A House in the Forest - the book

 





And finally, “A House in a Forest” the book itself!

An old fashioned hardback, clothbound book, and with a dust jacket of sorts - that has been a dream of mine. 


I am also extremely pleased with myself for getting the layout/design done after learning some basic InDesign. My years of hovering around James when he worked at home also meant that all this was not alien to me. But you know, “on my own” is not true. Whenever I hit a road bump, friends who are real designers were ever ready to answer my idiot questions - thank you @jon @stellakwan 


I wanted a very quiet book, with minimal interventions up front, so as to let the world within do its work. And they do tell the story well together. @messymsxi’s drawings are everything the words could have asked for.


So what’s needed with the layout and design is to set the stage, manage the pauses and breaks, the hints and breaths. Because the act of reading a physical book is ultimately still a visceral one. The book is an object and more - it is material and space, but it is also time, since reading is rhythmic - the images of the words unfold in your own mind with the help and direction of the writer and designer, where your eye lands, when you turn the paper, how long your eye lingers on each page.


If you want a copy, DM or email ampulets@yahoo.com.sg. $35 Inc postage and bonus sticker sheet for now. The book is also retailing at a physical bookstore - Woods in the Books for $35, incGST.


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Cover: Saifu Cloth with blind deboss

Bellyband/dust jacket: Maple snow 100gsm. Light to wrap and a smooth surface to contrast with Saifu.

Endpaper: Ecohemp 120gsm -this was the most difficult. Patterned? Coloured? Plain? The new Ecohem is quiet but has these natural Fibre speckles to transit into the forest.

Inside paper: Maple white 170gsm. Lux, heavy, slightly creamy and very subtly textured. Who doesn’t love Maple White?


Thank you to RJ Paper and First Printers for the help. Thank you to Yeo Wei Wei for editing. 


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Read more about the drawings by MessyMsxi here; and about the story here. 






Video by Joshua Ching


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