2024 Multiple Formats Branding
For the 2024 Multiple Formats Art Book Fair, I designed a series of postcards, bookmarks, and posters that experiment with over 100 patterns and shapes to create a distinctive typographic style. Printed with a risograph printer, the pieces explore the intersection of form and text, using shape to construct and complement the typeface to capture the unique, expressive, and artistic voices of the creatives showcased at the event.
About 2024 Multiple Formats
Multiple Formats is a symposium that brings together conversations on artist books, higher education, pedagogy, and topics such as advocacy, distribution, collection, and access. Each year, it also hosts an art book fair, where design students, graphic designers, book designers, and other creatives showcase their craft. As part of my Sophomore Graphic Design Studio at Boston University, I designed bookmarks, postcards, posters, and zines to be featured in the fair.
Trying Out Risograph Printing
With my professor’s guidance, I learned to print my postcards and bookmarks using a risograph printer, creating separate layers for each color and printing them one at a time with soy-based inks. I chose vibrant colors to make the shapes and typography stand out, and the layered process produced a slightly textured quality that added charm and character. This technique enhanced both the visual brightness and the tactile experience, giving me insight into how risograph methods can elevate the aesthetic and experiential impact of graphic design.
Multiple Formats Bookmarks and Postcards
By blending geometric and organic elements with risograph, I crafted each letter with a distinctive, expressive approach. This project challenged conventional typographic boundaries, resulting in a style that balances creativity and legibility. Through this process, I reimagined the role of shape in graphic design, pushing the limits of traditional typography to produce visually striking and cohesive designs.
Multiple Formats Bookmarks and Postcards
I crafted a poster series with six cohesive yet distinct posters where letters dynamically formed “Multiple Formats,” exploring the interaction of these 100+ diverse shapes and forms. I chose pink and green for their harmonious yet striking contrast between warm and cool tones, evoking energy and vibrancy. Alternating black and white backgrounds further highlight the typography. To balance the fluid, organic lettering, I layered subtle systematic patterns and grids in the background, creating depth and unity. This interplay of structured and organic elements reflects my design intention: harmonizing contrast and movement to produce a visually engaging and cohesive series.
Contact Me!
janetjliu
janetliu.ca@gmail.com
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