The Crystal Goblet
Booklet Design
A booklet design containing the text of Beatrice Warde's The Crystal Goblet and Michael Rock's Fuck Content. After reading each of the author's articles and opposing viewpoints, a personal opinion was formed in regard to the role of type in Design. This booklet was compiled and bound to visually express this personal viewpoint— from the cover design, to the typesetting, to the book binding.
DESIGN STATEMENT
Although I do not agree with every argument either author makes regarding the design (or lack thereof) of content, I do agree more with the arguments of Rock than those of Warde’s. He appreciates type style and how content is visually expressed. As a graphic design student, I agree that style and design is an important part of storytelling– it helps to bring content to life. Through my education so far, I’ve come to appreciate the history of graphic design and the evolution of the industry from its inception. I agree with Rock’s appreciation of the history and evolution of design and of the graphic designer beyond the art of typesetting alone.
This booklet was compiled and bound based on this viewpoint. Certain words and phrases within the text of Fuck Content in this booklet were set and designed with the intent of drawing emphasis or visually extending their meanings. Since I agree more with Rock than I do with Warde, the text of Fuck Content is presented at a larger scale to draw more attention to this article in comparison to the subdued, undesigned, text of The Crystal Goblet. The text of Fuck Content is interwoven between lines of The Crystal Goblet to extend the overarching idea that there is more to content than the text itself, and that there is meaning to be found by reading ‘between the lines’. The first and last paragraphs of Fuck Content were placed on their own pages to bring emphasis to these points made by Rock.
Although the title of the booklet takes the name of Warde’s article, it is designed in such a way that is in direct opposition to her views. Words of the title are split into separate lines and designed to disrupt the content. The letter cutouts are another design element that would be disapproved of by Warde. Here the content (i.e. the title) serves as a window to more (i.e. the content within this booklet), because as a designer in training, I believe there is more to content than the content itself. Design of text and the design of this booklet play an important role in storytelling and to visually extend meaning of the content itself.
With an opinion that there is more utility to type than its content, I chose to visually represent this by carving the letters of the title page to serve as ‘windows’ to the content within the booklet.
COVER DESIGN
Words and phrases within the text of Fuck Content were set and designed with the intent of emphasizing or visually extending their meanings.
Since I agree more with Rock than I did with Warde, the text of Fuck Content is presented at larger scale to draw more attention to his article in comparison to the subdued, undesigned text of The Crystal Goblet. The text of Fuck Content is interwoven between lines of The Crystal Goblet to extend the overarching idea that there is more to content than the text itself, and that there is meaning to be found by reading ‘between the lines’.
TYPESETTING
Singer-sewn binding for a simple and understated booklet construction, allowing the cover design to remain the focal point.
BOOKLET CONSTRUCTION
The interplay between light and shadow through the letters of the cover create a crystalline effect on the opening page conceptualizing The Crystal Goblet.
Light casted through the cover creates a dynamic design of the title as the booklet is opened. This design decision was made in opposition to Warde’s opinion that type should be ‘invisible'.
The first page of the booklet demonstrates the decisions made in typesetting of the body copy. Specific words within the text were stylized to emphasize or visually extend their meanings.