PUBLISHING 2: Project 3 Summary Post
26 October 2016–22 November 2016 (Week 9–Week 12)
Gabriella Godeliva Adytanthio (0324170)
Publishing 2: Mass Communication
Project 3 Summary Post
Lecture
None
Instructions
The Book. (Part 3: Digital Book)
Submission(s)
ePub file here
Feedback
In my opinion, reading a physical book and an iBook are two different experiences on their own. When you're reading a physical book, your focus is directed to only the book that you're reading. It doesn't really give you a chance to pay attention to something else because you're only seeing the contents of the book. In an iBook, however, the more you add hyperlinks and other trinkets, the more the reader's attention will shift from the content to these additional features. A person might be curious about what something does and they find themselves trying the buttons out (or something along those lines), and as much as it can be helpful for navigation, too much of this is distracting.
The iBook itself is presented in a platform that already does allow room for external distractions (iPhones and iPads and iMacs can access a lot of things in the internet that may divert your focus away from the iBook you're reading), but then again there's no actual point of me saying this. I am only writing down my thoughts on books and iBooks in general as part of something I gained by doing this project.
References
None
Picture credits
Everything is personal documentation.
Gabriella Godeliva Adytanthio (0324170)
Publishing 2: Mass Communication
Project 3 Summary Post
Lecture
None
Instructions
The Book. (Part 3: Digital Book)
Duration of Assignment
3 Weeks (Briefing on Week 9)
3 Weeks (Briefing on Week 9)
DEADLINE
Week 12 (14 Nov 2016)
Week 12 (14 Nov 2016)
Description
In this final project 3 you will be required to adapt the printed book you have designed for the purpose of on-screen reading. The design of the digital Book will be dependent on the device it will be read from or the type of format used; ePub/PDF/HTML. Presently most digital books are in the ePub/eBook formatwhich is adaptable across devices. However this format is only available in Adobe CC. We shall strive to explore and decide on an appropriate format. Your input here is vital.
One very important area to focus on is navigation between pages; this has to be well thought through, as the user interface must not be an obstacle to seamless reading.
Note: Project 3 is an attempt to work on methods that are developing as we speak, so as your lecturer I too am learning these new features, with project 03 our classroom will effectively be a laboratory. Even so we shall strive to produce work that is of good standard.
Requirements
The student will adapt the designs from the printed format without loosing the identity and style of the said in the digital book. The final work will be uploaded unto the respective eportfolios and printed out in thumbnail formats for the hardcopy portfolio. The softcopy (printed book and digital book) will also be burnt on a CD. ‘Packaged’ your InDesign files to ensure all elements of your book has been collated when burning it on the CD.
The student will adapt the designs from the printed format without loosing the identity and style of the said in the digital book. The final work will be uploaded unto the respective eportfolios and printed out in thumbnail formats for the hardcopy portfolio. The softcopy (printed book and digital book) will also be burnt on a CD. ‘Packaged’ your InDesign files to ensure all elements of your book has been collated when burning it on the CD.
Submission
- All gathered information (failures, successes, epiphanies, sketches, visual research, printouts, websites, images, charts, etc.) documented chronologically in the A3 Clear Sheet folder. The works must be labelled and dated.
- All gathered information (failures, successes, epiphanies, sketches, visual research, printouts, websites, images, charts, etc.) documented chronologically in the eportfolio for every week, for the duration of the project.
- Softcopy of the digital book uploaded unto the eportfolio for the purpose of reading. A thumbnail printout of the digital book.
- All files packaged and burnt in a CD that is labelled and dated. Ensure all folders are labelled or named appropriately.
Objectives
- To develop students ability to adapt the various elements attractively in a digital book.
- To develop students ability create seamless navigation from page to page.
- To develop students ability to maintain a consistent identity with acceptable variation.
Submission(s)
ePub file here
Feedback
Week 10
Book mock-up was generally good. Your progress is good. Time to complete your mock up and move on to the final project.
Week 11
Good work, keep it up. You're on track.
Week 12
Reflections
Experience
Designing for an EPUB is a new experience in itself as I'm not familiar at all with this kind of digital publication. It was quite frustrating to work with at the beginning because it's like a very alien medium for me, and while I would have a good time working with EPUB if it's a brand-new publication, we all need to transfer our old book into EPUB. That means we have to maintain the same style and feeling as the printed book itself, which is not an easy task. I'm grateful for the fact that it's not as tedious as working on the printed book, due to the fact that other classes that we're taking also have assignments that are closing in on us.
Observation
By working on the EPUB, I notice how important some parts of the page in a book are in order to maintain the same style (or even brand). There are also different aspects that might get into doing our effort in transferring the content of our book to another format. Margins were particularly hard for me to work on. I also realized that there are so many possibilities in digital publishing considering the platform that it is on.
Findings
Working on the EPUB as a digital publishing format made me know more about the things we can do with the "book" in a new medium with the help of technology, but that also blurs the line between what a digital book is and what a website is. If you add too many trinkets in your book, for example links, moving pictures (GIFs), videos, etc. it kind of turns into something else. Then again I think that's what these advanced times are bringing to us: a lot of lines are blurred but at the same time, in a more positive light, we are provided the opportunity to play around more with what we are doing.
Content needs to be reshuffled (Exercise and Project 1). Put brief in the beginning of the different projects. Separator for between Project 2 and final project required. Would be good if you can name the various stages as per the brief or as referred to in class.
Reflections
Experience
Designing for an EPUB is a new experience in itself as I'm not familiar at all with this kind of digital publication. It was quite frustrating to work with at the beginning because it's like a very alien medium for me, and while I would have a good time working with EPUB if it's a brand-new publication, we all need to transfer our old book into EPUB. That means we have to maintain the same style and feeling as the printed book itself, which is not an easy task. I'm grateful for the fact that it's not as tedious as working on the printed book, due to the fact that other classes that we're taking also have assignments that are closing in on us.
Observation
By working on the EPUB, I notice how important some parts of the page in a book are in order to maintain the same style (or even brand). There are also different aspects that might get into doing our effort in transferring the content of our book to another format. Margins were particularly hard for me to work on. I also realized that there are so many possibilities in digital publishing considering the platform that it is on.
Findings
Working on the EPUB as a digital publishing format made me know more about the things we can do with the "book" in a new medium with the help of technology, but that also blurs the line between what a digital book is and what a website is. If you add too many trinkets in your book, for example links, moving pictures (GIFs), videos, etc. it kind of turns into something else. Then again I think that's what these advanced times are bringing to us: a lot of lines are blurred but at the same time, in a more positive light, we are provided the opportunity to play around more with what we are doing.
In my opinion, reading a physical book and an iBook are two different experiences on their own. When you're reading a physical book, your focus is directed to only the book that you're reading. It doesn't really give you a chance to pay attention to something else because you're only seeing the contents of the book. In an iBook, however, the more you add hyperlinks and other trinkets, the more the reader's attention will shift from the content to these additional features. A person might be curious about what something does and they find themselves trying the buttons out (or something along those lines), and as much as it can be helpful for navigation, too much of this is distracting.
The iBook itself is presented in a platform that already does allow room for external distractions (iPhones and iPads and iMacs can access a lot of things in the internet that may divert your focus away from the iBook you're reading), but then again there's no actual point of me saying this. I am only writing down my thoughts on books and iBooks in general as part of something I gained by doing this project.
References
None
Picture credits
Everything is personal documentation.