Suggestions For Tenderness, the finished publication:
Front and back covers featuring tracing paper dust jacket
Extracts from Suggestions For Tenderness
All thirty copies, finished and bound
Reactions to this publication were very positive when it was presented during a final critique with peers. It was agreed that the theme of the book was uniquely and effectively presented through the illustrations and that the handwritten typeface added a naivety to its appearance that played well with the idea of closeness and intimacy through everyday physical acts. The idea of tenderness was conveyed through every aspect of the book, from the illustrations to the lengthy and labour-heavy printing process and even through the dust jackets. The physicality of the book was also commented on, as the weight pages and the translucent qualities of both the pages and the cover give a lightness, and almost a surreal quality, to the publication. To fresh eyes, the changes in the colour scheme and the minor technical problems I had had during printing were not apparent, and many noted that it did not impact on the content or the message of the publication. Despite the fact that the books had been mass produced in order to create a large run of them, the nature of Risograph printing meant that the hand made qualities and imperfections had been preserved, which helped to retain the integrity of the publication.
This module overall has pushed me as both a graphic designer and as a publication designer. From here I will continue to pursue my interest in publication design into the second year, and test the limits of what I am personally able to produce, and also what the boundaries of a publication could be.