Final outcomes

Book

Printed Version

Full layout

E-book

Alphabet Poster

Alphabet poster

First I layed out all of the letters in the order but the number was uneven so I will have to leave some white space around the edges. This is a little bit long and thin so I would like to try putting more on each line to thin it down a little.

I tried squeezing it all in by reducing the size of the last line which allowed me to remove all of the white spaces but I think it looks top heavy and the image become a little hard to see.

I added the white spaces back in and I think this works better because all the letters are now an equal size so it looks more in proportion. It does look a little empty around the edges so I would like to try adding some colour to fill in the white.

I chose to add in pastel colours so that the images are not overpowered and I think it looks effective because it makes the poster look complete as the whitespace left it looking a little unfinished.

I tried adding in some punctuation to go along with the character theme but it looked a bit overcrowded and out of place so I'm going to stick with the blocks of colour.

Final Design 

I think the poster looks effective because the images all compliment each other and the colours work well together. The grid layout keeps it looking neat and organised and stops it from looking too busy and cluttered as the images are already very detailed. I think adding the colours around the edges helped tie it all in together and make the poster look complete.

Printed Version

Further Book / Ebook Development

Front Cover

I wanted to create the front cover in the style of fridge magnets because I thought this went well with the alphabet theme. Before buying a bulk load of alphabet letters, I decided to test out how well my idea would work by cutting magnet letters out of an image I found online using photoshop.

I selected each letter using the magic wand tool and cut them all out into separate layers to create the words.

I wanted more variety then this in the colours of my letters so I used the colour balance tool to change some of the colours for more diversity. 

I think this will look very effective when done using actual photographed letters placed on my fridge because it just needs added depth and dimension and doing it myself will give it that. I think having a range of colours will give an insight into the fun and colourful style of the inside. Doing this was very helpful because I now know my idea will work and be effective before having to spend money on materials.

I was unable to source any alphabet fridge magnets but I think these letters will work just as well when placed on the fridge and will give the same effect.

I laid them out before sticking them down to ensure I had enough to complete the entire title of the book. Some of the same colours are repeated next to each other, but this won't be a problem because I can edit the colours on photoshop like I did with my test image.

I then placed the letters on to my fridge and photographed them.

The initial photograph is quite dark so will need  brightening up. There also needs to be a larger range of colours and I will make sure this happens when I edit the image.

I edited the image in photoshop by first using the curves tool to brighten it up and make the background whiter which made the letters really pop. I also edited some of the colours within the type because I didn't want any two matching colours placed next to each other. I did this using the colour balance tool.  I think my cover looks really effective it is bold and would stand out from a distance on a shelf and catch peoples eyes. I think doing it in the same handmade typography style as the rest of the book kept it coherent with the style, but creating a new piece for it meant none of the inside content is given away by the cover, just hinted to. 

Cover page

Next I designed my cover page. I wanted to keep it very simple as the rest of the book is extremely decorative and I wanted the information to be conveyed in a simple and legible manner. I tried out a few different basic font combinations and layouts.

I chose this layout in the end because it is simple and easy to understand and the fonts are very legible. Separating the title and author name with the line gives a clear divide between the two. 

Back Cover

I wanted to keep the back cover very simple because the purpose was to convey information and not to be decorative. I chose a bright colour to contrast with the white on the front and add some colour and fun to the cover to link in with the inside of the book. I also added in the barcode and price as these are both necessary things to be included on books. I put them in the corner so that they would be out the way of the description text but still easily found.

I tried a sans serif and serif font for the description but decided to go with the serif because it matches in with my cover page for continuity and has good clear legibility. I chose white as this had a stronger contrast with the background than any other colour so had the best legibility. I centred it to make it the focal point of the page.

I then tested it with the front of the book to check the colours worked well together and to get an idea of how the printed version would look. I think it looks very effective because the pink links in with a shade on the front so they compliment each other.

I had to move the text over so that it would be central when the book was printed. I also moved the price to the top as the book printers place on their own barcode and I wanted to make sure the price wouldn't be covered.

Uploading / Printing


Finally I uploaded my book to be printed. I kept it in indesign for the layout as this ensured all of the correct pages would be printed together.

Once my book was uploaded to the site I was given a preview before ordering. This allowed me to double check how the book would print and gave me time to sort out potential issues. I had to reupload and edit it a number of times because it was hard to get the cover pages centred. 

Final Printed Book

I think the book came out very well and looks very effective because the strong colours are very eye catching and the bright colours on the cover will really stand out on a shelf. Taking all of the images myself made them high quality which allowed me to print it in quite a large size with no pixelation.

E-book

Finally I created an E-Book version by converting it using the E-Book save option in indesign. This then uploaded it to my E-Book library. I think it makes an effective E-Book because the colours work just as well on screen as they do printed and it is very eye catching. I think the front cover will stand out in an E-Book library because of the vibrant colours in the typography.