Project 5

Madeleine Anderson

Published in

Communication Design Fundamentals F17

9 min readNov 8, 2017

Maine Travel Guide

Design References

Book Content

Breakfast at the Ebb Tide

The Ebb Tide has kept the Boothbay Harbor community fed for forty years. With a classic seafood menu that includes everything from fried Maine shrimp to creamy clam chowder, this restaurant will make you feel right at home. It’s quirky custom booths fit anywhere from one to seven guests and the striped awning bathes the inside of the restaurant in a light red glow. Enjoy the bright and welcoming atmosphere and make sure not to leave without tasting the best peach shortcake you will ever find. (Illustration — The sign in front)

Tidepools at the Old Town Landing

A classic stop for any good costal field trip, the old town landing has tidepools galore. Despite the cold and murky waters of the coast of Maine, these tidepools have everything from the usual barnacles to a full rainbow of starfish. If you’re strategic about the seaweed and rocks you overturn, you might just find a green crab, which is one of the more effective invasive species that have found their way along the coast of Maine. (Illustration — Tidepools with barnacles, starfish, and crabs)

Ice Cream at the Ice Cream Factory

Boasting over 50 flavors of homemade ice cream, the Boothbay Harbor Ice Cream Factory is the stuff of dreams. If you’re feeling extra adventurous try the schooner sundae, which is approximately the size of a small ship and is absolutely delicious. If that seems a bit much, then Peanut Butter Fantasy or Elvis Pretzel are the way to go. After picking up your cone, head out to the pier and enjoy the fresh salty air and clear harbor views, just make sure to dodge any crafty seagulls. (Illustration — Menu of flavors at the Ice Cream Factory)

Burnt Island Lighthouse

Situated at the mouth of Boothbay Harbor, this simple structure beckons in travelers and warns of the dangers of Maine’s rocky coastline. Difficult to find and only accessible by boat the isolated rock is worth the journey. With a rare sandy beach and a well-preserved lighthouse and caretakers home, Burnt Island offers a day of adventure and the perfect picnic spot. (Illustrations — Lighthouse on the shore)

Fish Tacos at Days

Text: A true Maine dining experience, Days offers both delicious food for the classic tourist and a Lobster pick-up for the locals. There are views of the marshes opposite views of the highway, and the smells of the mudflats remind you exactly where you are. All in all this rough and tumble lunch spot is quite enjoyable, and the hands down best item on the menu is the fish taco. The fried haddock and homemade coleslaw create the perfect dish. (Illustrations — Storefront of Days with lobster pickup) window

Cozy Harbor Sailboats

If you’d like to get a little closer to the ocean, try Cozy Harbor on Southport Island. The Island is accessible by car, but to get anywhere truly worthwhile you’ll have to find a boat. Cozy harbor, aptly named for its overcrowded nature, hosts an entire fleet of tiny sailboats known as turnabouts. If you’re lucky enough to have an in, enjoy the afternoon sailing around the harbor, otherwise grab lunch at Oliver’s and enjoy the view of boats bobbing in the harbor. (Illustrations — Turnabouts moored in the harbor)

South Pond Baxter State Park

This is one of the most pristine places I have ever been. It is virtually untouched by human civilization, and holds countless treasures. Make sure to bring a bathing suit because between the pond, jumping cliffs, and natural stream waterslides this is a wild waterpark. With clear views of the stars and unparalleled sunsets, this is truly a treasure. Just make sure to plan your trip in advance because we’re not the only ones who know how amazing Baxter State Park’s south branch pond is. (Illustrations — Jumping cliffs)

The Yarmouth Clam Festival

A summer classic, the Yarmouth Clam Festival transforms an otherwise sleepy town into a food, art, and carnival extravaganza. With as much fried food as you could possibly imagine and classics like the Barbershop Lime Rickey, this is a must see. Enjoy the booths filled with local artisans while munching on homemade strawberry rhubarb pie, and don’t miss the parade which lasts a whopping 2 hours. (Illustrations — The Fun Run & Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with a Lime Rickey Pie)

Book Binding Inspiration

Sketching Iterations

Initial Digital Iterations

Critique #1

Color: The color scheme has similar values that don’t always stand out. For the body text and the smaller title it’s important for there to be a significant enough contrast. The white lines are very harsh, and a color from the preexisting scheme could be used, they don’t work as well on the darker backgrounds, but they do give Map feel which could benefit the design’s clarity. Be careful of which colors are used for text depending on the background (Red on green is difficult to read). The darkest color seems to be most effective for the body text on the lighter backgrounds. Colors are a bit muddy for ‘Clam Festival’ and the ‘Ice Cream Factory’ could me more vibrant to reflect the atmosphere

Typeface/Content: The use of scale is great, and defines the hierarchy well. The cutoff urges you to turn the page which is good (make sure the hierarchy is clear enough)

Map: The text interacts well with the maps. Make sure the white lines are properly aligned and connect/don’t overlap. The smaller white lines coming out of an angled vertex don’t look as good as the ones in ‘Clam Festival’ where they are perpendicular to the larger roads

Further Iterations

I played around with using a single color on each page, and keeping the rest black and white.

Critique #2

The addition of texture to the maps defines them in the composition and helps give the layout depth. The use of color on the water makes sense because it is emphasizing the part about the location that you like and draws the viewers attention. The brighter shade of each color will stand out better on a textured paper.

Final Design

Bound Book

Reflection

The book I created serves as a guide for various adventures in Maine. I chose places I enjoy visiting as an actual resident of the state as a way to share what I love about Maine with those wanting to visit or vacation there. I chose to do trifold layouts that could be bound together, so that the book could serve as both a single bound list of places and individual trifold maps that could be taken to the location with you.

I used clear size hierarchy in my text to bring attention to the title of the location. The largest text spans all three pages and draws interest to the binding edge of the page. The use of an accent color on each trifold draws attention to the water which I found was the most important aspect for me of all of these locations. The use of a solid color on the back of each page serves as a simple transition to the next location, and when all bound together creates a color scale across the book. I focused on making each spread work both individually and as a fully bound book. The choice of textured heavier weight paper gave each trifold more of a presence, and allowed them to stand alone as individual pieces. The black string corresponds with the color scheme while also giving a friendly and inviting feel to the book itself. I want this book to be something that can be casually flipped through and then taken with you on adventures.