“WHAT COULD BE” BOOK
To commemorate the bittersweet conclusion of my college career, I wrote and illustrated this play on a children’s book. I drew each illustration in Procreate, and laid everything together in InDesign. It’s based on the colorful and crowded house I shared with six of my closest friends, which we dubbed “The Matchbox.”
INSPIRATION EVERYWHERE
Many of the book’s illustrations are based on random decor pieces of my college house. Same with the characters, who are drawn from scattered memories with friends. I drew separate objects on Procreate and dropped them into one InDesign file.
ADDING SOME COLOR
To contrast the detailed black and white illustrations, I placed them on top of sweeping shapes of bold colors, reminiscent of the emotions expressed on each page. The middle, where Bea is the most fearful, has a claustrophobic circle shape. It’s the most unusual of the book, because it represents the anxious turning point of her year.
FLIP THROUGH
For an interactive look at the dedication and acknowledgement pages, see here. I enjoyed paying special attention to details like these, as I wanted to replicate the experience of a book you’d pick up in the library.
HOLDING THE WORK IN YOUR HANDS
The final step of this project was to hand make five hardcover editions. I used card stock for the pages, book board and fabric for the covers, and a hidden pamphlet stitch for binding. The books are complete with decorative end papers and a glossy cover jacket.
HOME AT THE MATCHBOX
This project is the ultimate intersection of my interests in creative writing, design, and craft making. It is physical proof of how valuable my time in undergrad was, and how hard it was to leave. I hope that it resonates with all the almost-grown-ups about to take that first big step.
