Book
Case Study
Client
The Friendship Association
Services
Editorial Design
Industries
Non-profit, Promotion
Specifications
136 pages, Full-color Illustrations, Spanish language
I was tasked with designing the book El prodigio de las manos, a thoughtful exploration of the significance of creation and the human experience over time. This book combines storytelling with cultural and historical reflections, highlighting unique practices such as the crafting of casabe, the fishing of tetí, and the making of river rafts on the Toa River.
Project overview
Project Context
The book is a profound exploration of human creation and experience, delving into cultural and historical narratives. It celebrates unique traditional practices such as:
Crafting of casabe (traditional bread)
Fishing of tetí (local fishing technique)
Making of river rafts on the Toa River
Design Objectives
Visually represent the rich cultural narratives
Create a design that communicates tradition and innovation
Enhance reader engagement and accessibility
Support complex, multilayered storytelling
challenge
The challenge was to create a design that visually reflected the richness of these narratives and conveyed a sense of connection to tradition, innovation, and humanity. Additionally, the design had to enhance the reader's experience, supporting the intricate content while maintaining accessibility and readability.
Concept
The design concept emerged from the book's core themes:
Human creativity across generations
Connection to cultural heritage
Transformation of traditional practices
Intimate relationship between people and their environment
Solutions
Ensure the footnotes were easily accessible without breaking the reader's concentration. Instead of placing footnotes traditionally at the bottom of the page, we designed a dedicated column adjacent to the main text where notes appeared at the exact location they were referenced.
Design
Image
All illustrations and photographs were optimized to 300 dpi to maintain sharpness and detail in print. This resolution ensures professional-grade quality, especially for the book’s vibrant color illustrations.
Colors were converted to the CMYK color space to guarantee consistency across different printing systems.
Bleed Settings
A 3 mm bleed was applied to all pages to account for trimming during production. This ensures that no important elements (text or visuals) are cut off and that the design extends seamlessly to the edge of the pages.
Interior Layout
The book included numerous color illustrations that required precise resolution and color adjustments for print production. I prepared all images at 300 dpi and optimized them for CMYK printing, ensuring they appeared vibrant and detailed in the final product. Additionally, proper bleeds and margins were verified to avoid errors during printing. Typography played a significant role in reflecting the tone of the book. The final layout successfully balanced text and illustrations, creating an engaging and visually cohesive experience.
Printers
Working closely with the printing team was critical to ensure the final product met expectations. Regular communication helped address:
Paper stock selection: A high-quality matte-coated stock for interior pages to enhance the readability of text and vibrancy of illustrations.
Binding: Sewn binding was chosen for durability, allowing the book to lay flat without compromising the spine.
Conclusion
The careful attention to design, production quality, and packaging ensured El prodigio de las manos was a premium product that resonated with readers visually and physically. The production process underscored the importance of collaboration and precision in turning a creative vision into a tangible reality.
