This project was an ISTD brief. The brief stated to create a typographic piece that provides an indirect experience and celebrates our human connection with nature. The goal of the piece should be to reconnect the viewer to natural elements and have a positive impact on our health and well-being.
I began my research by looking at a broader subject of biophilia and nature to start to have a better understanding of the terms and different topics within it. Through the beginning stages of my research, I found how important biophilia is for us as humans and how we desperately seek a connection with nature. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, myself and many others, have been going on daily walks a lot more so than before and not realising the benefits it has with connecting to nature. On those walks, I began to focus on my senses, to what I could see, feel, hear etc… to really start thinking and connecting with nature around me.
The number of trees on my walks, steered my project to focus on them. Trees are the biggest plants on earth and are among the longest-living lifeforms. They also come with many benefits to the environment, your health and communities, which some may not know. On walks, people will come across different tree species, native and non-native, and may not be able to identify them. This may interfere with the connection they have with us.
To reconnect the viewer to a natural element stated in the brief, I wanted to create a book on how to identify British native trees. This would help people who go on walks, to increase their knowledge of different tree species and their connection with nature to improve their well-being.
The final book resolution I created focuses on six different British native trees. Each tree chapter breaks down on the different elements of a tree, that would help you to identify the particular species of tree. To help with the visual language of the book, I used a mixture of illustrations I created and photos, to help visually show certain tree species. I incorporated tracing paper in my book for some of the illustration I designed, to be printed on to it. The tracing paper would add an interactive element, which made some of the spreads more interesting in how one may see the trees differently. I kept to a minimalistic design of the book, as some of the tree books I researched were overcrowded with information, which was overwhelming. The minimalistic style allows the visuals and typographic copy to be breathable and take main focus, with more white space achieving this.
ISTD - Biophilia 2021