Illustrator Jim Kay said in my
interview: “Look at what Templar is doing with
its 'Ology' series, which are books very much celebrating the
nineteenth century compendiums, using hardback boards, with foils,
spot varnishes, jewel encrusted covers and a high illustrations to
text ratio.” I therefore decided to take his advice and research
further into this series of books.
The “Ology'
series are illustrated fantasy books, presented in a fictional
encyclopedic format, authored by Dugald Steer and published by
Templar Publishing. The books have been met with high popularity; the
first book in the series, Dragonology, remained on the New York
Times' children's bestsellers list for 76 weeks!
The books thrive on their physicality; papers and other items can be taken out of them
and examined, you can turn the book sideways to reveal a different
image on its front cover, while most are also decorated with spot
varnishes and jewel encrusted covers.
David Wyatt,
alongside art director, Nghiem Ta, designed the cover for Illusionology. Wyatt explains of his design, “The central
image is a freaky thing called a lenticular, which makes everything
three dimensional. Not only that, the white rabbit changes into a
brass mechanical version of itself when the book is tilted.” Seen
below:
Wyatt uses the
book's physicality to add something different, something that will
captivate the viewer. I can imagine someone standing in a bookshop,
turning the book this way and that in wonderment. What makes this so
successful, however, is how it matches the content of the book:
illusions.
--
With Spyology
you can even take part of the front cover apart, seen in the video
below:
It explains of
Templar's website that the cover contains three red jewels, embossing
and green and silver foil, all which add to the decoration and
texture of the cover. The red magnifying decoded wheel, which is
mounted in the cover, can be taken apart from the cover and used to
reveal things inside the book.
--
With Oceanology, a
die-cut window was created on the front cover, which leads to a 3.D
lenticular on the title page. The cover also features two clear
jewels, embossing and gold foil. This is a book made to be touched
and explored further. A sense of mystery is also added by revealing a
squid lying in wait behind the gold-foiled window.
--
Egyptology's front
cover contains beautiful textures, which really lend itself to Egypt
by looking ancient and majestic. It features three jewels, gold
letterings, while it is also foiled and embossed. This is certainly a
book that is one of a kind; it is so apparent how much effort has
gone into its production.
--
On the Templar
website, it is said of the Dragonology book, “Lavishly bound in a
suede-like material with decorative metal corners and a sturdy clasp
to hold the secrets within.” Books such as Alienology and
Pirateology hold similar techniques on their covers. By adding
sections of shine to the book, immediately it becomes more unusual
and attractive, encouraging the viewer to take a closer look.
- Using the physicality of the books were most successfully when the tecniques and textures reflects the book's content.
- Physicality in book covers attracts a young audience.
- A book can explored in so many different ways. Each solution for this series was inventive and creative.
- You can definitely make the most of a book's physicality, though perhaps going overboard in such a way would only truly appeal to a younger audience.
References:
is there any way to make a angel and demonology book
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