Transition from scrolls to codex format (flat, sewn pages) in Europe allowed easier handling and reading.

Publishing Design : History of Print (2)

1. Evolution of Printing Technology
   Printing technology has developed over centuries, starting from stone rubbings to woodblock printing, movable type, and ly the mechanical press.

2. Historical Timeframes and Calendars
   The lecture clarifies the use of calendar terms BCE/CE versus BC/AD and highlights the adoption of the Western (Common Era) calendar due to colonization, despite other civilizations having their own calendars.

3. Early Printing in East Asia

   • The earliest known printed document is a Korean Buddhist Sutra from around 750 CE.
   • Japan followed shortly with mass printing of Buddhist texts in the late 8th century, including the creation of small wooden pagodas containing printed texts.
   • Chinese woodblock printing was highly advanced during the Tang dynasty, including illustrated scrolls like the Diamond Sutra.

4. Woodblock Printing Challenges and Innovations
   Woodblock printing was labor-intensive, especially due to the complexity of the Chinese writing system with thousands of characters.

5. Movable Type Development
   Movable type was first experimented with in China around 1000 CE but was impractical due to the complexity of Chinese characters and fragile materials.
   Korea later advanced movable type technology by casting durable bronze types in the 14th century and invented the Hangul alphabet in 1443, simplifying printing.

6. Introduction of Printing to Europe
   Printing from woodblocks reached Europe around 1400, with significant technical improvements made in Germany by Gutenberg in the 15th century.

7. Gutenberg’s Printing Press
   Gutenberg combined metallurgy, letter casting, and press design to create an efficient movable type printing press in the 1450s. His work enabled mass dissemination of knowledge, despite his personal financial failure.

8. Printing Press Mechanism and Mastery
   Gutenberg’s mastery involved perfecting type casting, ink transfer, press pressure, and alignment to produce high-quality printed works like the Gutenberg Bible.

9. Later Developments
   Subsequent centuries saw continual improvements in printing technology, culminating in the Industrial Revolution’s precision engineering, the desktop publishing revolution, and the internet era’s instant dissemination.

10. World’s Largest Book
    The largest book is a Buddhist text carved on 729 stone slabs housed in stupas in Mandalay, Burma, demonstrating the cultural significance of printed texts.

Key Conclusions

1. Printing as a Technological and Cultural Milestone
   The history of printing illustrates its crucial role in knowledge dissemination and cultural preservation across civilizations.

2. East Asia’s Pioneering Role
   East Asia, particularly Korea, China, and Japan, were pioneers in early printing technologies well before Europe’s adoption.

3. Alphabet vs. Logographic Script Impact
   The complexity of Chinese characters limited early movable type success, whereas alphabets like Hangul and Latin simplified printing processes.

4. Gutenberg’s Print Press Revolutionized Europe
   Gutenberg’s innovation transformed printing from a laborious craft into a scalable industry, catalyzing the spread of literacy and ideas in Europe.

5. Technological Innovation Requires Diverse Skills
   Gutenberg’s success was due to his deep knowledge of metallurgy, craftsmanship, and mechanical design, highlighting how interdisciplinary skills drive innovation.

6. Colonial Influence on Calendar and Printing Adoption
   Western colonization influenced the global adoption of the Common Era calendar and printing standards, underscoring cultural dominance in technology spread.

7. Printing Continues to Evolve with Technology
   From mechanical presses to digital and internet-based publishing, printing technology has continuously adapted to societal needs.

Important Details

1. Terminology Clarifications

   • AD = Anno Domini (after Christ), BC = Before Christ (older terms).
   • CE = Common Era, BCE = Before Common Era (modern secular terms).

2. Chinese Stone Rubbing Technique
   Confucian scholars used paper and charcoal to create rubbings of carved stone texts as an early form of text reproduction.

3. Korean and Japanese Early Printing Artifacts

   • The Korean Sutra (750 CE) is the oldest known printed document.
   • Japanese Empress commissioned mass printing of Buddhist prayers in 768 CE, distributed to pilgrims.

4. Diamond Sutra Scroll
   A 16-foot-long Chinese printed scroll from the late Tang dynasty features the world’s first printed illustration of Buddha.

5. Movable Type Material Challenges
   Early Chinese movable types were made of fired clay, which was too fragile for repeated use; Korean types were made of bronze, enabling durability.

6. Hangul Alphabet Creation
   Invented in 1443 by Koreans, Hangul is a phonetic alphabet that simplified printing and literacy compared to complex Chinese characters.

7. Gutenberg’s Background
   A goldsmith by trade, Gutenberg’s skills in metallurgy were critical for creating durable metal movable types and refining the printing press.

8. Gutenberg Bible
   Printed around 1456 without a printed date, it was produced using multiple presses simultaneously; at least one copy features hand-colored initials.

9. The Mandalay Stone Book
   Comprises 729 carved stone slabs, each housed under a small pagoda-like structure, collectively forming the world’s largest book.

10. Printing Press Comparison
    Despite different cultural origins, Chinese and Gutenberg’s printing presses share mechanical similarities, showing parallel technological evolution.

11. Printing Press Legacy
    Gutenberg died poor and relatively unknown, with his technology later commercialized and expanded by others.

12. Industrial and Digital Printing Eras
    Precision engineering from the Industrial Revolution improved printing quality and speed, followed by the desktop publishing and internet revolutions facilitating instant publishing.

Publishing Design : Typo Redux (3)

Core Points

1. Typography’s Essential Role
   Typography is fundamental to graphic design, akin to oxygen for living beings. Mastery of typography is crucial for effective design and communication.

2. Typefaces and Glyph Variations
   Each type family includes multiple typefaces and glyphs such as small capitals, numerals, fractions, ligatures, punctuation, mathematical symbols, and special characters like swashes and ligatures designed to improve visual harmony.

3. Legibility and Typeface Selection
   Legibility is paramount, especially in long texts like books. Designers should select typefaces suited for readability, such as classical serifs (e.g., Baskerville, Minion) or well-designed sans-serifs (e.g., Myriad Pro).

4. Typography Anatomy
   Understanding type anatomy—baseline, x-height, ascender, descender, cap line—is essential for proper type setting and legibility.

5. Typographic Conventions and Software Use
   Proper typesetting involves respecting conventions like correct underline positioning, avoiding misuse of all caps, appropriate use of small caps, superscripts/subscripts, and avoiding distorted fonts (no stretching or squeezing).

6. Spacing and Alignment
   Effective typography requires balancing type size, line length (ideally 50–65 characters per line), line spacing (leading), kerning, and letter spacing to ensure reading comfort and avoid widows and orphans.

7. Text Alignment Best Practices
   Left-aligned text with smooth right ragging is preferred for readability; right or center alignment is generally discouraged for large bodies of text. Justified text requires careful spacing adjustments to prevent rivers.

8. Special Formatting Tools
   Use software features like ligatures, forced line breaks, paragraph spacing, baseline shifts, and style manuals (e.g., Chicago Manual of Style) to maintain typographic quality.

9. Common Pitfalls
   Avoid excessive outlining, thick shadows, improper capitalization (especially all caps in long texts), improper hyphenation/dashes, and indiscriminate use of italics.

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Key Conclusions

1. Mastery of Typography is Critical for Designers
   A sound understanding of typography principles is essential for producing readable, aesthetically pleasing, and professional design outputs.

2. Typography Should Serve Communication and Readability
   All typographic choices must prioritize clarity and user-friendly reading experiences, particularly for extended text bodies.

3. Software Can Aid but Not Replace Typographic Knowledge
   While desktop publishing tools offer automation (e.g., auto-ligatures, baseline shifts), designers must understand typography fundamentals to avoid common mistakes.

4. Proper Spacing and Alignment Enhance Reading Rhythm
   Balanced line length, leading, and consistent spacing prevent reader fatigue and improve comprehension.

5. Avoid Distorting Typefaces or Overusing Decorative Effects
   Maintaining typeface proportions and applying effects judiciously preserves legibility and professional appearance.

6. Use Capitalization and Italics Sparingly for Emphasis
   All caps and italics should be limited to short headlines or emphasis, never large text blocks, as they reduce readability.

7. Typographic Conventions Impact Learning and Accessibility
   Especially in educational publishing, adherence to typographic standards aids comprehension and prevents reader frustration.

8. Widows and Orphans Must Be Eliminated
   Avoid leaving isolated words or lines at paragraph beginnings or ends as they disrupt text flow and visual appeal.

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Important Details

1. Glyphs and Special Characters

   • Small capitals match the x-height of lowercase letters and are useful for acronyms.
   • Ligatures (e.g., fi, fl) prevent visual clashes between letters.
   • Swashes add decorative flair but should not be used in all caps.

2. Old-style vs. Lining Numerals
   Old-style numerals have varying heights and blend with text better in historical or mathematical contexts; lining numerals are uniform height and used in modern, utilitarian designs.

3. Type Size, Line Length, and Leading Relationship

   • Ideal line length: about 50 characters, max 65.
   • Leading (line spacing) generally 2.5 to 3 points larger than type size (e.g., 9 pt type with 12 pt leading).
   • Larger type sizes require more leading; overly long lines impair readability.

4. Kerning, Tracking, and Letter Spacing

   • Adjust spacing to avoid widows and orphans.
   • Tracking affects overall letter spacing in a text block; default values may need adjustment for better appearance.

5. Underline and Strikethrough Usage

   • Underlines should be positioned below characters to avoid impeding readability.
   • Avoid thick outlines or shadows beyond 1 point stroke width in body text.

6. Alignment Guidelines

   • Left-aligned text preferred for body copy; ragging on the opposite side should be smooth but not justified.
   • Right or center alignment reduces readability in long texts.
   • Justified text needs careful spacing to avoid “rivers” (large gaps).

7. Paragraph Formatting

   • Use paragraph spacing instead of multiple returns (ENTER key) to separate paragraphs.
   • Indentation generally matches the point size (e.g., 10 pt indent for 10 pt text).

8. Hyphenation and Dashes

   • Hyphen (-) divides words or numbers.
   • En dash (–) replaces “to” in ranges (e.g., 30–50).
   • Em dash (—) sets off parenthetical statements or interruptions within sentences.

9. Drop Caps Usage

   • Drop caps should not exceed 2-3 lines in height and are best used sparingly or ornamentally.

10. Quotation Marks and Codes

    • Use proper typographic quotes (curly quotes) rather than typewriter straight quotes.
    • Single/double codes are for feet and inches, not quotations.

11. Sidebar Leading

    • Leading in sidebars should match body text to maintain reading rhythm and alignment.

12. Avoid Font Stretching and Squeezing

    • Distorting fonts horizontally or vertically damages type design integrity and readability.

13. Italics Usage

    • Best for emphasis within text, not for large blocks or entire paragraphs, especially in sans-serif fonts.

14. Software Features

    • Use software tools for superscripts, subscripts, line breaks (Shift+Enter), and baseline shifts rather than manual formatting.

15. Democratization of Design

    • Easy access to design software has increased misuse of typography by untrained users, highlighting the need for typographic education.

Publishing Design : The Grid (4)

Core Points

1. Grid as a Practical Typographic System
   The grid is one of many ways to divide a page, but it is regarded as the most practical and widely used method for organizing typographic content.

2. Philosophical and Mental Attitude Behind Using Grids
   Using a grid system reflects a designer’s mental attitude, values, and belief in order, functionality, and aesthetic clarity through mathematical thinking.

3. Historical Foundations and Influences
   Modern grid systems stem from early 20th-century modernist movements and figures like El Lissitzky, Moholy-Nagy, Josef Müller-Brockmann, and others associated with Bauhaus and constructivism.

4. Grid Components and Terminology
   Key parts of a grid include margins (crucial empty space around content), columns, gutters (spaces between columns), rows, text fields, and hang lines (baseline alignment for text starts).

5. Grid’s Role in Designing Complex Content
   Grids allow designers to systematically and consistently arrange various content types such as body text, subtext, images, charts, pull quotes, and captions, aiding readability and comprehension.

6. Flexibility Within a Modular System
   A grid is modular and not a rigid constraint; it enables numerous layout variations but requires maintaining visual coherence and avoiding excessive inconsistency.

7. Importance of Sharing Design Knowledge
   Documenting and sharing design experiments and experiences is vital to advancing the field and contributes to collective knowledge, as demonstrated by historical and current platforms.

8. Designer’s Responsibility to Users
   Ultimately, the designer’s task is to serve the user’s experience by making information clear, logically arranged, and visually engaging without distracting or overwhelming the reader.

Key Conclusions

1. Grids Facilitate Clear Communication and Understanding
   Information presented using grids is read more quickly, understood better, and retained more effectively due to logical and orderly layout.

2. Grid Use Is an Expression of Professionalism and Ethos
   Employing a grid signals a designer’s commitment to clarity, functionality, and aesthetic quality, reflecting a rational and constructive approach to design.

3. Grid Systems Should Be Combined With Other Methods
   While grids are foundational, incorporating other typographic and layout systems can enhance flexibility and creativity in design.

4. Balance Between Order and Creativity Is Essential
   Design should strike a balance between neat order (for clarity) and engaging variation (to avoid monotony), ensuring the reader remains interested without confusion.

5. Grids Function as Invisible Frameworks
   Like architectural structures, grids operate subtly behind the scenes, supporting design without being overtly visible or restrictive.

6. Sharing and Documenting Design Work Advances the Discipline
   Designers should actively publish their processes and findings to contribute to the evolution of design knowledge for future practitioners.

Important Details

1. Margin Space Is Critical
   Margins greatly affect the aesthetic and readability of layouts but are often neglected by students; adequate margins improve viewer comfort and visual balance.

2. Hang Lines Provide Consistency in Text Alignment
   Hang lines help determine where body text or headings start, enabling consistent vertical alignment across pages.

3. Grid Variations and Formulas
   Designers can develop “formulas” or sets of layout variations within a grid system to maintain coherence while introducing variation across multiple pages.

4. Historical Designers and Movements to Reference

   • El Lissitzky: Russian modernist and constructivist
   • Moholy-Nagy: Bauhaus luminary, designed the Universal typeface
   • Josef Müller-Brockmann: Swiss graphic designer, influential on book design
   • Paul Renner: Creator of the Futura typeface, based on geometric grids

5. Grid Use in Different Design Fields
   Beyond typography, grids assist photographers, exhibition designers, and graphic designers in organizing content in both 2D and 3D spaces.

6. Examples of Grid Application
   The lecture references a grid layout with two apparent columns on one page but four columns on another to handle body text and subtext differently, showing the flexibility of grid systems.

7. Challenges for Beginners
   Using grids for the first time can feel restrictive but becomes liberating with practice as designers discover creative possibilities within the system.

8. Design Goals for Books
   Books should be easy to navigate, visually pleasing, and have clear distinctions between different types of content to enhance reader engagement.

9. Grid’s Role in Enhancing User Experience
   Well-executed grids support seamless reading experiences, making the design “invisible” so content can effectively communicate without distraction.

10. Encouragement to Publish Design Work
    Platforms like “Creative Beads” are recommended for sharing students’ and designers’ work to foster community learning and innovation.

Publishing Design : Elements (5)

Core Points

1. Fundamental Elements of Book Design

   • Book design primarily involves three core elements: textual content, visual elements (including graphics and imagery), and color.
   • Format (size, binding, paper type) is an element but secondary to the core design elements.

2. Use of Grid Systems in Layout

   • Creating a grid system is essential before arranging text, visuals, and color.
   • Grids help maintain consistency while allowing variation in page layouts.
   • Margins, columns, and typeface choices are established within the grid.

3. Balance Between Variation and Consistency

   • Effective book design balances variation (to avoid monotony) with consistency (to maintain unity).
   • Fixed elements (e.g., typeface, color scheme) should be combined with varied layouts to keep the reader engaged.
   • Variation can be created through different formulas of text and visual arrangements within the grid.

4. Common Layout Formulas

   • Examples include: body text paired with a visual element; large image with caption or pull quote; two columns of body text; full-page visual opposite body text.
   • These modular formulas can be rotated and reused throughout the book.

5. Role of Color

   • Color can either be a focal point or a subtle support to create visual interest and variation.
   • Black and white books rely on shades rather than color but still employ visual contrast.

6. Practical Constraints and Considerations

   • Book pages must be divisible by four due to printing and binding processes (signatures).
   • Page count impacts printing costs and sheet usage; planning page numbers carefully reduces waste.

7. Design Process and Learning Curve

   • Designing a book can be daunting initially; thumbnail sketches and exercises (e.g., form and movement) aid problem-solving and decision-making.
   • Experience over time improves the designer’s ability to make layout decisions more seamlessly.
   • Early feedback and intervention help refine designs without suppressing creative expression.

8. Importance of Visual Research

   • Researching existing layouts and visual references informs design decisions and helps avoid repetitive or uninspired solutions.
   • Designers should develop a clear visual direction or mood for the book but remain open to evolving the design during the process.

9. Reader Experience and Design Impact

   • Good book design subtly guides the reader through the content without them realizing the design’s influence.
   • Surprising the reader with layout variations at each page turn sustains engagement.

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Key Conclusions

1. Book design is a structured yet creative process that hinges on balancing three primary elements—text, visuals, and color—within a grid system to create engaging, consistent, and varied layouts.

2. The grid system is both a framework for logical placement and a tool for modular variation, allowing designers to craft multiple layout formulas that maintain cohesion across the publication.

3. Successful design maintains a duality of consistency and surprise, preventing monotony while preserving a unified visual narrative throughout the book.

4. Understanding printing constraints, such as page counts divisible by four, is crucial to efficient book production and cost management.

5. Design skills and decision-making improve with practice, exercises, and reflective experience; initial difficulties are natural and part of the learning curve.

6. Visual research is vital to developing original, impactful designs and avoiding well-trodden, uninspired layouts.

7. Ultimately, good book design enhances the reader’s journey, making the experience seamless and engaging without overtly drawing attention to itself.

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Important Details

1. Format Elements: Include book size, paper type, and binding; these affect tactile experience but are secondary to design elements.

2. Textual Elements: Comprise body text, subtext, pull quotes, and captions; consistency in typeface family is recommended for unity.

3. Visual Elements: Include images, illustrations, graphical forms, and background visuals; these can be arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically to create balance or emphasis.

4. Color Usage: Can be dominant or subtle; in black-and-white books, shades and contrast fulfill the role of color.

5. Grid Creation: Start with margins and columns, then decide typefaces; grids may be adjusted during the design process as needed.

6. Layout Variation Examples:

   • Text opposite visual element (equal or varied proportions)
   • Large image with caption or pull quote
   • Two columns of text
   • Full-page image opposite text

7. Page Signature: Books are printed in multiples of 16 pages per signature; this affects total page count and printing efficiency.

8. Design Exercises: The “form and movement” exercise is recommended to build cognitive skills in layout decision-making.

9. Design Feedback: Instructor intervention is supportive but non-impositional, encouraging student creativity.

10. Visual Direction: Having a mood board or reference point helps guide design choices and prevent repetitive mistakes.

11. Surprise Factor: Introducing variation keeps readers engaged; avoid predictable, monotonous page turns.

12. Modularity: Layout formulas are repeated with variations to create rhythm and maintain reader interest over multiple pages.

13. Practical Tip: If page count is not divisible by 16, adding pages in increments of four (e.g., +4, +8) is acceptable but may cause paper waste.

14. Final Advice: Continuous reflection and redesign can improve book design but may not be feasible due to workload constraints.

Task 2

Content Generation

I had chosen to write about a summary of my life for the first , then to a phase of failure that I felt hit the hardest and how I grow/healed from that failure.

Submission:

I decided to do a mixture usage of pictures and illustrations. Here are the ones that I have used in book ;

Google Drive

Task 3

Book Printing

Book Size:

180mm(W)X240mm(H)

Binding Method:

Saddle Stitch

Font Selection:

Title- Horizon

Contents - Merriweather

Contact Sheet:

Paper Type Selected:

Maple Snow 150gsm(Content)

Maple Bright 250gsm(Cover)

Complete Book:

Task 4

Poster:

Final Digitized Version:

Feedback

Week 1:
Briefing on MIB (Module Information Booklet)

Week 2:
Completed formatting exercises and began writing the 3000-word essay

Week 3:
Presented my text formatting

Week 4:
Finished formatting exercises; began sketching illustrations and sourcing pictures

Week 5:
Received feedback on my writing — lecturer said it was good

Week 6:
Learned how to insert illustrations and pictures in InDesign

Week 7:
Focused on maintaining visual flow and a consistent theme throughout the book layout

Week 8 (ILW):
Independent Learning Week

Week 9:
Learned how to apply page numbers and set up bleed to avoid white lines after trimming

Week 10:
Adjusted paragraph formatting to properly use margins and columns (40–50 characters per line); fixed spacing between elements and text

Week 11:
Refined font sizes and adjusted parts of the layout in preparation for final printing

Week 12:
Final book submission