Collaboration: Type layout

Using the space in which the images are usually placed, it seemed most approppriate to see how the text could also be placed within this space. Figure 1 shows that due to the amount of text it may be suitable to spread it across both of the pages. Research into zines of this size revealed that a type that is smaller in size would be more appropriate to use because smaller text will represent the higher quality images that will be in the photobook. A serious tone needs to be maintained throughout this zine so that the photobook can accurately be represented. Figure 2 shows the text at pt size 8, working much better to look high quality, stylised but still legible. Now that it takes up less room it was moved over to the right (fig. 3) to see if this works better in terms of consistency. Figure 4 shows how this looks without the guides, showing it to work once the typfaces etc. have been chosen. 

This page in zine format may look visually more effective if it is a block colour (fig. 5), something that will need to be experimented with when I sit with Kristina and finalise it all. The colour chosen in figure 5 would need to be changed so that it has more relevance, but visually it demonstrates the effect that the colour with white writing could have within the zine. 

fig. 1

fig. 2

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fig. 5

This next layout experiment applied the same style as the first part, but working with the large amount of text at the end of the zine would mean that it would change a little. Figure 6 shows the display mode of how this would look and then figure 7 shows how this has been placed to work within the existing margins. Working across the double page spread work more effectively as white space in a short zine is not the best use of space. If this is the decided layout then this will need to be applied to the rest of the text within the zine. Placing the title in a more discrete location such as aligned to the top left margin, shown in figure 8, works effectively to instantly inform the reader on what the information is about but then the text becomes the main focus. As the development continued, the alignment of the text was changed from left to justified and this visually looked neater and reflected the minimal approach of the photobook. It seeemed like having a black background with white type work work well because of the high percentage of black within the portraits, but figure 9 shows how this doesn't work in terms of legibility or to represent the vibrancy of Bali as a country. 

fig. 6

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The stories of those interviewed and then Kristina's account is something that will be a big part of the book, but in order to fit with the design concept it will be in an 8 page booklet at the back of the book. This will allow the reader to view all of the photos, think of their own stories about the individuals in the portraits and then they are presented with the reality. The title 'Out of Sight, Out of Mind' is reflected by this layout concept, having the issues within Bali that are unseen made present. The stories will be presented at the back on a page each, figure 10 shows how this could look if the column style was to be continued. This particular story is not very long so it shows that a single column in the centre of the page does not work very well. Figure 11 has acted upon this and by doubling the width of the text it sits on the page much more sucessfully. The rest of the interviews were added to the pages so that the placement of these could be finalised, as shown in figure 12. The text visually does not look very succinct and tidy left aligned, so fig. 13 shows how it would appear if justified. It was decided that this works much better in terms of consistency and visual style of the rest of the book. 

fig. 10

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In terms of sequencing, it was hard to decide upon the best ordering of the stories and if this was something that was even relevant. Going back to the idea of colour, the portrait of each of the interviewees was placed by the story (fig. 14) to see if they could be grouped in terms of colour, in a similar style to the zine. This idea was then moved on from because it completely changed the overall high quality aesthetic that the photo book had and brought back the feeling of a zine. The white pages work well to keep consistency with the rest of the book and also to reflect the seriousness of what is being said. 

fig. 14

The next part of the development was to look at the typeface pairing that was chosen and see how this could be used as part of the text. The two typefaces chosen are Helvetica and Garamond, as research into the pairings revealed that these would work well together. Figure 15 shows a comparison between having Helvetica or Garamond as the body text. Helvetica (left) appears much more garish and childlike in comparison to the traditional appearance of Garamond, fitting with the serious tone of the stories that are being presented. Experimentation then took place with which typeface would work best for the information of each of the interviewees, looking at the use of Garamond for both the information (fig. 16) and the story as shown in figure 16 and also whether or not it would look better to have Helvetica as the information typeface in the top left (fig. 17) and then the main story being Garamond. It was decided that the pairing of the typefaces works well by having Helvetica used at the top left and then the main body of text being Garamond. 

fig. 15

fig. 16 

fig. 17