Publishing Design
- September 22, 2025
September 21,2025
21/09/2025 - 31/12/2025(Week 1 - Week 14 )
ZHANG TIANYAO/0376838
Publishing Design / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
LIST
1. Lectures
2. Instructions
3.Task 1
4. Feedback
5. Reflections
6. Further Reading
Lecture 1
Fig 1.1
Early civilizations arose in fertile river valleys—Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus Valley, and China. These regions fostered agriculture, trade, and culture, shaping humanity’s earliest societies. From the Nile to the Yellow River, waterways became cradles of innovation, connecting peoples and laying foundations for future civilizations.
Fig 1.2 Mesopotamia
Mesopotamian writing began with clay tokens for counting around 7000 BC. Over time, these evolved into pictographic symbols on clay tablets. By 3000 BC, early cuneiform emerged, marking humanity’s shift from record-keeping to written communication, laying the foundation for future writing systems.
Fig 1.3 Indus River Valley
The Indus Valley Civilization (2600–1500 BC) developed a unique script, often carved on seals and clay tablets. Though undeciphered, it reveals a complex system linked to trade, religion, and governance. These symbo
Fig 1.4 Palm leaf manuscripts & old stylus
This is a traditional palm-leaf manuscript and its writing stylus. The text is inscribed in Devanagari script, and this format was a primary method of preserving knowledge in South Asia.
Fig 1.5 Hieratic medical papyrus, c. 1600 BCE
This is a page from the Edwin Smith Papyrus, an ancient Egyptian medical text dating to around 1600 BCE. Written in hieratic script from right to left, it primarily deals with trauma and surgery. Key terms are highlighted in red ink, while the main text is in black. It is one of the oldest known scientific documents.
Fig 1.6 Han-China
Dating back to around 1500 BCE, these bamboo strips were the primary writing medium in ancient China. Inscribed with vertical columns of characters, they were bound together with cords to form the earliest books, a format directly reflected in the modern Chinese character for "book" (册).
Fig 1.8 Movable Type Printing
Rather than carving entire blocks, Chinese innovators created movable type in the 11th century. Invented by Bi Sheng, this technique used reusable characters arranged on plates. It transformed printing into a faster, flexible process, spreading knowledge widely and shaping cultural development across the world.
Parchment, invented in Turkey around 197–159 BC, was made from animal hide and later spread to Europe. Unlike papyrus or bamboo scrolls, its thickness led to the creation of parchment books around 50 AD. This durable medium preserved texts, including the Dead Sea Scrolls and medieval manuscripts.
Week 1
In our first Publishing Design class, Ms. Vitya talked about Task 1: Exercise 1 and also asked us to get the tools ready before the next meeting. Instead of only focusing on theory, she mentioned that the course would guide us step by step to gain both conceptual knowledge and practical experience in book design. Another key point she brought up was keeping a blog to track what we learn and think along the way, since writing about the process helps us develop the habit of reflection and makes it easier to organize our ideas.
Lecture 2 : History of Print
Fig 2.0 Early Engraved Text Example
This image delves into the early history of print from the 2nd to 8th century AD, highlighting how Confucian classics were carved in stone in 175 AD China and how scholars used rubbing to reproduce these texts, marking a pivotal early step in text reproduction technology.
Fig 2.1 Dharani Sutra (AD 750)
During AD 750-768, in the context of print history in Korea and Japan, printing emerged as a striking achievement of East Asian Buddhists, with Korea leading the way—the world’s earliest known printed document is the Dharani Sutra, a Buddhist scripture printed on a single sheet of paper in Korea in AD 750, and the image shows this sutra exhibited at the National Museum of Korea.
Fig 2.2 Hyakumantō Darani (One Million Pagoda Dharani, AD 768)
During AD 750-768, in the context of print history in Korea and Japan, Japan soon followed with a bold experiment in mass circulation. In AD 768, in the devoutly Buddhist city of Nara, the empress commissioned a massive edition of a lucky charm or prayer. It’s said the project took six years to complete, with one million copies printed for distribution to pilgrims, and many have survived. The image displays related artifacts, such as scrolls and pagoda-like objects.
Fig 2.3 Hyakumantō Darani (Woodblock Scroll and Pagoda)
The Hyakumantō Darani (literally “One Million Pagodas & Dharani Prayers”) is a renowned large-scale woodblock printing work, representing the earliest recorded use of woodblock printing in Japan. In 764, Empress Shōtoku commissioned one million small wooden pagodas, each containing a small woodblock scroll (typically 6 × 45 cm) printed with Buddhist text—the Hyakumantō Darani. This project was a thanksgiving gesture for suppressing the Emi Rebellion, and these pagodas and scrolls are the earliest documented examples of woodblock printing from Japan, with several specimens surviving today. The image displays related artifacts, including a wooden pagoda, a storage box, and preserved woodblock scrolls.
Fig 2.4 Diamond Sutra, 868CE
Recognized as the world's earliest printed book, the Chinese Diamond Sutra from 868 CE marks a pivotal moment in history. This paper scroll, produced with woodblock printing, demonstrates the advanced state of publishing in Tang Dynasty China.
Fig 2.5 The World’s Largest Book
The world’s largest book is located at Kuthodaw Pagoda in Mandalay, Myanmar. It consists of 729 stone tablets, each housed in a stupa with a gem-topped roof, arranged around a golden pagoda. These inscriptions preserve the Buddhist scriptures, forming a monumental and enduring record of spiritual knowledge.
Lecture 3 : Typo Redux
Typography is the lifeblood of graphic designers. To excel in design, we need to master typography thoroughly — it’s far more than just ornamentation; it’s about arranging and structuring text to convey ideas with clarity. It’s a blend of artistry and effective communication.
Characters in a Typeface
A typeface includes:
- Lowercase
- Capitals
- Small capitals
- Punctuations
- Non-aligned figures (old-style numbers with different heights)
- Fractions
- Ligatures
- Symbols
Fig 3.1 Characters in a typeface
X-Height & Ligatures
X-height refers to the vertical distance between a typeface’s baseline and meanline — this is the area where the main body of most lowercase letters resides.
Featured in the image is an example of capital swashes, a decorative element typically used to kick off names. Note that using all capital swashes is ill-advised; it comes across as unappealing and strains readability.
Ligatures merge letters that tend to overlap or conflict (such as “f” and “i” when paired). This typographic technique enhances the overall readability of the text.
Fig 3.2 Characters in a typeface
Modern vs. Old-Style Numerals
Modern numerals (also called uppercase numbers) boast uniform height across all characters and gained widespread popularity back in the 1940s.
Old-style numerals (known as lowercase numbers), by contrast, feature varying heights—much like the inconsistent proportions of lowercase letters.
A high-quality typeface comes with a range of weights (such as light, regular, and bold) , making it far more adaptable for long-form content like books.
Fig 3.3 Example of legibility
Legibility
For effortless reading, it’s best to stick to fundamentals: opt for fonts that are clear and well-balanced.
Even when venturing into creative experiments, a solid grasp of the basic rules is non-negotiable.
Legibility refers to how easily text can be perceived and read without strain.
New term: Overshoot — This describes the subtle extension of curved or pointed letterforms beyond the x-height or baseline, crafted to achieve a visually balanced appearance.
Fig 3.4 Capital letters
Small Caps & All Caps
All caps excel in short headings—overloading text with capital letters creates readability barriers.
It’s important to recall that capital letters were originally designed for sentence openings, not extended paragraphs.
Fig 3.5 Special Styles
Special Typographic Features
Design software offers several specialized typographic tools:
Text scaling – the ability to stretch or compress font characters as needed.
Outline and shadow effects – these require cautious use, as overapplication diminishes readability.
Smooth text flow hinges on the balance between font size, line length, and line spacing (known as leading).
Line length: For body text, the optimal line length is approximately 50 to 65 characters per line.
Text size: Standard font size ranges from 8 to 12 points, though adjustments may be needed for users with visual impairments.
Leading: Should be 2.5 to 3 points larger than the font size; longer lines call for increased leading to maintain readability.
Fig 3.6 Line spacing example
Kerning, Tracking & Alignment
Kerning: Fine-tune the spacing between individual pairs of letters.
Tracking: Adjust the uniform spacing across all characters in a word or text block.
→ Both serve to eliminate clunky spacing and prevent widows/orphans (isolated lines at the top/bottom of paragraphs) from disrupting readability.
Alignment Styles:
Left-Aligned (Flush Left): Feels organic and effortless to follow—ideal for most reading scenarios.
Right-Aligned (Flush Right): Contradicts natural reading direction, making it ill-suited for lengthy text.
Centered: Features ragged edges on both sides; the visual balance of the text must feel harmonious.
Justified: Boasts straight edges on both left and right, but may create uneven gaps between words—manually adjust if necessary.
Paragraph Indentation:
Typically matches the font size. Primarily used for justified text (not left-aligned content).
Hyphens, En-Dashes & Em-Dashes
Hyphens (-): Shortest of the three—used to split compound words (e.g., mother-in-law) or connect numbers in phone numbers/sequences (e.g., 800-555-1234).
En-Dashes (–): Slightly longer than hyphens—reserved for ranges (e.g., Oct. 10–15, 30–50 attendees). → Can stand in for “to” or “through” in context.
Em-Dashes (—): The longest variant—used to interrupt thoughts, add emphasis, or set off explanatory content. → Avoid overusing, as it can disrupt text flow.
Line Breaks
When working with headlines, avoid arbitrary use of the “Enter” key—it can disrupt spacing harmony.
Opt for soft line breaks instead, which are created by pressing Shift + Return.
Drop Caps
Typically employed at the opening of a chapter or section, drop caps allow customization in InDesign: you can tweak their dimensions, line span, and font style.
Skip using drop caps if your design software lacks support for automatic configuration.
Quotes and Marks
Always use proper curly quotation marks:
‘Single quotes’ and “double quotes”—not the straight typewriter-style quotes (" ").
For measurements: Use inch (″) and foot (′) marks, e.g., 12″ = 1′.
Sidebar
A sidebar is supplementary text placed alongside the main body copy.
It’s usually set in a smaller font size, but should maintain consistent leading to align visually with the main text.
Week2
During Week 2 of the Publishing Design class, Ms. Vitiyaa unpacked what publishing truly entails and highlighted why it matters to graphic designers. She drew sharp contrasts between print books and digital publications, zeroing in on key elements like typography choices, page composition, and how information is preserved across formats. The session also walked us through the technical nuts and bolts of book manufacturing—from page planning that adheres to multiples of four, to common binding styles (stapled binding and perfect binding included), and why pinpoint accuracy in design is non-negotiable for mass printing runs. Through these insights, she stressed that publishing is a blend of creative design flair and technical precision, while noting that this expertise proves invaluable in professional settings—whether you’re putting together reports or crafting formal publications.
Lecture 4 : The Grid
Core Lecture Content
This session delves into the significance of grid systems in publishing and layout design, framing grids as a pragmatic framework for structuring content and dividing pages in a logical manner. Grids empower designers to craft layouts that are clear, readable, and visually harmonious. The lecturer also emphasized the philosophy behind grid utilization — it embodies a designer’s discipline, logical thinking, and professional acumen. Meanwhile, accomplished designers should master the art of flexibility within grids, striking a balance between structure and creativity to ensure effective information communication.
Key Highlights
1. Grid Functionality
A grid serves as an efficient method for page division, enabling designers to arrange images, text, and other elements in an orderly fashion. It enhances both visual coherence and the clarity of information transmission.
2. Information Organization
Grids facilitate the logical and consistent presentation of information, lowering the barrier for readers to comprehend and retain key content.
3. Design Ethos (Brockmann, 2010)
Adopting grid systems reflects a professional mindset — one that is constructive, clear, objective, and aesthetically driven, grounded in mathematical reasoning.
4. Knowledge Sharing & Growth
Designers are encouraged to document and share their practical experiences, fostering meaningful design discussions and collective professional development.
Key Terms
Margins: The blank space surrounding the page content; a critical element for achieving visual balance.
Text Field: The designated area where the main body of text is displayed.
Gutter: The gap between adjacent columns in a layout.
Hang Line: A guiding reference line that ensures consistent alignment of text and visual elements.
Lecture 5 : Elements
Elements of a Book
A book comprises three core components:
- Type: Encompasses the text itself and intentional typographic selections.
- Colour: Reinforces emotional resonance and visual equilibrium.
- Image: Enhances visual storytelling and rhythmic flow.
These elements are unified by format and grid, which lend structure and cohesion to the overall layout.
(Ref: Brockmann, 2010)
Variation within the Grid
When integrating type, colour, and image into a page, designers must steer clear of monotony.
The key is to introduce layout variation while maintaining cohesion throughout the book.
Designers should retain certain constant elements (e.g., hang lines, typeface, colour palette) while experimenting with the composition and placement of other components.
Ultimate goal: Ensure each page feels interconnected yet delivers a fresh, engaging reading experience.
Form and Movement
The “Form and Movement” exercise equips students with practice in creating layout variation via grids.
Crucially, variation refers to creative reconfiguration of content rather than complete overhauls.
A 32-page book doesn’t require every page to be drastically different—instead, recycle and adapt layout templates strategically.
Common Challenges
Many students struggle with striking the right balance between consistency and variation: over-reliance on fixed layouts leads to monotony, while excessive changes disrupt visual cohesion. The “Form and Movement” exercise directly addresses this by teaching controlled, purposeful variation.
Learning Progress
As you progress, you’ll gradually grasp the logic and correlation between theoretical knowledge and practical design.
Layout choices will become more intuitive and effortless over time.
Having a clear visual direction or reference point is instrumental in defining the book’s overall mood and tone.
Conclusion
Avoid falling into predictability—offer subtle surprises to readers with each turn of the page.
Strike a balance between consistency and variation: unity in core elements, creativity in execution.
Grids should be employed flexibly, blending logical structure with aesthetic composition.
A standout book guides readers on a seamless journey—one they barely notice but fully engage with.
Week 3
This week’s Publishing Design class saw Ms. Vitiyaa walk us through the complete workflow for our semester-long book project. She clarified key requirements: we must produce a 3,000-word English manuscript, split into no fewer than three chapters, with additional side stories and one caption per chapter. The book’s dimensions need to be slightly larger than A5, and we’re required to incorporate at least 16 visuals—either original photos or illustrations—that align with the content. A strict emphasis was placed on full originality: no external client collaborations or repurposed materials are permitted for this semester’s assignment.
During the lecture, Ms. Vitiyaa also unpacked the true scope of “publishing design”: it encompasses far more than just layout, extending to paper selection, binding techniques, typographic decisions, and color schemes. We explored diverse publishing examples, from magazines and product catalogues to user manuals and coffee-table books. She encouraged the class to visit local bookstores—to physically feel different paper textures and examine real-world binding styles firsthand.
The session felt incredibly practical and motivating. Ms. Vitiyaa repeatedly stressed that a standout book is not only visually appealing but also thoughtfully crafted: every detail, from page thickness to how images guide the reader’s gaze, matters. I gained a new understanding that publishing design merges storytelling with material craft. After class, I plan to finalize my manuscript promptly, map out which sections can be complemented by visuals, and begin brainstorming layout concepts. It was a laid-back yet highly informative class that boosted my confidence to kick off the book project.
Week 4
Notes
1. Grid System Fundamentals
The grid system stands as a cornerstone framework in publishing design, ensuring visual consistency, readability, and smooth flow across all pages. For books or magazines, every spread requires a structured layout that guides readers’ eyes naturally from one page to the next.
Its core purpose is to infuse order and rhythmic flow into the publication, crafting a coherent, comfortable reading experience that keeps audiences engaged.
2. Common Grid Types
Publishing design relies on four primary grid variations:
- Manuscript Grid: A single-column layout, ideal for text-dense works like novels or academic texts.
- Column Grid: The most versatile option, typically split into 2–4 vertical columns for flexible content arrangement.
- Modular Grid: Formed by intersecting rows and columns, perfect for layouts with abundant images or mixed visual-text content.
- Baseline Grid: Ensures consistent text alignment across pages by standardizing line spacing (leading).
To achieve proportional harmony, designers often apply principles like the golden ratio and rule of thirds in layout planning.
3. Grid Application Tips
A strong layout balances consistency with flexibility. Designers can “break” grid rules intentionally to highlight special pages—such as chapter openers or feature spreads—adding visual interest.
Crucially, left and right pages should be designed as a unified spread, not isolated individual pages, to maintain cohesive flow.
4. Core Design Principles
Ms. Vitiyaa emphasized four non-negotiable principles for grid-based design:
- Alignment: Ensure all text and visual elements share visual connections for a polished look.
- Balance: Avoid lopsided compositions that feel heavy or disjointed.
- Focus: Leverage white space strategically to direct readers’ attention to key content.
- Consistency: Maintain uniform typography, spacing, and structural elements throughout the publication.
She recommended stepping away from the computer after finalizing a layout to conduct a visual check of the page’s overall balance.
5. Typography Essentials
Typography shapes both the tone and readability of a publication. Serif fonts are preferred for long-form reading due to their readability, while sans-serif fonts deliver a modern, minimalist aesthetic.
Line spacing (leading) and letter spacing (tracking) require careful tuning to ensure comfort and clarity.
Using drop caps at chapter openings serves as a professional, engaging visual cue that draws readers into the text.
6. Text Flowing in InDesign
InDesign’s text-flow feature allows content to automatically continue across multiple pages, streamlining layout work.
A red highlight on a text box indicates overflow text that needs adjustment (e.g., resizing the box or editing content).
Defining paragraph and character styles early is critical—this ensures headings, subheadings, and body text remain consistent across all 32 pages of the project.
7. Book Structure & Layout Components
A complete publication typically includes these key sections:
- Title Page
- Dedication or Acknowledgments Page
- Chapter Opening Pages
- Illustration/Photography Pages
- Body Text Pages
Summary
Week 4’s Publishing Design class centered on Ms. Vitiyaa unpacking the grid system— a foundational tool in publishing design. She highlighted its key role in upholding visual consistency and readability across a book’s pages, while also illustrating how various grid types can be tailored to different layout needs. She emphasized critical best practices for students: establish the grid framework first before integrating text or images, allocate ample white space, and maintain strict alignment and compositional balance throughout the entire design process.
Week 5
During Week 5, my focus shifted to polishing the draft of my 3,000-word family-focused story Before the Journey Begins. I discovered that writing tailored for design isn’t merely about introducing family members—it’s about conveying the genuine warmth, small daily moments, and deep bonds that define my family. I also realized that this family-centered narrative inherently shapes the mood and direction of the visuals that will follow, as each illustration needs to reflect the unique personalities of my loved ones. This week deepened my understanding of how to bridge the gap between family storytelling and design thinking.
Week 6
In Week 6, I dedicated my efforts to creating illustrations for my 3,000-word family story Before the Journey Begins. Through this creative process, I learned to translate the distinct traits of my family members, cherished family scenes, and subtle emotional connections into tangible visual forms. Striking a balance between realistic depictions of my loved ones and the tender feelings of home allowed me to infuse each illustration with affection and authenticity. It was also the first time I truly grasped how images can capture the same warmth and intimacy as the written descriptions of my family.
Week 7
By Week 7, having finished all my family-themed illustrations and arranged them in InDesign, I began to see my project take shape as a complete book celebrating my family. I gained a new insight into how design, family storytelling, and print preparation function as an integrated process—every layout choice needed to highlight the personalities of my family members and the cohesion of our household. This phase boosted my confidence in merging visuals with my family-focused narrative, and I felt a sense of pride watching the story of my family transform into a polished, professional final product.
Week 8
Week 8 involved the lecturer reviewing our layouts, with a reminder to keep our e-Portfolios updated in real time. As I examined my pages closely during the review, I became acutely aware of how critical alignment, spacing, and visual balance are to enhancing the warm, intimate tone of my family story. This week taught me that professional presentation of a family-focused book hinges not only on creative vision that reflects home’s warmth but also on design discipline and meticulous attention to detail that lets the family’s charm shine through.
Task 1
Fig 1.1 The dimensions of paper of different sizes
In design and layout, paper size plays a crucial role. Different dimensions not only affect the overall visual balance but also influence how content is arranged and experienced by the reader.
Today, I practiced with several different paper sizes, including:
• 270 × 170 mm
• 240 × 180.5 mm
• 220 × 155 mm
• 210 × 148 mm (close to A5 size)
I drew these dimensions on the same sheet to compare them side by side. This simple exercise gave me a clear sense of proportion, margin space, and the hierarchy between different formats.
It’s a useful method to explore before starting any design project, especially when working on flyers, booklets, notebooks, or packaging. By visualizing the sizes in advance, I can make better choices for both function and aesthetics.
Fig 1.2 pamphlet
As part of my study on layout design, I followed a video tutorial to create a small folded booklet. I numbered the pages (1, 3, 5, 7…) to better understand the pagination sequence and the relationship between facing pages after folding.
Through this hands-on exercise, I realized that the page order in a booklet is very different from what we might expect at first glance. By practicing it physically, I could clearly grasp how content flows once the paper is folded, which is especially useful for designing brochures, notebooks, or small publications.
Although it was just a simple experiment, it gave me a clearer understanding of the structure behind printing and binding, and it will definitely help me plan layouts more effectively in future projects.
Fig 1.3 construction
To better understand how a booklet is structured, I practiced drawing folding and cutting guidelines on a sheet of paper. By connecting the corners and dividing the page into sections, I could see how the layout shifts once the sheet is folded.
These diagonal and vertical lines are not just simple marks — they represent the hidden structure behind booklets and folded designs. When a single sheet is transformed into multiple pages, the content order and alignment need to be carefully planned.
Through this exercise, I learned how important it is to visualize the flow of pages before starting the actual design. It ensures that when the paper is folded, all pages appear in the right sequence and the layout remains balanced.
Fig 1.4 All
Publishing Design – Digi Van De Graff Ex3A
Fig 2.1 Publishing Design – Digi Van De Graff Ex3A
Classical Grid System Configuration
- Page Dimensions: 180 mm (width) × 243 mm (height)
- Number of Columns: 2
- Column Gutter Width: 5 mm
Margins (Adopting Classical Proportions):
- Top Margin: 27 mm
- Bottom Margin: 54 mm
- Inside Margin (spine-facing side): 20 mm
- Outside Margin (fore-edge side): 40 mm
Exercise 4 - Form & Movement
One Colour
Fig 3.1 Form and Movement (Monochrome Study) PDF
Two Colour
Fig 3.2 Form & Movement (Two Colour）
Two Colours + Image
Fig 3.3 Form & Movement (Two Colour + Image）
Two Colours + Image + Text
Fig 3.4 Form & Movement (Two Colour + Image + Text)
TASK 2 / CONTENT GENERATION
Students must produce a 3,000-word written piece in English or Malay on a familiar topic. Possible themes include:
- Yourself
- Your family
- Someone who inspires you
- Your hometown
- A meaningful experience, belief, or idea
Structure Requirements
- At least 3 chapters
- 3–5 subtexts (sidebars or supporting sections)
- 1 caption per chapter
You may:
- Use original writing
- Use credited sources
- Work with a real client (if applicable to your topic)
Fig 4.1 Task 2 Writing
Fig 4.3 Thumbnail Layout (PDF)
Final Book Printout
Fig 4.4 Inside pages of books
Fig 4.5 Flip-through Video
Link to YouTube:https://youtu.be/9humlHBf9fA
4. Complete final spreads
Fig 4.7 Complete Final Spreads (PDF)
A Flipbook via FlipHTML
Link to flipbook: https://fliphtml5.com/edit-book/74095641/design?lang=zh_cn
Task 3B BOOK
Complete Thumbnail Layout
Fig 4.8 Process
Fig 4.9 Brand Guidelines Booklet (PDF)
Fig 4.10 Echolab. Brand Guideline on Adobe InDesign View
4.10 Echolab Brand Guideline (JPEG)
Feedback
Week 1
Specific feedback:
Ms. Vitya introduced Task 1: Exercise 1 and reminded us to get our tools ready before the following session. She highlighted that the course aims to help us build a strong base in both theory and practice of book design through different exercises. At the same time, she stressed the value of keeping a blog to record our progress and reflections, as this will develop our skills in analyzing and summarizing the design process.
General feedback:
Week 1 kicked off with Ms. Vitiyaa reframing Task 1: Exercise 1—not just a book design skill-builder, but a deliberate push to nurture our reflective habits. She urged us to treat the blog as a "learning journal"—a space to capture experiments, creative sparks, and roadblocks alike. Her overarching expectation? That consistent documentation of our journey would deepen both theoretical insight and hands-on expertise.
Week 2
Specific feedback:
This week, Ms. Vitiyaa broke down the essence of publishing and its relevance to designers. She drew a sharp contrast between physical books and digital publishing, unpacking key differences in typography, layout, and information preservation. She also delved into the nuts and bolts of book production—from page count multiples of 4 and binding techniques to the criticality of print precision. These granular details hammered home the point: publishing is as much a creative endeavor as it is a rigorous, systematic process.
General feedback:
Overall, I realized publishing acts as a bridge linking design to history, technology, and information legacy. The lecture made me appreciate that minute details—from spacing and color to punctuation—shape the end result. It also highlighted that while publishing may not be every designer’s focus, the knowledge is invaluable for professional work like reports or books. Above all, the session reshaped my perspective: publishing is not just a technical skill, but a powerful form of communication.
Week 3
Specific feedback:
Ms. Vitiyaa walked us through the end-to-end workflow for our Publishing Design book project. Key requirements: a 3,000-word English text split into no fewer than three chapters, each with clear headings and supplementary anecdotes. The book must be marginally larger than A5 format, paired with 16+ visuals—photos, illustrations, etc.—that align with the narrative. She stressed a non-negotiable rule: 100% original work, with no repurposed content or external client collaborations allowed.
General feedback:
Ms. Vitiyaa emphasized that publishing design extends far beyond layout—it encompasses paper selection, binding techniques, typography, and color palettes. She urged us to visit bookstores to analyze real-world examples and grasp how design and materials synergize. This session taught me that a standout book is both visually harmonious and narratively impactful. I’ve gained greater confidence and motivation to begin mapping out my layout and visual direction.
Week 4
Specific feedback:
This week, Ms. Vitiyaa dived deep into grid systems in publishing design. She showed how grids underpin page consistency and readability, breaking down key types: manuscript, column, modular, and baseline grids. She stressed we must lock in the grid before placing any text or images, and urged using InDesign’s flowing text and paragraph styles to boost efficiency and consistency.
General feedback:
Ms. Vitiyaa noted that strong layouts hinge on balancing alignment, spacing, and white space for visual harmony. She emphasized grids aren’t constraints—they’re frameworks that channel creativity while ensuring structure. This class clarified how professional publications attain balance and flow, and I intend to leverage these principles as I craft my own design.
Week 5
Specific feedback:
This week’s session focused on deepening our work on the 3,000-word autobiographical writing. Ms. Vitiyaa urged us to hone our narrative tone and ensure seamless cohesion between chapters. She also advised proactively marking text sections with potential to be translated into visuals for Task 2, encouraging us to revise our drafts to make emotional expression more authentic and personal.
General feedback:
This week’s work taught me that designing narrative-driven content demands both structural rigor and genuine sincerity. I realized that stories rooted in personal experience inherently carry more resonant emotion—emotion that will guide our future visual design direction. This process helped me forge a tighter connection between my storytelling and the core concepts of publishing design.
Week 6
Specific feedback:
This week focused on developing visuals for my 3,000-word autobiographical story Before the Journey Begins. I started crafting 2 illustrations and selecting 16 of my own photos, picking key moments from each chapter and adopting a chronological approach to visualize my emotional journey. Ms. Vitiyaa reminded me to maintain stylistic consistency—especially in composition, color tone, and texture—and to ensure every piece (whether illustration or photo) complements the written narrative rather than merely repeating it.
General feedback:
Through this week’s illustration and photography process, I learned how to translate memories into visual form. Balancing realism and emotional resonance allowed me to convey the warmth and intimacy of personal stories. The lecturer’s advice guided me to treat these visuals as an integral part of storytelling—each image (illustration or photo) acts as a visual punctuation that enriches the reader’s experience.
Week 7
Specific feedback:
This week focused on finalizing the book layout and integrating my original visuals—2 illustrations and 16 self-taken photos. Ms. Vitiyaa emphasized that all visuals must be self-created and properly prepped for print: CMYK mode, EPS/PSD format, and correct bleed settings. I continued refining my 2 illustrations and 16 photos, then integrated both into the final InDesign layout.
General feedback:
Completing the visuals (illustrations and photos) and finalizing the layout taught me how design, storytelling, and print preparation converge in a professional publication. This stage boosted my confidence in blending visual elements (both hand-drawn and photographic) with narrative content, and gave me a much clearer sense of project completion.
Week 8
Specific feedback:
This week, Ms. Vitiyaa conducted one-on-one reviews of each student’s book layout. She reminded us to ensure our e-Portfolios were fully updated with all materials from Task 1 and Task 2—including the story PDF, 2 original illustrations, and 16 self-taken photos. She emphasized that our InDesign layouts must be clean, visually balanced, and printed in full colour for the final review. We were also instructed to finalize and upload all deliverables by Friday.
General feedback:
This session reinforced the importance of professional work presentation and maintaining an up-to-date e-Portfolio. Going through my layout in detail allowed me to identify subtle issues with alignment and spacing, ensuring the final book comes across as polished and cohesive.
Week 9
Specific feedback:
Week 9 brought targeted feedback from Ms. Vitiyaa: she noted my book design still lacked a polished finish, with a layout that needed more robustness. She pinpointed specific areas for refinement in alignment and spacing, urging me to pay closer attention to page-wide consistency.
General feedback:
This input clarified that design polish stems from iterative refinement. Instead of overhauling the design, I learned to elevate my work through nuanced tweaks and consistent checks—proving that small, deliberate adjustments drive meaningful improvement.
Week 10
Specific feedback:
Week 10 saw me sharing my revised layout with Ms. Vitiyaa. She imparted advanced insights on professional book layout and publishing standards, affirming that my overall direction was sound. However, she urged me to double down on details—typography, spacing, alignment, and consistency across chapters.
General feedback:
This session taught me that even a seemingly solid layout gains true professionalism through meticulous detail work. It deepened my understanding that publishing design hinges on precision—refining the small things makes the biggest difference.
Week 11
Specific feedback:
Week 11, I printed my manuscript for final review. Ms. Vitiyaa pointed out that some text—particularly on the back cover—had an overly large font size. She also recommended reducing the dimensions of the vertical barcode to avoid disrupting the overall layout harmony.
General feedback:
Seeing the printed proof alerted me to imperfections that weren’t noticeable on screen. This experience reinforced the critical importance of test printing in publishing design—its role in catching subtle flaws is irreplaceable.
Week 12
Specific feedback:
Week 12 featured an in-class presentation, where I focused on my book’s concept, layout design, and visual direction. The on-site feedback confirmed that the revisions I’d made had significantly enhanced the overall quality of the book.
General feedback:
During the final week, I focused on finalizing and refining my blog and e-Portfolio. I organized all weekly feedback, updated my process documentation, and ensured both my final book and the complete design workflow were clearly presented.
Week 13
Specific feedback:
Week 13, I zeroed in on refining my blog and e-Portfolio. I reviewed all weekly reflection notes, organized my process documentation, and updated the content to clearly showcase the progression of my book project. I also ensured the final version of the book—including its layout, illustrations, and printed final product—was presented in an appropriate and professional manner.
General feedback:
This final phase offered me a chance to reflect on the entire publishing design course journey. By revisiting the full process—from writing and illustration to layout and printing—I gained a clearer understanding that publishing design demands patience, perseverance, and meticulous attention to detail.
Reflections
Experience
During the 13-week publishing design course, I fully participated in the end-to-end creation of my autobiographical book Before the Journey Begins, forming a closed loop from content construction to the final presentation of results. In the early stage, I completed a 3,000-word English autobiography, clarified the chapter framework and polished the narrative tone. Meanwhile, I synchronously planned the visual material system, completing the creation and selection of 2 original illustrations and 16 self-taken photos, which connected the core emotional journey with the timeline as the logic. In the middle stage, I systematically learned core publishing design skills, including the application of grid systems (manuscript grid, column grid, etc.), InDesign software operation (flowing text, paragraph style settings), and integrated visual materials with text content into the initial book layout draft. In the later stage, based on multiple rounds of targeted feedback from Ms. Vitiyaa, I repeatedly optimized the layout details (alignment, spacing, consistency across chapters), adjusted the text font size and the size of the vertical barcode, completed the printing preparation and test printing in CMYK mode and standard format. After collecting feedback through in-class presentation, I finally improved the blog and e-Portfolio, sorted out all weekly reflection notes and process documents, and clearly presented the full progress of the project.
Observation
Firstly, the core rule of "details determine texture" in professional publishing design is significant. The details repeatedly emphasized by Ms. Vitiyaa, such as alignment accuracy, spacing control, font size adaptation, and printing parameter settings (e.g., bleed settings, file format), directly affect the professionalism and coordination of the work. Moreover, some flaws (such as overly large font size) are easily overlooked in screen previews and can only be found through physical test printing. Secondly, the synergy between visual materials and text narrative is crucial. Whether it is illustrations or self-taken photos, only by maintaining stylistic unity (composition, color tone, texture) and adhering to the principle of "supplementing the narrative rather than repeating the text" can the overall appeal of the book be enhanced. Thirdly, publishing design is a "two-way integration of creativity and technology". The early creative conception (book positioning, visual direction) needs to be implemented relying on systematic technical specifications (grid framework, printing standards), and repeated revisions and optimizations (such as layout adjustments, material polishing) are not denying the early achievements, but a necessary process to gradually approach professional standards. Fourthly, process recording and review are of great value. Weekly reflections, feedback collation, and final portfolio improvement can help clarify the creative logic and strengthen the digestion and absorption of course knowledge.
Findings
First, publishing design is a systematic project that requires the in-depth integration of writing, visual design, layout technology, and printing processes. Omissions in any single link will affect the final result. Only by comprehensively considering the connection and standardization of each link can a professional publishing work be completed. Second, "precise control of details" is the core support for the professionalism of publishing design. From the priority of grid construction, the printing adaptation of visual materials, to the fine adjustment of text font size and barcode size, the role of subtle adjustments in improving the layout harmony and reading experience is far greater than that of major restructuring. Third, patience and perseverance are key qualities for creating high-quality publishing works. The entire project needs to go through multiple rounds of iterations such as writing polishing, material creation, layout optimization, and test printing revision. Only by continuously responding to feedback and carefully verifying can the quality of the work be gradually improved. Fourth, visual materials are an important extension of the narrative. Illustrations and photos are not decorative elements, but "visualized narrative language". Rational use can enhance the emotional resonance of personal stories and enrich the readers' reading experience. Fifth, phased review and achievement sorting are effective paths for learning and growth. By reviewing the entire process and sorting out feedback and documents, we can more clearly recognize the core logic of publishing design and realize the synchronous precipitation of theoretical knowledge and practical ability.
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