Project notes:
This book accompanies an exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada of paintings, prints and drawings by Canadian artist Chris Cran. The book includes reproductions of all of the works in the show, along with a number of the artist’s other pieces, and spans from his early career to present day. The artist produced a remarkable series of paintings using the halftone dot in the early 1990s, and the technique has been carried through to recent work in his series of small round paintings of people’s faces – his Chorus works – that he places around the exhibition space. These works represent visitors themselves, and with their various expressions provide silent commentary on the works that they accompany.
It was essential that the design of the book be sympathetic to the work of this contemporary artist. The halftone dot was chosen as an approach for the cover as this technique has been one constant in the artist’s multifaceted career. The colour sleeve was incorporated as a way to reference the many layers in this artist’s practice, and the use of one of the Chorus faces on the cover was a humorous nod to the visitor experience. A selection of Chorus works were also used throughout the catalogue as dividers between sections. The rationale behind this was to tie the inside of the book in with the cover and extend the idea of commentary and the importance of the halftone in this artist’s work. A spot-UV varnish was used on the cover to give the image a three-dimensional quality similar to his works.
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2017 Communication Art | Typography Annual 7, Award of Excellence in Book Design2017 uVu|Veritiv Design and Print Excellence | Award in Book Design
Project | Honors & Awards
2018 Joseph Binder Award | Distinction Award in Editorial Design
2018 HOW International Design Award | Merit Winner in Editorial Category
2017 GDUSA 54th Graphic Design Awards | Editorial Award
2017 Advertising and Design Club Canada | Merit in Editorial & Book Design
2017 The Society of Typographic Arts | STA 100
2017 AIGA 50 Books/50 Covers | Best Cover Selection
2017 German Design Award 2018 | Nomination in Excellent Communications Design
2017 GDUSA’s American Inhouse Design Awards | Catalogs Award Category
2017 Graphis Design Annual 2018 | Silver in Book Design
2017 IDA Design Awards | Honorable Mention
2017 IDA Design Awards | Honorable Mention
2017 Favourite Design Awards | Design of the Day, July 10
2017 International A' Design Award & Competition | Print and Published Media, Gold
2017 International A' Design Award & Competition | Graphics and Visual Communication, Silver2017 Communication Art | Typography Annual 7, Award of Excellence in Book Design
2016 Design and Design | International Design Awards, Design of the day (17.11.2016)
2016 Redgee Awards | Best of Region
2016 Redgee Awards | Best in Category
2016 RGD 1st In-House Design Awards | Award of Distinction
