Book Design

Over the last 3 months I've been working away completing chapter 4 and designing the book itself. The book design has been a really fun aspect of the project, allowing me to draw everything together and make an identity with themes and motifs that can be used across various design elements.

There are three major influences on the design. Spiderwick Chronicles being the first, which I talk about on my other blog. Spiderwick Chronicles got me looking at Victorian page ornamentation and book design which then led me to producing the title pages, seen in an earlier post and the endpapers.

With the book being called Tooth and Nail I went with the obvious. The patterned paper at the front features the tooth and at the rear the nail. This forced me to improve my vector illustration skills and I'm quite happy with the result. This then took me onto designing the clamshell book box.

Above is the design produced using 3D software which I then went on to mock up. This is the first book box that I have designed or made and I am extremely happy with the result which is being exhibited over at Glyndwr at the moment. Once I get it back I will photograph it and post pictures. I had intended to have foil blocking pressed onto the spine however cost and time didn't allow this. 

The other major influenced was Philip Smith's work also mentioned in a previous post. Looking at leather bindings and Philip's relief work led me to produce a limited edition design which at some point in the future I would love to mock up though this will require a whole host of new skills.