ART 448 / Week 5

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Week 5 — Assignment “Patterns”
Discuss + Studio due Sunday (end-of-day). Reply to other people’s posts by Tuesday.

Project 1: Experiments in Typographics—a series of tutorials in Adobe software. The design exercises explore digital drawing and typographic design, and are assigned weekly over the course of five weeks. (We will apply these experiments in Project 2.) 

1/
Discuss:

  1. Browse and study the New York Public Library Digital Collection of Book Jackets website. Explore the different book jackets and read more about the design objects presented. Select (3) three example works to highlight from the site — and at least one where a pattern is used — and share with the class. In the comment space below and in 200 words total, describe the three book selections and the design elements, typography, composition, etc.
    What is the title of the book, and when was was it designed/published? What kinds of typefaces are used in the selected piece. What intrigues you about it? Let the selections inspire your studio work. Share the direct links so we can see the examples. 
    Reply to at least two other people’s posts (below). Due Tuesday.

2/
Studio:

  1. In Illustrator, create a new file with a 10 in x 10 in artboard. You will make several artboards at this size in the same file (like last week).
  2. Watch the “Week 5” class video.
  3. I will show 1. the repeat tool for building pattern ideas and 2. the pattern tool for making/editing/scaling patterns which are then added to your swatch panel. On (4) four artboards, do the steps I demonstrate using letters, words, images that you wish to explore and learn the skills. Then —> create (4) four additional artboards / design variations (or more) building upon the preliminary ideas and steps of the demonstration, making compositions, and filling the whole artboard with a pattern (see featured image). Open direction. Explore, test, and expand. Try making different decisions from one variation to the next to see what happens. You should have at least 8 artboards/8 pages in your PDF submission, or more.
    —> Explore: color, layering, text/typography, photographic images, asymmetry/symmetry, modularity, grids, other structures, additional shapes, etc.
  4. Save and package your Illustrator file and upload the packaged folder to onedrive. Export your Illustrator artboards as a PDF. It is very important that you package your Illustrator files.

Links:
3D pattern
Seamless pattern
Seamless pattern 2
Floral pattern
Repeat tool
Pattern libraries

NYPL:
Good Morning
Culture in the South
The Fleuron
Ancient and Modern Dolls
Pantheon

*featured image: Rachele Riley, 2025

21 thoughts on “ART 448 / Week 5”

  1. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-e149-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

    “Forskning og Framsteg” was published in 1946. It is designed in a serif font, with all caps. The hand-drawn style to this cover is interesting, as it reflects the smooth, transparent textures of ink wash. There are multiple examples of layering in the design, as red lines, letters, and symbols are set over cooler toned patterns. There are 3 blocks with unique patterns, divided by blank lines holding the title text.

    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-d3a1-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

    “If You Know What I Mean”, published in 1930, is a bright yellow book jacket with black text and imagery. The image depicts two people riding on a pegasus, with stars surrounding them. The title text is a modern, stylized version of a serif font, in all lower case. The body text is a sans serif font, which shows variation within the design as a whole. The color being bright yellow immediately caught my eye, along with the sleek, simplistic illustration on the front cover. The simplistic style of this jacket makes it easy to read and appear very organized.

    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-e097-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

    “Jesters in Earnest” was published in 1944. It depicts a bold contrasting theme of black and red text and image on a white background. The image on the main cover appears pattern-like, as there is an angular flow and repetitive skeletons and soldiers. The font used is serif, which adds a traditional, antique style to the jacket. This one was my favorite, as it was the coolest concept in my opinion. The only thing I didn’t like was the position of the title.

    1. Hello Kayla,

      I like how you paid attention to detail when analyzing the typefaces you found on these book jackets. I especially like the second bright yellow book jacket that caught your eye. It had a lot of personality and was beautiful!

    2. Hi Kayla,
      I see what you mean with Jesters in Earnest with the traditional and unique style from the serif. I can see why you decided to use it for inspiration for your concept.

  2. “Small Potatoes”
    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-dad9-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99#/?uuid=510d47db-dad9-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
    Small Potatoes was published/designed in 1940. In this book jacket, there is overlapping text with different colors that reminded me of the warped text we were experimenting with last week or the week before. I really enjoyed the simplicity of the color palette for this one, as it is clear what the title is and it has a simple illustration below. What I liked about the font for this cover was the handwritten look, or almost like it was painted on as opposed to printed. I would love to find a font like that in Adobe to experiment with. Another factor I enjoy about this book cover and many others is the centered text, I enjoy when things are symmetrical on a cover.

    “Dildo Cay”
    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-db67-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
    Other than the slightly entertaining name, this piece was particularly intriguing to me because of the way the page was set up. It was from 1940 and has an all caps serif font with text that is aligned to the right of the page, the bottom line being slightly farther right than the top. The authors name appears to be a similar text slightly higher and to the left of the title. I love the oceanic theme with the gradient of colors from the bottom up and how the title stands out against the dark blue. I would love to see how this font looks extruded or with shadows beneath it. I might try to find something similar and experiment with that during this week’s work.

    “End as a Man”
    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-e1b5-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
    What I found interesting about this 1947 cover was the patterning that goes over top of the text. You typically do not see text underneath the pattern but because of how much contrast there is between the text and the background it is still clear what the title is. This may also have to do with the thin lines that make up the pattern that do not disrupt the text too much. The title is in a simple block sans-serif and is nothing particularly special. I would like to see how a simple pattern over top of another more elegant font would look or if it would distract too much. I might try to make a pattern this week and put it over top of a text with a contrasting background. It might also look cool to have this on a perspective plane to create dimension.

    1. Hi Aniston! I like the potato design, at first, I didn’t see that in the title but you’re right it does look like what we did last I like how the dull colors overlap. My favorite out of these is the “End as a Man” I like how the swirl pattern overlays the title and you have to look through the swirls at the text.

  3. ‘Putting a Feather in Your Hat’ by Louise Seymour Jones was released in 1938. This book jacket’s design has a grid that has a diagonal tilt with a drawing of a hat with a feather. This allows the title of the book to be found near the center stamped over the pattern creating a break in between the lines which creates a big diamond shape around the rectangle. The typeface used for the title is italic with curved serifs on the capitalized letters distinguishing them from the lowercase letters.

    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-d819-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99#/?uuid=510d47db-d819-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

    ‘Plastics.’ by J. H. Dubois was released in 1942. I liked how the title of the book is the main design present which starts on the side and pours over into the front. The mix between typefaces and playing with dimensions is what grabbed my attention as the ‘P’ is separated from the word in that its the biggest and also bold, textured, three-dimensional, and slanted opposite to the rest of the letters which lean to the right. The typeface for ‘lastics’ is cursive. Lastly the name of the author is at the bottom in its own space with the brown rectangle.

    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-dd48-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

    ‘The Wind Boy’ by Ethel Cook Eliot was released in 1946. This book jacket compared to the other two I’ve talked about actually has color dominating the composition. The yellow and blue are used to represent the night sky as the blue fills the background of the illustration present as well of a tree near a hill with the yellow being used in the stars as well as the border around the cover. Lastly there is a pattern of squiggly lines that go horizontally across the composition that look like wind trails. The title takes up the top half of the book jacket with the typeface having cursive areas in the letters giving it this floating feeling to them as if they’re flowing in the air.

    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-e0ff-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

    https://uncg-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/r_riley_uncg_edu/EgzzxBAv0E1Kv5PhSUP_92IBiewpfE7FeJkBjlajDKKENA?e=NB7FwN

    1. These are really interesting examples! I find “Plastics” to be the most visually interesting. It has the elements of the effect when you combine a pattern swatch with an extruded letter or word. I find it interesting how this effect looks so modern and 3-D despite the time period it originates from. I think all of the examples you chose are great examples of patterns!

  4. 1. Peeps at the World’s Dolls by H.W. Canning-Wright was published in 1923. Its cover design uses a repeated doll pattern in black, white, and red. Each doll has a unique skirt and pant pattern, creating variety in repetition. The typography is simple, with serif fonts for the title and text, giving it a classic feel. The clean layout and playful design make it memorable. The bold colors and repetitive figures feel like a combination of tradition and also modernity.
    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-d16d-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

    2. Second, The Life and Strange and Surprising Adventures of Daniel De Foe by Paul Dottin (1929) has a bold, almost eerie cover. The illustration shows Defoe trapped in a pillory, with his hands reaching out. The colors are muted, mostly dark blues and grays. It feels dramatic. The typography mixes a classic serif font for the title with a bold style for the author’s name. The design is eye catching. Defoe seem mysterious and larger than life. It’s a great example of how fonts and images create mood and tell a story.
    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-d225-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

    3. Lastly, Flowers of Our Lost Romance by Charles F. Lummis was published in 1930. It has a dramatic cover showing a man on horseback holding up a hat. The bold lines and earthy colors feel adventurous. The typography is all caps- sans-serif I believe. I see colors of red, blue and black mostly. The design feels energetic because diagonal lines in the background add movement. The mix of illustration and bold text makes it stand out.
    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-d2f0-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

    1. Hey Clint!

      All three book jackets that caught your eye had great visuals and imagery designed. Tells me a lot about your eye as an artist, which is fantastic! They also have interesting typography on top of their imagery and color palettes. Very cool!

    2. I love these choices! I think that “Peeps at the World’s Dolls” is the most interesting pattern I’ve seen so far. I find it interesting how they are each unique despite being the same style of doll. The black and red color is bold and visually pleasing, which I feel is why it was used in so many of these book jackets. Thanks!

    3. Peeps at The World’s Dolls
      I liked how you mentioned how it gives off a playful design. It does remind me of imagery or illustration that you see as a child and it sticks with you. I love designs like this, very simple, but bold in itself.

  5. Chosen designs:
    “Kit O’Brien” (Edgar Lee Masters, 1927)
    “Napoleon” (Emil Ludwig, 1926)
    “Animalia” (Leon Underwood, 1926)

    The first two of the designs I chose really interested me for their simplistic designs that don’t try to do too much but still manage to capture people’s attention. I particularly enjoy the repeated pattern on the Kit O’Brien book cover as it’s similar to what we worked on for this week’s assignment and was one that I looked at as inspiration when doing my experiments. The final one, “Animalia”, stuck out to me immediately with its detailed images showing various animals. To me it reminded me of the type of cover you’d see on a book your parents read you as a kid, so it had a somewhat nostalgic feeling to it. I also like that it’s placed in a small strip towards the middle of the cover to leave plenty of space for the title and credits. The little snake design on the sides is also a really neat touch that adds a lot to the overall style.

    2. Hi Ryan,
      I also used Kit O’Brien and Napoleon as book jackets I took inspiration from. I agree with you about the simplicity of the pattern of Kit O’Brien which is what drew me into using it as inspiration for my piece.

  6. The first book cover I found is called “Skazki: Tales and Legends of Old Russia” by Ida Zeitlin and illustrated by Theodore Nadejen in 1926. When I first saw it, I was curious about what skazki meant and I looked it up and saw it means a Russian Fairy. So the book is filled with fairytales and old tales, so I know it was probably a very cool illustration. But based on just the book cover, I saw how the town was layered throughout the cover page. I thought it was so cohesive and a thoughtful placement of the buildings surrounding the title. I think the Font they used was perfect because it matches the style of the patterned illustration of the town.
    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-cfc9-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
    The name of this book cover is called “ Padriac Colum CREATURES” created in 1927 and the illustrations were created by Boris Artzy basheff. This one was my personal favorite due to the different animals that were there. I like how they are the abstract version of the animal but they are all moving together as a whole. I am also always drawn to black and white illustrations, especially when they have an accent color. (In this case, the red.) I also feel like the typeface used fit the vibe of the illustration behind it.
    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-d0ed-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

    The name of this book cover is called “The African Saga” by Blaise Cendrars. This pattern consist of multiple lines, squares, and dots. I’ve always loved patterns like this where it’s repeated like this. West African patterns in general I always find beautiful.
    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-d0ec-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

    1. All three of these designs I really like! The first one the book title really relates to the background design in a way with the town. While the second one with the creatures I like the almost pattern, I cant tell, and I agree the red accent looks nice. While the last one is a geometric pattern and I like the texture that was given to the lines and the use of color.

  7. The first book cover is called Oklahoma Place Names made in 1933 but does not say the designer or publisher. What intrigued me about this design was the pattern used for the background. It’s a pattern that goes in a diagonal across the page which looks like bones or leaves but then there are letters included in it which with closer inspection it actually spells Oklahoma through the pattern. I think it is a unique way to add something to the pattern however I did not use that technique. The next book cover is called Hernán Cortés en Monteczuma made in 1933 as well. It does not have a pattern but it has a hand drawn quality with a nautical feel around the page. The font used in the ocean is very wavy which fits the style. I was intrigued by the drawings, it looks like it would be a old map of exploring the sea and the color palette works well for the theme. Finally, the last one I chose is called Modern Management made in 1937. It is a very simple design with geometric shapes. The color palette is also dull cool colors which matches the theme of the cover. I like the simple minimalist design but it is hard to achieve correctly.

    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-d515-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-d51f-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-d71a-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

  8. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-e1b5-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
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    Some interesting design patterns caught my eye. One that caught my eye was ‘End as a Man’, by Calder Willingham. The reason is that we have been working with patterns and I enjoyed the overlapping of this funky swirly pattern on top of the text. It is not too busy or complicated which makes it have a sleek look. The date issued for this book was 1947. I also enjoyed the unusual plum color behind the pattern and text. I see San Serif and Serifs typefaces. Also, the bold text and the choice of texture with the author’s name on a shiny plate intrigued me.
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    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-e264-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
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    De Laatste Karavaan, by Leonhard Huizinga, also intrigued me with its nighttime sort of theme with yellows and blacks. The contrats of the lettering and pattern turn into the shape of a camel which is something that inspired me for this week’s assignment. I see the use of san serif typefaces. This book jacket was created in 1947. This pattern is really cool and seems like it took a lot of time and thought.

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    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-e17b-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
    ————————————————————
    This book jacket Nuorin Veli was interesting to me as well with its choice of boldness and the serif typefaces. This book jacket was made in 1946 and caught my eye. I love a good black and red moment, there is so much power in this color choice. The simple graphic in the middle demonstrates the book and is a clean sleek design. Along with the typography and how it’s placed, very pleasing.

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    OneDrive Link:
    https://uncg-my.sharepoint.com/shared?id=%2Fpersonal%2Fr%5Friley%5Funcg%5Fedu%2FDocuments%2F%5FRachele%20Riley%2Fteaching%2FS25%2FART%20448%2FHannah%20Belk%2FWeek%5F5&listurl=%2Fpersonal%2Fr%5Friley%5Funcg%5Fedu%2FDocuments

  9. DISCUSSION:
    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-e21a-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

    The first book cover that I chose is The Tower of Babel written by Elias Canetti. It was published/designed in 1947. The typeface used a calligraphy/handwritten kind of font. After some research, I found that this text was actually translated from German by C.V. Wedgewood. I also found that the work was intended to be the first in a series of books that explore the dangers of believing in intellectualism. What intrigued me about this cover was the simple silhouette of a man over the grey, blue, and red-lined pattern. I think it’s cool how there’s a slight shadow behind the man making him pop out from the background.

    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-e1b5-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

    The second book cover that I chose is End As A Man written by Calder Willingham. It was published/designed in 1947. This cover uses a bold sans-serif font for the title and a serif font for the author’s name. The book is described as an “adolescent horror story” that’s set in a military academy in the South during World War 1. I was drawn to this cover because of the spiral-type pattern, it kind of reminded me of roses when I first looked at it. I also liked the mix of geometric shapes in between the spirals.

    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-d81d-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

    The last book cover that I chose is Tails Book written by Graham Carrey. It was published/designed in 1938. This cover uses a pattern made of serif fonts with the title in a black color to separate it from the background. The book serves as a humorous, educational book about animals and what they do and doesn’t do with their tails. I chose this cover because I loved the little unique illustrations that pair with each letter. I feel nostalgic about my childhood and reading nursery rhyme books before bedtime.

    STUDIO:
    https://uncg-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/r/personal/r_riley_uncg_edu/Documents/_Rachele%20Riley/teaching/S25/ART%20448/Danielle%20Scott/WeekFive_ScottD_Folder/WeekFive_ScottD.pdf?csf=1&web=1&e=jfYwaq

  10. The first book jacket that I found is called Kit O’Brien which was published in 1927 by Edgar Lee Masters. This one, in my opinion, stands out because the design of the pattern is very detailed in itself. And then the repetition of it fits of it very well on the cover. I also like that there was not a ton of images repeated; it was only 14 or 15 of them used which gives it a simpler design but also showcases the design more. The second book jacket that I found is called Napoleon that was published in 1926. This one uses many different typefaces on the cover which is in the foreground; the background with silhouettes that are bit dimmed in color. I think this does a very good job of bringing more focus on the typefaces used. The final book jacket that I found is from a novel called “A Mirror for Witches” which was made by Esther Forbes in 1928. I think that the unique typeface already gives the book jacket a unique look that catches the eye of the viewer but also making it white and then putting it on a black background helps it stand out even more

    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-d149-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-cfa9-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
    https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-cfcb-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

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