Yang Chi-Shun, an important book designer in Taiwan, explains in depth how he created the most appropriate and beautiful “covering” for 200 books personally selected from his 30-year career. A self-reflection as well as a sharing of his thoughts, this is a treasure trove of book design.
How does a designer create an eye-catching, compelling, and timeless cover that entices readers to purchase and keep it in their collections, yet also makes its creator feel understood, even valued?
Every author needs an “interpreter” – a book designer who takes into consideration the author’s ideas, the readers’ emotions, the editor’s and printer’s thoughts, and the many details involved, including the book’s structure, physical dimensions, printing and binding, font, and font size. But wait! There’s also the delicate balancing act between marketing and aesthetics. Of greatest importance, however, is the designer’s ability to fully understand and absorb the text before they inject their own attitudes and ideas to produce a design that is both visually stunning and able to stand the test of time.
Showcasing artist Yang Chi-Shun’s thirty years of experience in book design, this volume of his selected works is divided into four parts: literary works, documentary photography/film, lifestyle, and graphic novels/manga & other. The artist has selected two hundred of his one thousand works – on topics including contemporary literature, manga, photography, wine tasting, love and sex, food, and lifestyle – each of which he breaks down for the reader, sharing his design concept, thought process, and production highlights. In the process, he strips the books down to their very essence.
In this must-have volume for any designer or editor, Yang Chi-Shun describes how he tailors the most suitable and beautiful “covering” for a book and offers expert advice on how to tell stories using design, sharing his self-reflections and thoughts. A visual feast for readers, the book provides insight into underlying concepts as well as an outstanding “to read” list.