Project 5 — Grid, Style & Format
About The Project
This final assignment is the culmination of all of the skills we learned over the course of the semster. Our knowledge of typography, spacing, layout, grids, coloring and so on, is showcased in this project. The assignment required us to created all the content required for executing a book of our own liking. The topic, writing, imagery, layout, and format was all up to us. With the free range in this project, I wanted to tie it in with the conceptual work I do in my own art work. (kiannagonzalez.com)
My Project
I chose to create an unconventional cookbook that showcased my favorite latino dishes. The unconventionality of this project manifested in different ways. First, I wanted to create a physical hybrid between a recipe book and a recipe card box. Second, I wanted to simultaniously steer away from and be inspired by the two different latino cookbooks that already exist; the traditional, on the ranch style and the very modern, non-traditonal recipes.
My Process
The first step was listing off the recipes that I wanted featured in the cookbook. Many of them I collected from my parents and others are recipes that I altered overtime to suit my tastes. I struggled the most to keep a balance between Puerto Rican and Cuban recipes. Inevitably, I think I ended up with more Puerto Rico recipes given the fact that my mom is Puerto Rico and was the one to pass down a majority of the recipes.
Next, I was tasked with structuring not only the language of the recipes but the box/container it self. I created a size restriction for myself by making pages 5in x 12in that would accordion fold into 5in x 4in rectangles.
From the beginning I knew I wanted the pages to be double sided so I could have the recipe and an illustrative image of the food on the other side.
Illustrative Graphic Design is an interest of mine that I wanted to incorporate into this project. All of the illustrations were a challenge to create in regard to the amount of time and effort it took to draw, color, and incorporate. Yet, I am very happy with the end result.
I would work on the recipe instructions and illustrations for a single dish simultaneously so I could stay focused. Doing this allowed me to more vividly envision the illustrations while writing the recipes because I was more aware of ingredients and the key words/elements. When it came time to illustrate, I immediately knew which foods and colors I wanted.
It was not until I completed a few recipe cards that I decided I wanted to include a more personal element to the cards. With that, I decided to write small blurbs about my relationship to each dish on the illustration side. This blurb served three functions; filling space, maintianing a grid, and added another element to the entire concept of the cookbook.
There was never much variation between my initial designs and the final product. Besides some typeface changes and text placement, my designing remained true to the origianl.
I left designing and constructing the cover and book/box for last because I did not want it to over power the content of the cards. Of the latino cookbooks out there they are either extremely understated and simplistic while others feature photography of the food. I wanted to have a cover that was in-between, one that connects with the content but is not as overwheleming. I think the scale of the book/box contributes to its underwhelming nature but the color of it is still vibrant and true to latino vibes.
The title Sobremesa is a saying the loosely translates to the time spent around the table enjoying food and the company of others. It focuses on the time spent relaxing and conversing with family or friends. I chose this title because I would not have such a strong association of culture with food without the connection it has to my family and friends. My family and home life fuel my cultural perspectives and in those experiences, the experience of meals together is what strengthens it.
In Conclusion
Overall, this was a project that without this class I would not have tried, and succeeded, to create. I have always wanted to document these dishes for my own use and this assignment allowed me not only to manifest it, but execute it to a higher potential. This project was a lengthy process and has suffered in certain ways that I hope to correct in the future. If I were to do this project again I would work on my writing more and make it stronger. I would also work on the box all together in regard cover and size. The cover can defienitly be pushed and perfected and the box can be constructed better. I would hope to expand on this project with more recipes in the future and have this be the new means for documenting my favorite recipes.
