- Grimm's Pages
- In this assignment, we'll design a mock-up for our client. It will show them our design for their fiction novel with all its typographic elements.
How To Get An A
This is what you need to do to ace this assignment.
- You've effectively created a balanced single-column grid using the economical approach.
- Select a typeface for good legibility in a long document.
- Set justified type with proper hyphenation and no rivers.
- Set type size, leading and spacing for a long document in order to achieve good page colour.
- Use stylistic elements in an appropriate context and manner.
- Use software tools effectively to build pages for a long document.
| Grade Value | Description |
|---|---|
| A, 80-100%, Excellent | This is work that has been completed in a highly motivated manner which meets all or most of the performance criteria for the project. It is an exceptional demonstration of design skills. |
| B, 70-79%, Superior | You have submitted work which is above average, but lacks the qualities which give it the stamp of excellence. It shows better than average design sensitivity. |
| C, 60-69% Satisfactory | Your project is handed in on time. It has fulfilled some or all of the requirements. It lacks strong visual interest and thoughtful & imaginative resolution. The work is merely average. |
| D, 50-59%, Marginal | This work is handed in on time, but lacks many or most of the areas that show understanding of design. It is a weak effort, which does not meet program standards. |
| F, 0-49%, Unsatisfactory | This is work that is not handed in on time or does not satisfy the assignment criteria at all. |
| NHI: Not Handed In | An assignment which was not received. |
BrightSpace Submission Links
Video Playlist
- This is the whole process of building your document.
- Remove all double paragraph breaks and double spaces from your text.
- Automatic page numbers on Parent Pages
- Running Headers in InDesign
- Create a parent paragraph style on which to base the other styles
- Drop Caps in InDesign
The Brief
This is all about finesse. The basics of this assignment are simple to execute. Achieving true harmony on the page is more challenging. The goal is to design an elegant, readable page with welcoming type, minimal hyphenation and subtle letter & word spacing.
Project Stages
- Read through the web site pages for this assignment.
- Research examples of fiction novel page treatments.
- Research what makes a good typeface for a long document like a fiction novel.
- Choose one of Grimm's fairy tales.
- Make your typeface selection
- Stylistic elements development
- Set up InDesign with proper text composition & hyphenation settings.
- Get my approval on your design
- Build the final product
Project Parameters
- You will treat your selected Grimm's Fairy Tale as if it were a full novel.
- You'll design two types of page: a chapter start and a regular page.
- You'll be given dimensions for your publication.
- Only one type family is allowed for this project.
- You'll set justified type.
- Use a first-line indent, not a space after paragraphs.
- Use ligatures and old-style figures (your stories may not have numbers in the text).
- All content will be in black.
- Implement paragraph styles throughout.
- The minimum requirements are:
- Book title
- Chapter Number
- Drop cap
- Folio
Real-World Context
In the real world, there may be many players involved in designing a book. You could be doing this as an in-house designer for a publishing company. In other circumstances, you could be working directly for the author.
Usually, the designer is provided a Word document with the manuscript. You would need to remove certain formatting from the Word document. It all depends on how it is produced. In this case, it’s a good idea to work closely with the author so they format the text properly.
In our case, we need to remove double paragraph breaks from our text. We’ll be using a Space After setting instead.
Before doing the layout for all the pages, we would supply a few representative pages to the client so they can sign-off on the design. That’s what this project is going to be – just those few pages.
The printer will guide you in the some technical requirements. IRL, you may need to build an InDesign book file.
Anatomy of a Book
Front Matter
The front matter can include a protective page, a title page, a copyright page, dedications, an epigraph, the table of contents, a forward, acknowledgments, a prologue and more. It all depends on the context.
Front matter pages are traditionally paginated with roman numerals.
Content
The main part of the book made of the actual manuscript. It’ll have regular pages and chapter pages. This is what we’re doing in this project.
The content pages may contain ornaments. You can use an ornament from your font on chapter opening pages or for breaks in the text. These should not be distracting.
Pagination is in arabic numerals at the top-outside, bottom-center or bottom-outside of the page.
The content may include bold or italicized text, block quotes, drop caps, section breaks, running headers, folios, and more.
Back Matter
The back matter can include an index, a glossary, notes, acknowledgments, the author’s bio, a list of books by the author and more.