Refracting Reality Book Design

Silver A' Design Award 2021 in Print
CLIENT: Art Center College of Design
Estimated Number of Design Views: 36,306
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About Refracting Reality Book Design

Refracting Reality is a book about light and human perception. The book explores four characteristics of light: refraction, reflection, diffraction and interference. These qualities are expressed through typography and images across 368 pages. Coated and uncoated papers were selected to support different impressions of light. A solid prism is held in the book spine and can be removed by the reader. With the prism, readers can observe the behavior of light directly and interact with the printed images.

About the Silver A' Design Award

Refracting Reality Book Design is a Silver A' Design Award winner, an extraordinarily prestigious recognition granted to top-of-the-line, gorgeous, and impressive designs. Silver winners are tremendously brilliant and exceedingly creative works that illustrate the outstanding expertise, talent, and acuity of their designers. Refracting Reality Book Design is expected to be a wonderful, showpiece work that is remarkably professional and profoundly innovative. This Silver A' Design Award-winning design is a highly notable, admired invention that benefits and advances the boundaries of art, science, design, and technology. Refracting Reality Book Design is a vastly envied creation that evokes desires, introduces positive feelings, and sparks amazement and wonderment.

Press Kit

Unique Properties: The book expressed light characteristics: Refraction, Reflection, Diffraction, and Interferer through typography and imageries. The light experience was considered in the book's materials, such as coated paper, uncoated paper, and a solid prism. The prism of the book spine was used to manifest the perception of light.
Dimensions & Packaging: W8.5" x D1.75" x H11.75", 368 pages
Tags: Book Design, Editorial Design, Typography, Transmedia Design
Production Technology: The book was printed with the Epson P600 inkjet printer and using the Red River paper. Coated paper and uncoated paper were used for inner pages and the prism was used as a book's spine accessory.
Design Challenge: To create a 368-page book designed from extensive research on a chosen topic. Not only design a book but also curate the contents, edit and create a compelling narrative for readers to experience the book extensively.
Research: In modern society, light is commonly used as a medium throughout a lot of screen time and various screen types. The designer wants to understand deeply the history of how humans started using light and what metaphors light has been bringing to humanity throughout centuries.

Not only looking at light as an art medium but also looking at the different meanings of light brings different cultures and religions in history. Different perspectives that humans observed light was the interesting context of the research for this project.
Inspiration: Light has been the main part of our world since the beginning of time. Humans have learned to use light to tell stories, relate, experience, and communicate. This book questions our perception of the world by examining the light through different forms of expression.
Project Duration: The project started in January 2019 in Pasadena and finished in April 2010 in Pasadena.
Operation Flow: Prism can be taken out of the book spine and readers can experience traits of light such as reflection, refraction, diffraction, and Interfere by using the actual prism. They can also interact with the book because a lot of imageries were curated considering this interaction.
Image Credits: Photographer: Kevin Martin