6 rules for stunning book design

By Creative Bloq Staff
( Computer Arts )
published

How Vasava broke convention to design a striking 15th anniversary book for OFFF 2015.

04. Collaborate with the best partners

“This is a call to battle: we’re fighting mediocrity,” said copywriter Mark Tungate

“This is a call to battle: we’re fighting mediocrity,” said copywriter Mark Tungate

The book size is 23x33 cms. It's been printed using Fedrigoni papers. There's white silkscreen printed over black paper, Siro Nero. Then there's about 160 pages printed on offset paper, Arcoset WW.

One section, 'Believe' is printed over Symbol freelife, coated with a high glossy varnish that creates a beautiful contrast with the other pages, visually and tactile.

Inside the book there are a few knick knacks, including a poster illustrated by Hey Studio and a booklet 'Punishment for the Uncreative' by Mucho.

There are also gatefolds and other tricky sections… There are some where you have to fold pages of the book in the right part to discover the real message, or hidden enigmas and mysteries…

05. Don't cave under pressure

The book contains 15 inspirational commandments and five sins, illustrated by a range of exciting designers and artists

The book contains 15 inspirational commandments and five sins, illustrated by a range of exciting designers and artists

When you're doing something for OFFF, you know it's going to have a lot of visibility – not just in numbers; you know that the right people from the community will be checking it out – so you can get nervous. But the trick is to let it go and try to do something good.

This isn't aimed at a massive target. It's aimed at the people who really like OFFF. Everyone getting a copy of this book is somehow part of the family, so the aim here is to do something that can make them feel as part of it.

06. The fine details make it special

Every copy of the book is hand-numbered: only 3,000 were created

Every copy of the book is hand-numbered: only 3,000 were created

There's many details in the book that are very important to me: the tiny things that make everything stick together. Some of them will be almost invisible for the reader but they're there. There are weird numeration devices, awesome contributions, enigmatic games and a lot of things to engage the reader.

Get 10 issues of Computer Arts free!

To celebrate OFFF Barcelona 2015, Computer Arts is offering all overseas readers the opportunity to get up to a huge 10 free issues of the world's best-selling magazine for designers, with a two-year subscription. Offer ends 15 June.

Words: Julia Sagar

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Creative Bloq Staff

The Creative Bloq team is made up of a group of design fans, and has changed and evolved since Creative Bloq began back in 2012. The current website team consists of seven full-time members of staff: Editor Georgia Coggan, Deputy Editor Rosie Hilder, Deals Editor Beren Neale, Senior News Editor Daniel Piper, Digital Arts and Design Editor Ian Dean, Tech Reviews Editor Erlingur Einarsson and Ecommerce Writer Abi Le Guilcher, as well as a roster of freelancers from around the world. The 3D World and ImagineFX magazine teams also pitch in, ensuring that content from 3D World and ImagineFX is represented on Creative Bloq. 

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