ISTD - NOBEL PRIZE
International Society of Typographic Designers
Dublin is known the world over for its literary heritage - the city was designated a UNESCO City of Literature in 2010. Ireland has four Nobel Prize for Literature winners, WB Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney - all have strong Dublin connections.
The aim of this design was to introduce the reader to the Nobel Prizes and demonstrate the connection between Irish Literature and the Nobel Prize. The design approach was to create three main sections of interest to the general reader: information about the Nobel Prizes; the Irish winners of the Literature prizes, including the works for which they are most famous; biographical information.
Project Specs
I undertook this project in my undergrad course (Visual Communication - Design). It was undertaken over the course of 3 months for my final year project and for the ISTD awards.
ISTD
The International Society of Typographic Designers is a professional body run by and for typographers, graphic designers,
and educators.
Membership is awarded to practising designers, educators and graduating students who demonstrate the highest possible standard of visual communication.
The User
The general reader who may not be interested in long biographies but who would be drawn to attractively designed, clearly laid out, yet informative, publications.
Programs used throughout the project
Research
UNESCO City of Literature
Ireland is noted for its writers and for a small country with a population the size of Ireland’s to have four Nobel Laureates who won prizes in the same subject area is very special. In 2010 Dublin was designated a UNESCO City of Literature and one of the reasons for that designation is the association with the city of the four Irish winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature. Those winners are WB Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney.
The Nobel Prize
The prizes were started in 1901 and since then have been awarded to 889 people in 6 categories. It would be difficult to create a book which would celebrate that number of people and prizes which span well over 100 years. While doing some research I found out that Alfred Nobel, the creator of the prizes, had a wonderful library and liked nothing better than reading poetry. At one stage in his life, he considered giving up work and devoting his life to poetry.
A Nobel prize recognises a body of work, often created over a lifetime, so I wanted to create something special which showed why each of those people were awarded this prestigious prize - to show how special they and their work were.
Moodboard
Design Strategy
In order to show the lives and work of those winners I created four separate books as I felt each of them, so important in their own way, deserved their own book. The four books, linked by a common design approach, form a set about the Irish Nobel Prize winners for Literature. I wanted the books to appeal to a general reader.
The design approach I took was to emphasise each section by having them physically apparent in each book. This enables the reader to see the sections at a glance.
I decided to limit the content to three main sections of interest:
About the Nobel Prize.
Biographical information.
The writers' works, including those for which they are most famous.
Branding
The colour scheme was chosen in order to match with the winners' certificate. All noble laureates receive a certificate with a custom art piece by an illustrator or artist.
Since this project was for the ISTD award I had to have a strong typographic design overall. I used a combination of photographs and typography to create a visual effect with the main text.
WB Yeats
Samuel Beckett
Seamus Heaney & Bernard Shaw
Final Thoughts
In adopting this design approach I feel I have created four attractive, yet accessible and informative, books which celebrate four of Ireland’s literary greats - all of whom are linked by the fact that they were awarded what is regarded as the world’s most prestigious prize - the Nobel Prize. In celebrating these winners I feel that I am also celebrating the Nobel Prizes themselves and thus have met the brief.
