Dana Ezzell Gay

In this case study, Dana Ezzell Gay, Professor at Meredith College and 'Creative Director' of Book Design: The Colton Review, describes how she creates a collaborative design group, composed of students working as art directors, designers, and arts administrators. Students are given the opportunity to research and present their ideas, and push their abilities to work as a group. Through her structured process she develops a successful method of teaching by establishing the concept of a collaborative design team that works together from the concept phase to the production stage.

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Book design projects usually involve a collaborative process - one that includes the meeting of many different minds - that of writers, designers, and publishers. In order to ensure project quality and effective design, it is crucial to establish an engaged and informed design team. As the Professor and 'Creative Director' in Book Design: The Colton Review, I create a collaborative design team, composed of art directors, designers, and arts administrators, and give them an opportunity to research and present ideas related to the development of a theme and cohesive journal design. The students participate fully in the process, pushing their abilities to work as a design group and learning how to make their individual designs become a part of a larger, more comprehensive body of work.

While collaboration can mean many things to many people, I believe that the key to its success in the academic setting is a commitment to engagement. Therefore, to engage my students in the collaborative process of book design, I have defined three steps of a structure-theme (the development of a conceptual framework), style (the establishment of consistent, yet varied, elements), and system (the implementation of a cohesive visual system).


Above: Image illustrating the journal's themes.

What is The Colton Review?

The Colton Review is the literary and art journal of Meredith College, one of the largest independent private women's colleges in the United States It is an annual publication that features literature and art from students, faculty, staff, and alumni. It is produced for and by the students of Meredith College.

My approach to teaching The Colton Review as a book design course is quite different from the way in which it has been taught in the past. I have changed the course structure and philosophical approach, and in doing so, established a 'collaborative design team' within the classroom.

Students are introduced to the primary objectives for the journal's design - to research and present ideas related to the development of a theme; to concentrate on a process of visual search with visual experimentation encouraged; to perform and execute the articulation of ideas, project management, presentation of developing stages, final production, and crafting; to meet specific project deadlines as outlined in the course /project schedule; and to maintain a process book which catalogs a journey of research and thoughts throughout the development of the project.


Above: A student works on the journal beneath visual maps and style examples for the publication.

Book design: the structural steps

In teaching this course, I have found that my students are truly excited about what they are learning and excited about their exposure to the design and production process. Excitement about the process is certainly a good place to begin, but the organisation and management of such a project requires careful planning and focus at each step. The first structural step, the development of a conceptual framework, can be a daunting task. After discussion of the general objectives for the course, I introduce my students to the idea of targeting
a 'theme'.

Each student is asked to describe what she would like to see developed in the 'look and feel' of the journal. The students work in groups of two or three where they are first introduced to the notion of creating a shared visual workspace. They are encouraged to select words that represent an idea or feeling that they would like to see expressed. Some examples have been progressive, diverse, dynamic, and energetic. Students are reminded that their selected words should focus on a central theme that will be visualised throughout the overall design of the book. Ultimately, the theme leads to a cohesive visual style, and this style will guide all design choices for the journal - typography, colour, imagery, layout, and the grid system.


Above: The group working together.

After each small group determines a focused direction, the entire class discusses each small group idea and then determines what one visual direction they would like to see developed for the journal. The theme is developed into three tiers, one central idea with two smaller supporting themes of importance. The idea of 'progressive' was central to this last issue of the journal, with 'energetic' and 'experimental' as supportive concepts.

Once the theme for the journal is established, we begin focusing on how this idea can be integrated and expressed through the second structural step, the establishment of consistent, yet varied elements. Again, each smaller student group is asked to establish sketches for a grid system, and they are asked to begin looking at how the elements of type and image, when integrated into this layout system, can express the central idea of 'progressive.' We discuss and brainstorm what the word 'progressive' actually means to us and what we can do to create this feeling visually. Of utmost importance to this process, and an idea that I integrate into all of my classes, is to create two kinds of elements-those that are consistent and those that show variation.

It is often difficult for students to fully understand this notion until after they have begun designing the layouts and manipulating the elements of type, image, and space. It is only then that they are able to see how the pieces of the puzzle all fit together. This can be quite a challenge for them. As part of the collaborative team, they must think as an individual and also work together to develop and expand their conceptual thinking skills. This is crucial to their truly understanding that each decision they make about visual style communicates a specific feeling.

The students are exploring relationships between form and communication. They are determining how large or small the typography should be. They are considering placement and style, and they are deciding how to visually express the qualities of the central idea, 'progressive.' 

After careful consideration of typographic style, consistent use of grid, and variation of the placement of type and image, we focus our attention on the implementation of a cohesive visual system. This last structural step in the design of the journal is the most crucial and time consuming. The previous two steps, theme and style, are instrumental in laying the groundwork, but the development of a system is complex and requires joint effort and commitment by all members of the design team.


Above: At the printing press.

Creating a cohesive visual system involves making sure that each individual layout of story within the book has a similar visual feeling. When a book is designed by six or seven designers, as in this class, it is crucial to work together. It is important to evaluate the visual components and to make sure that each story uses a similar visual language. The use of type style should be consistent, the structure and positioning of both type and image should maintain congruence, and the choices of colour should maintain a flow of movement and repetition.

The role of the art director

In the collaborative processes involved in the design, there are several occasions in which the individual roles of each team member are called upon a bit more specifically. For example, the Art Director is asked to respectfully consider and execute the input and direction given by the Creative Director; she is asked to manage the responsibilities of each part of the team; and she is called upon to apply a variety of methods and approaches to the creative process of solving problems with an emphasis on original thinking in problem resolution. The Art Director has a profound responsibility.


Above: The final journal is revealed.

The journal is comprised of several different stories and writings and many different art works that must be brought together within the space of each page in a cohesive way. As discussed previously, this process involves a good bit of design search, the exploration of concepts for the book's design, and an exploration of various layouts and visual approaches. The Art Director is responsible for assigning individual stories or poetry to each designer. She reads all literary entries, reviews all accepted art entries, and then develops a visual map to determine how to assign the literature and art to the designers. Each team member is responsible for maintaining unity and continuity, but it is ultimately the Art Director's responsibility to maintain an eye for cohesion and to learn when and where to offer direction to her peers for the betterment of the journal's design.

She must give direction to each team member about her individual layouts and then offer insight and direction where the design needs changes in order to become a more cohesive part of the whole journal. Often times, colour needs to be changed or repeated to create a more unified look, and the dynamic use of the typography may need to be adjusted to create a better flow with other spreads in the journal.


Above: An inside spread from the journal.

Making the grade: assessment and evaluation

Beyond the responsibilities required to shape strong visual solutions for a journal's design, evaluation of each student's participation holds her accountable for her contribution and effort throughout the design process. To evaluate my students' work and progress, I focus on four primary components - visual development and project management (which includes concept / research, design /layout and space / typography, risk taking, ability to complete assigned tasks, attention to detail, and time management), process books, participation / professional attitude, and self-evaluations / peer reviews.

Specifically, I assess each student's strengths and weaknesses by giving her detailed feedback about her performance. I challenge each designer to target the theme and then successfully capture the quality of her ideas. I respond and comment on her ability to truly visualise her concepts and continuously push her layouts to create a solid and cohesive design for the journal. I have high expectations of my students, as does the world. I expect them to push themselves. I expect risk taking and experimentation. I expect dedication. I expect struggle. And of course, I expect success.


Above: An inside spread from the journal.

A successful collaboration

The graphic design program at Meredith College is experiencing much growth and development. The curriculum has been restructured to provide a comprehensive and sequential study of typography and graphic design. Even so, I entered this book design course expecting my students' design knowledge and abilities to be at a more advanced level. With the exception of a few students, many of my students were at a beginner's level of understanding the design and layout process and the process of working collaboratively. This realisation confirmed why it was so important that I had established the concept of a collaborative design team. This structured process allowed me to give my students a better understanding of what it is like to a part of a design team - a team that truly works together to generate design concepts, to create visual layouts and typographic styles, and to work on final production processes.

Forging a successful collaboration takes time, experience, dedication, and engagement. It also requires the building of relationships that possess creativity, an openness to observe and learn, a desire to grow personally, and a willingness to take initiative. Book Design: The Colton Review is a gift, and teaching this course affords me the opportunity to give to both my students and myself.

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About the case study

This case study, reprinted with permission, was originally published in The means by which we find our way: observations on design, a project developed and edited by David Gardener and Andrea Wilkinson. The publication looks at "how graphic designers and educators navigate both the visual and the printed landscape."
www.designproject.co.nz

About the author

Dana Ezzell Gay is an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States.