Production: Part 5 - Ex 2 Planning you workflow

Think about how much flexibility you can allow yourself – don’t put yourself under too much pressure. At the same time, be aware of time constraints that may be outside your control. If you’re using a local printer, for example, make contact as soon as possible. Your printer may have a limited timeframe for doing your job and you’ll need to factor this into your workflow.

Walking through the process of publishing a book each part needed to be explore and planned out.

My inital Idea was using some cartoons I have created in the past or brand new similar styled illustration and working from them to make a story that could appeal to kids. But I also thought about making a book that was really random that wasnt just for kids. Pop up and flip downs are also at the back of my mind.

 ● Phase 1: Scoping Timeframe and planning: what needs to be done, how it needs to be done.

 I think 2-3 month would be achievable if the book isn't to be to long. 16-20 pages is a nice amount but with the added interactive pieces practically could take a little longer. Writing, thumbnail sketches, character design and experimentation, background and colours, graphics and paper/cover pages.

 ● Phase 2: Creating content Researching subject area. Writing material. Editing text. Sourcing and /or creating images.

Research will entail looking through kids books and interactive and non interactive books for inspiration. pop up and flip up crafting techniques online and deciding how these and my illustrations will fit with the writing aswell as regular 2d books with similar fun and engaging designs, I'll have to decide how detailed the writing is too.

 ● Phase 3: Design Page set-up, page layout, choosing typeface, inputting and arranging text and image elements. 

 This phase I can put the ideas together. Set in stone more of the features, typeface, composition. I think this will possible be the longest phase as I will need to try out all of the interactive parts and how everything will get. Flat plans and storyboards will be helpful for this step. I may need to digitially organise the designs of pages so they are precise in how they will be printed. Software wise I will be using Indesign and Illustrator and some procreate. I will also be making sure I am Saving and storing. Backing up all work. Printing proofs, checking pages, inputting corrections as I go along.

Finding a publisher and printer will be very important. I will need to find one who may specifically work with smaller independent artists. such as a print on demand service or a self publisher that provide online tamplates and such. If i were to use a commercial it wouldn't be practical budget or selling wise. Hopefully there will be communication between me and the publishers in the layouts and sizing, qualiteis and other things so if I do need to make corrections I can.

 ● Phase 5: Printing and production Instructing, liaising and sending to printer

This being the final step I will have to make sure I communicate everything and every detail so it all turns out as expected and theres no confusion on either end. Making sure all my images, words ect are perfect and the colours. I will also be asking these production compnay to highlight anything that I would need to alter.

 

Scoping
You’ve been through a process of ideas generation, determined a topic and
established the subject area you’re going to pursue. Now follows a period of
‘scoping’ – working out what needs to be done, and how it is going to be put into
action within a particular timeframe. It may help to allow yourself a set amount
of time for each section of the process.

-Timeframe

some research of childrens books for inspiration about wording, language, illustrations and layouts will be done first.

- possibly 4-10 weeks and writing and editing, illustrations another 4-8 weeks including mocking up.

also in this time I will have to look into publisher/ paper type, format, software.

-organising pages and compostion another 2-5 weeks?

4-6 months the process I can guess is how long it will take, but considering iv'e never had any first hand getting work published experience it may be longer.
 

Determining output
Right at the beginning you need to decide how you are going to output this book.
Are you interested in traditional approaches, or digital? Are you going to work in
a very ‘hands-on’ way, printing and binding the pages yourself, or are you going
to work with a digital print-on-demand company, such as blurb.com, working
digitally and uploading your files so that they can manage printing and binding?
Whichever route you choose determines the appropriate and relevant
pre-production working process.

I will be using digital softwares and drawing apps to create the illustrations and typography such as InDesign, Illustrator, procreate. I will be making my own little paper mock ups in person and try a digital mock up too but I will actually contacting a publisher who make  books to actually print evrything. They will all have different specifications and quality needs but I'm quite sure I can deliver on whats nessecary. Print on demand services I will most likely be using as I will only need one printed for now, if it does turn out good however I may even print a few more. Blurb.com and BookPrintingUk are websites i've expored the most and they offer the most.

Research and development
You’ll need to employ research skills in many aspects of the pre-production
process, both in relation to the content of the book and the production methods
you are going to use. For example, once you have decided on the output/print
production route you’re going to take, you need to consider what software or
hardware you need. Do you have it already, do you know how to use it or do you
need to factor in time to get to grips with new processes?

I will be using a mixtrue or procreate, Adobe illustrator and Indesign, I am not so familiar with the adobe products to i'll have to learn some of the basic functions and relevant tools for creating a book. There si plenty of online resources and tutorials about so It shouldn't be to hard to navigate.

If you are using a printer, have you established what format the printer accepts for digital artwork? Have you looked into the formats and sizes of book available and the costs?

referring to https://www.bookprintinguk.com/ the book page charge is £1.50. They offer services such as using their own designers to come up with a cover and illustrators to provide drawing for the book. They also had an indesign book template which I downloaded (a4 landscape)

Regarding the text and image content of the book, what do you need to do in
order to find out more about the topic you have chosen? Where will you source
material? 

If I was to continue on the path of a childrens book than looking in bookstores and charity shops for kids books is nessecary for making sure my style, words and colours will be similar. Looking at bets sellers and most popular I think I can take the most inspiration for what works in a childrens book. Youtube and online videos will ask be quite helpful from designers and artists who have created their own book. Material wise I think websities that offer free sample will be the best option. On 'BookPrinting UK' I filled in a quote after typing in the size, paper type and other features and this is what It came up to.

Blurb.co.uk has a whole downloadable InDesign plugin that provides me with the layout of a book in the software instead of starting from scratch wiht my limited knowledge.

Creating text and images
For my book I will be using all of my original illustrations and editing it in illustrator and Indesign. Often book printers require the images to be DPI of at least 300 and for the files to be saved as CMYK colours.

 

Sample page
Create thumbnail sketches – both drawings and on computer – which show
design ideas for the book’s pages and the cover design. Create a sample
double-page spread of the book’s proposed layout, with some of the text and
images worked in. Experiment with different design options. Determine the
typeface and formatting of the text. Evaluate the sample spread with a broad
overview. How does it look? Make any changes and alterations needed.
 

Page layout
Flatplan the book before constructing pages in DTP software (if you’re taking the
digital route). Lay out the pages into the grid structure (if you’re using one). Work
in the text and import images.

I think I will be using my sketchbook to create rough flatplans and then move onto digital as I have to familiarise myself with the adobe software.
 

Proofing
I will use my desktop printer to test out the format and sizing adn the page bleeds an such, I can tehm change anything and re print to see if more needs to be changed.

Print preparation

Finally final checks I will be making, after an intital proof read. Using my chosen printer I will also have to check all specifications are correct too.

Webisites to self publish and print

 https://www.papersmyths.com/

https://www.blurb.co.uk/

https://www.bookprintinguk.com/

https://www.pixartprinting.co.uk/printing-magazines-books-catalogues/paperback/

https://www.lulu.com/

I did decide to go with PaperSymths.com as they seem experienced with pop up interactive books. I had requested a quote and sent the relevant files of my project so far to see what they would suggest and what teh price would be. I requested a quote for just 2 books for now.