Unseen
Tears Book
Client:
Publicis Communication / Leo Burnett
Objective:
To create a distinctive, non-conventional coffee table book that visually and conceptually stands apart from traditional formats.
Brief
The brief was to design and produce a highly creative coffee table book for Home Centre that breaks away from conventional book formats. The book was predominantly printed in black and grey, requiring precise handling of four-color grey tones to maintain depth and consistency. It also needed to feature a dust jacket and adopt a non-standard size to enhance its uniqueness. Additionally, the book included special inserts that opened out to SRA3 size, which then had to be folded down to SRA5 while maintaining alignment with the book’s pagination and section sewing structure.
Challenges
- Creating a format that feels truly different from conventional books
- Managing complex SRA3 to SRA5 fold-outs within the book
- Aligning inserts with pagination and section sewing
- Maintaining consistency across multi-tone grey (4-color greys)
- Ensuring structural integrity with creative binding and inserts
Solution
The book was engineered using 12-page section sewing to achieve a layflat structure while accommodating the complexity of inserts. A detailed white dummy was first developed to map accurate pagination, including all fold-outs and inserts, ensuring proper sequencing and flow. Once finalized, the artwork was aligned to this structure to maintain narrative continuity. To further differentiate the book, an open bare spine concept was executed, with a raw, unwrapped cover pasted directly onto the book block and finished with blind debossing. Two cover material options were developed: a bare grey board with blind debossing for a minimal, industrial aesthetic, and a 1000 gsm white cotton paper version offering a softer, premium tactile feel.
Outcome
The final book emerged as a bold, experimental piece that successfully pushed the boundaries of conventional coffee table book design. With its raw construction, innovative inserts, and refined grey tone printing, it delivered a unique tactile and visual experience. The project was well received by the client and went on to be submitted for prestigious awards, including D&AD and Cannes, reinforcing its position as a standout piece in creative print production.
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