Brief 4

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An engaging typographic investigation into Robert Wolffs book, ‘In Defense of Anarchism’ and a host of Emma Goldman quotes that run alongside the book until the last page, with a focus on re-designing the layout and bookwork.

This book tests the way people read, and more importantly the way many usually percieve Anarchism in general. Adopting a very un-orthodox yet still structured layout, type choices, and format, have allowed the book to portray Anarchism, Anarchists, and feminism as subtly as possible. Mainly, the book aims to allow the reader to fall into these layouts only through progressing through the read as column widths begin to alter to signify the hidden connotations.

With an open bind, the book is able to breath and be allowed to open up fully, this being a key factor as the interaction and rota-tion the reader needs to apply, demand a sense of high quality and solidity for the heavy handling it entails.

With it being based on Anarchism, a cheap form of production was necessary, the whole book being printed on white cartridge stock, cropped, and bound by myself. This d.i.y mentality is important in targetting the audience successfully and means the book can be printed in mass, fairly cheaply, and still keep that industrial quality to it that appeals to a wider audience and not just Anarchists.

In Defense of Anarchism, Robert WolffQuotes, Emma Goldman

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Robert Wolff

Emma Goldman

Titles and Page Numbers

Apercu

Garamond

Goudy Text MT Std

17

14

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Using a 6 column grid with a dimension measurement of 220 x 125mm, I have articulated a system that can work when rotated at every 90 degree angle. This allows the book to be read with odd angles from the outside perspective. The margins use a 6mm spac-ing top and bottom, with 10mm on the inside and 4mm outside, and a standard 4.233mm gutter to keep a steady book read constant throughout.

The variations within the layout of certain positioning being slight-ly more left alligned, vice versa, and central, is a visual directory of the several types of anarchy beliefs - from left wing; to right wing; to libertarians and so on so forth. The consistency stays with the page numbers, staying static but having a small symbol through the underlining of which way to hold the book.

Several hidden connotations lie within the book that develop through the readers mind when progressing through the read. If carefully looked at, there are two points of views - the male and the female. This tests opinions on feminism through layout, with Goldmans quotes gradually generating wider and wider columns, and ultimately, becoming balanced with Wolffs (as seen on the bottom left image).

Garamond was selected for Robert Wolff (as it is the actual book, something that should be comfortable to read, even with the busyness surrounding it) and Apercu for Emma Goldmans quotes (an element that needs to stand out, and almost be a sep-erate book in itself ). The Goudy Text Blackletter strings the two together in chapter titles and page numbers.

ougd301Books Still? Yafet Bisrat

At points in the book, it allows the reader to flip the book upside down/ ‘the wrong way round’ from the point of view of someone watching them read it. This further stresses the misconceptions many of the public usually have with anarchism - making total sense to the reader, but differently from an outside overview, as it seems incorrect and doesn’t follow rules of reading that we have become well accustomed to.

The book is centred around an individual perspective on a philoso-phy that promotes value of individual perspectives. ‘Rule I Shall Not, I Shall Not Be Ruled’ is a quote that is near to untraceable in terms of where it stems from. After extensive research and talking to a number of anarchists, this statement surfaced on a fair few oc-casions - as a quote that the majority of anarchists go by and recog-

nise instantly. This was a useful tool to incorporate as it instantly draws a connection, offering a personal engagement between anarchists. The quote works as the front and back cover when opened out, but still works individually when the book is closed.

The title ‘In Defense of Anarchism’ and ‘Quotes’ were not what the main focus of the book should be, as it is the concept of the movement that is important and not the writers, or the names of such well established essays. Therefore the quote became the most significant section.