My design process always begins with a thorough understanding of the project and its intended audience. For my latest book design project, Polish Oscars / Polskie Oscary, written by the expert on the subject, Andrzej Krakowski, I knew it would be a unique challenge. The book is an exclusive art-book about the history of the Academy Awards but from a Polish perspective. I immersed myself in research and had a thorough discussion with the publisher to understand the target audience and their vision for the book.

With the information gathered, I set out to create a timeless and elegant design that would also be playful. The focal point of the design had to be the iconic Oscar statuette, so I decided to incorporate the use of gold throughout the book. I explored different printing techniques and ultimately chose to use Pantone 871c for the inlay and gold foil hotstamping for the cover.

The format and choice of paper were also crucial decisions in the design process. I wanted the book to be large, yet still fit in a typical bookcase. So, I settled on Arctic volume ivory (130g) for the inlay and an integrated cardboard cover (350g) with a satin finish. The typography had to be retro-inspired and classic, yet bold. And as the book is bilingual, I had to develop a logical design system to make navigation easy for the reader.

Working with archival photos and movie posters was a real treat. I was lucky to team up with a fantastic photo editor who helped me with the research and indexing of all visual materials. And as a final touch, I added a golden bookmark ribbon and included a special gift for readers – two limited edition illustrations printed on high-quality paper in Pantone gold.

Design is not just about creating something visually pleasing, it's about creating an experience. And that's exactly what I aimed to do with Polish Oscars / Polskie Oscary. From the research, to the printing techniques, to the attention to detail – every aspect of this project was designed to create a memorable and enjoyable experience for the reader. I strive to create designs that are not only visually appealing, but also intuitive and tailored to the specific audience.