Project Background
It's crucial to approach all design projects with the same user-centered mindset. For this book, I had the privilege of leading the creative direction and design for 88 pages of DIY crafts, collaborating closely with a small team of one editor and a sourcing specialist. I spearheaded the development of the book's format, ensuring it was both user-friendly and captivating for children. My role also involved presenting to executive stakeholders, effectively communicating our vision, and gathering valuable feedback to refine the final product.
Design Decisions
My decision-making process was thorough and strategic, aimed at creating an engaging and visually cohesive product. I designed the book from cover to cover, incorporating unique elements such as distinctive craft paper endpapers and spine wrap to add a tactile, handmade feel, and the addition of punch-out cards tailored for the book's activities to enhance the interactive experience.
Photography
This book had the unique need to showcase specific crafts, which needed to feel achievable for kids, aspirational for parents, and on-brand for our team of stakeholders. We started by conducting competitive research and gathering swipe references to understand market trends and help our book stand out. I provided art direction of photo styling ahead of the final shoot, establishing a clear visual direction through detailed placeholder photography. Colored seamless backgrounds for product-only shots and a more neutral set with pops of color for lifestyle shots enhanced both playfulness and brand consistency. The on-set stylist executed the playful, organically arranged compositions beautifully, bringing our vision to life!
Challenges
The interior of the book had a unique brief: to walk through the precise steps of an activity, while also leaving room for discovery, play, and exploration. All spreads needed plenty of space for show-stopping, full-bleed photography. The brief evolved at a late stage with the requirement to add educational content throughout. I developed a modular asset that would fit into the existing photography as needed, and conceptualized a few punchy illustrations to keep the new content fun and engaging.
Retro
There were some adjustments and pivots along the way, but overall a very smooth project, considering the scope. If we were to make any edits to future reprints, it would be interesting to execute on a concept I brought up during the design phase, which was initially cut due to cost – including an activity that kids could do immediately, rather than waiting for an adult to gather materials or go shopping. This would significantly add to the immediate perceived value, and would be an improved experience for kids.