︎ART DIRECTION
︎BOOK BIDING
︎RISOGRAPH PRINTING

Project Brief

Third-year university project to create a book based on a song or album released before our birth year. I selected "Proclamation" by Gentle Giant, the British progressive rock band renowned for their complex harmonies, intricate compositions, and classical music influences that defined 1970s experimental rock.

Creative Approach

Given complete creative freedom, I chose to translate the song's melodic structure and emotional intensity into experimental typography. Rather than illustrating the lyrics literally, I analysed the musical phrasing, rhythm, and tonal shifts—transforming these sonic qualities into visual typographic treatments.

A serif typeface was deliberately chosen to reflect the classical, formal elements inherent in Gentle Giant's compositional style. The typography carries the full emotional weight—capturing both the precision and the building intensity of the original piece.

Production Method

I utilised risograph printing, a semi-manual technique allowing hands-on experimentation with ink application and layering. After exploring various colour combinations and overlay techniques, I deliberately constrained the palette to black and pink ink. This limitation shifted focus entirely onto typographic expression, forcing the letterforms themselves to communicate the song's dynamic character.

Binding Technique

The snake book binding method was intentionally selected to echo the song's structure. Created from a single sheet of paper, the binding creates a spiralling reading experience. This mirrors the music itself—building in complexity and chaos before ultimately returning to its opening notes. The reader's journey through the book reflects this cyclical, looping quality.

Deliverables

• Book Design – Experimental typographic layouts interpreting musical structure
• Art Direction – Visual translation of rhythm, phrasing, and tonal shifts
• Print Production – Risograph printing with deliberate colour constraints
• Hand Binding – Snake binding technique from single sheet

Tools

Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, risograph printing, hand binding

Outcome

A conceptually rigorous artist book where form mirrors content—demonstrating how typography, print technique, and binding method can work together to translate musical experience into physical, visual form.