This project was the final outcome of a course I had taken during my 5th semester, called Production Processes for Print. In this class, we explored the various possibilities and diverse results that one can achieve by using various methods of print. We were taken to printing presses and paper manufacturers around Bangalore and saw how different machines and rendering techniques could be employed to create diverse printmaking results. We were also taken into the theory and history of printmaking and how it influences the print formats that exist today. At the end of the course, we were expected to design a book inspired by any topic of our choice, using text, image, and editing to bring out our layout skills.
The book I worked on for this module was a collection of six of my poems that I complimented with conceptual illustrations. The book has 20 pages in total, and its dimensions are 210 by 297 mm. It was printed using the offset technique.
I started out putting together the book by selecting 6 poems that I wished to illustrate. After choosing the poems, I set about planning my illustrations. I wanted them to be metaphorical in nature, but still connected to the corresponding poem in terms of their feel. I used my interest in writing to fuel the creation of a metaphorical concept for each of the poems. I decided that the central figure across all the illustrations would be myself, as all six poems were very personal to me. Each illustration contains a self-portrait paired with other metaphorical elements and situations.
After my planning was complete, I began executing the illustrations. I painted them using drawing inks and watercolour paint, and later took high-resolution pictures of them and vectorised them on Adobe Illustrator. Then, I created the grid on Adobe InDesign and placed the illustrations alongside my text. The typeface I used for my poems was Adobe Garamond Pro.
Here are the original illustrations that I made using drawing inks and watercolours. I took high resolution pictures of each one later and digitised them on Adobe Illustrator.
Above: Design of the printed book
Below: Pictures of the completed printed book
