ISTD - Mapping of the World
Editorial Design / Illustration
Brief
This project, assigned by the International Society of Typographic Design (ISTD), aimed to broaden perspectives on typographic design and its possibilities.
Explore the world of maps from the point you pick. From detailed research, create a typographical solution in the right format to communicate a vision of this world.
Starting with an imaginary world rooted in SCiFi and Fantasy, I invented a book recounting an adventure in a rotating world-sized cylinder, a future world where people had regressed to an age like our 15th and 16th centuries. My goal was to excite the imagination of the readers and immerse them in the book’s universe, known as The Suil.
Solution
From excerpts of the journal that I wrote of the voyage of Bard the explorer, I developed a map. Both book and map were integrated into an antique-inspired booklet, sold as merchandising to readers of the book.
Everything had to evoke the setting of ancient civilisations’ culture and languages. Parchmentized paper, a simple colour palette reminiscent of ancient writings’ inks, and typefaces that emulate handwriting allowed my to reach my goal.
The World of SuÌl
To craft an engaging experience, I developed a world rich in culture, language, and wonder. Drawing inspiration from our own world, I encouraged the audience to use their imagination to expand and bring this world to life.
To make Suil truly unique, I reimagined a flat map as the inside of a cylinder, introducing an element of mystery and intrigue. I also wrote a Captain’s log chronicling a voyage through its uncharted landscapes, which became the foundation of this project.
One of the key characters, Bard, draws his roots from the Celts. I enriched his language by creating words inspired by Gaelic, further immersing the audience in the world of Suil.
Booklet Specificities
I began by exploring various layouts to leverage across the pages of my booklet, experimenting with designs to create a dynamic and engaging flow.
Once the layouts were finalized, I settled on an A5 format, using Rage Italic and Aquiline 2 typefaces, with vellum paper stock and saddle-stitch binding enhanced with my own creative twist.
Map Development
The lands of the map were map from a TikTok inspiration; rice poured on paper to give organic outlines. I made nature and monument elements inspired by the lands each place was based on.
Illustrations
The images in the diary are designed to represent the types of line drawings and sketches an ancient explorer might create to document the creatures and sights encountered during a voyage. While some of these images are actual sketches or illustrations, others have been treated with various filters to enhance their visual impact.
Final Outcomes
Conceiving an old captain, I made a log with text on the left and sketches mainly on the right, typical of a right-handed person.
This outcome is my interpretation of how the captain’s desk would look, with the log, a bottle of rum, an open ink fountain and the map being drawn.
Final Outcomes
The air of an ancient adventure, full of well-used items and trinkets acquired along the way, is depicted in these outcomes.
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