Colophonics

A colophon is the finishing stroke or crowning touch of your book. It appears, most often on a single, right-hand page at the end of your book, after any other endmatter should you have any. For limited editioned books it is most often written by the book’s designer and usually includes information regarding typography and production methods. It is also an opportunity to do a nice typographic layout of your choosing if you like, and does not necessarily have to adhere to your page layout of the rest of your text block. You may also consider to number your edition of two books. Editioned books are often numbered – just as limited editioned prints might be.

Here is what Wikipedia has to say about Colophons:
A colophon, in publishing, is a brief description usually located at the end of a book, describing production notes relevant to the edition. In most cases it is a description of the text typography, often entitled A note about the type. This will identify the names of the primary typefaces used, provide a brief description of the type’s history, and a brief statement about its most identifiable physical characteristics. A colophon may also identify the book’s designer, software used, printing method if letterpress, the printing company, and the kind of ink, paper and its cotton content. Detailed colophons are a characteristic feature of limited edition and private press printing. Books publishers Alfred A. Knopf and O’Reilly Media are notable for their substantial colophons.

Some of the items you could choose to include when writing your colophon:
- Mention the primary fonts used, sizes, history and designers of the fonts.
- The paper you will be using is an 80 lb. Classic Crest Text sheet, Natural White.
- You can mention the software and printers used.
- You can add information about your photography, illustrations, media, methods and inspiration.
- The reasoning for choosing your specific book to redesign.
- And give yourself a credit for all the great work you performed!
- Add the date!
- “This is edition (blank space here to fill in later by hand) of two”.

Overdue Books Will Be Fined Accordingly

Within 3 weeks time, all of your books should be printed and your book jacket designs prepared for final output. This is a reminder to alert all of you to stay on track and keep pace with the schedule. You should all be nearing the editing stage at this point. All of your style sheets should be predetermined by now and your text mostly in place. The front matter should be taking shape too, and you can be thinking about the text for your colophon. (I have examples of others if you would like to read any). Illustrations should be completed, scanned and dropped into place. I encourage you to spellcheck your texts and continue to save and back up your work as you go.

We will be doing the actual binding the week of Dec. 3/6 which is a little less than one month. I would suggest you try to do the sewing of your two books sometime the week before this – or in class the week of November 26/29th. With the Thanksgiving Holiday on the 22/23rd, time is short, and I wanted to give all of you a head’s up on the schedule. If you feel you are falling behind, please talk to me. The best thing for all of you to do, is to step back, break it down into manageable steps and do one thing at a time. Don’t try to take on too much and simplify if you must, but stay inspired!

Fore-edge Clearcut

Click on image for closer view of clearcut.

Assignment Week 7

You Can Judge a Book By Its Cover. Produce a knock-out design that conveys your book’s story or message. Treat it as you would a poster design, but remember this cover is a marketing tool to promote your book. You must entice people to want to pick it up on a table with a sea of other books. Refer to the specs of the full jacket in the Part 14 pdf of Week 6. Present book jacket designs when class next meets.
des123-assignment-wk-7.pdf.