Compose two styles

Rather than blending two styles into a middle, this assigns them roles: one carries the structure, the other appears as an accent. Where the two fight, it says so before you start.

How to divide the work

Composition
Follow Artist’s Book: Compose page by page rather than by the spread
Type
Set in Artist’s Book's manner (Keep text sparse and hold its position so turning has a beat), and let Risograph's lettering (Bold letters or homely serifs, separated by color plate) appear only where you want the eye to catch.
Material
Ground in Artist’s Book's material (Paper weight and opacity, the binding, the edges, the weight in hand); bring in exactly one thing from Risograph (Two or three spot colors, coarse halftones, uncoated paper).
Colour
Build on #e7e0d3, #9f493c, #2b2925 and admit one accent from #f2e6c9, #ff4d70, #185aa8.

Where they fight

  • Two techniques rather than two looks. Decide which one runs last in the process, because that is the one that will show.

Caution

  • Artist’s Book Printing the work neatly in sequence gives neither the order nor the touch any role, and the result falls back into being a catalogue.
  • Risograph Don't fake it with a noise filter. Design how the colors overlap first.

Image prompt

An original image that takes its structure from Artist’s Book (Technique, 1960s–) and its accent from Risograph (Technique, 1980s– / contemporary revival). Structural cues: The book as matter; Sequential pages; Self-publishing; Reader interaction. Accent cues, used sparingly: Misregistration; Spot-color inks; Halftone dots; Paper show-through. Composition: Compose page by page rather than by the spread. Type and lettering: Keep text sparse and hold its position so turning has a beat. Let one material quality come from the second style: Two or three spot colors, coarse halftones, uncoated paper. Mood: Intimacy, Rebellion, Calm, Play. Color: build on #e7e0d3, #9f493c, #2b2925 with a single accent drawn from #f2e6c9, #ff4d70, #185aa8. Constraints: do not imitate, reference or name any specific artist, studio, brand, character or copyrighted work. Produce an original composition in the general period languages described above.

Related entries

  • Artist’s Book 1960s– / Technique / Publishing and Editing

    Designs the book as the work rather than its container, counting the binding, the sequence, the paper, the repetitions and the reader's handling as part of it.

  • Risograph 1980s– / contemporary revival / Technique / Stencil Printing

    Keeps the per-color plates and their happy misregistration, giving each copy its own body heat.

Share this pairing:
https://indexstyle.org/compose?ids=artists-book+risograph

Back to index position