Words From Three Years Ago
Cari Hume
Perspective is defined as “…a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.” One’s perspective is constantly manipulated through series of color, mood, medium, and atmosphere, and can be altered by any slight way of design and interaction. With this in mind, I’m taking a personal route in this exploration by connecting my own perspectives over the course of several years, and conveying them through design strategies to be interpreted and experienced by third parties. In addition to manipulating the experience for the reader, I’m pushing the boundaries of design rules. Specifically within book publishing, there comes a set of standard rules to follow: covers, bylines, folios, margins, and a sequence of order. I am breaking these rules to design not for typical mass-production, but for the atypical consumer, mainly to explore how readers comprehend the standard rules versus the disorder of the book-form. Each page is handcrafted, filled with intentional mistakes – I’m moving the folios, rearranging the order, offsetting margins, and keeping anonymity without a byline or typical cover. By doing this, I’m creating an atmosphere: one of chaos, disarray, intrigue—which forces the reader to become aware of the standardized rules we, as a society, have subconsciously accepted. Why do books need to be made within a guideline? Why is it easier to read that way? Why is it more acceptable? This concept is applicable to any medium or industry, and it’s the designer’s duty to push these boundaries to enhance or question societal rules.