OSU MOA: Sun Patterns, Dark Canyon

Editorial Design

As part of an ongoing partnership with the OSU Museum of Art that has included exhibition design, branding work, and educational print materials, we were approached to take on one of their largest projects to date: a 160+ page book on artist Doel Reed to coincide with a large traveling exhibit on his work. This book was to be the first publication on Reed and as such would be the primary point of reference for him and his entire body of work. Therefore, the Museum wanted a high-quality publication that included essays on his history as well as an image catalog displaying his works. The design needed to be elegant but effective and engaging; it could not compete with Reed's work, but needed to be narratively captivating, with visual breaks and interest amongst the 16,000 words of academic content. As the only reference for Doel Reed, the monograph additionally needed to have a timeless aesthetic as it would be included in historical archives.

 

AWARDS

Gold ADDY Award (Local) // 2021

Close-up of cover design for Doel Reed monograph

SOlution

Since there was no prior visual identity for Doel Reed or this exhibit, we began by establishing typographic and visual styles. To avoid competing with Reed's work, we kept colors very minimal and primarily pulled warm grays and blacks from his aquatints.

The OSU Museum of Art provided most of the content for the project in essay form, which we organized and reviewed, identifying opportunities to break the content for visual interest. The completed design features 168 pages, including a table of contents, Preface and Curator's Acknowledgments, five chapters on Reed's life and art, 60 pages of artwork, and a bibliography and index. The design is organized along a 10-column grid on each page, with the body text assigned to the inside eight columns and the outside two reserved for images, pull quotes, captions, and reference information. Chapters are punctuated with full-bleed details of Reed's work to showcase the artist’s masterful aquatints and evocative prints.

 

OSUMOA_DoelReedCatalogue_Interior-2.jpg

 Outcomes

We worked closely with the selected printer to ensure quality control of the final book, which was printed in two batches: 200 case-bound copies and 1,800 perfect-bound copies. The printed versions are exquisite, featuring a timeless design and beautifully reproduced color artwork.

 

2,000

books printed, with 360 distributed to patrons, participating institutions, and museums and the rest on sale at the OSU Bookstore.

168

pages, including five essays followed by an image catalog featuring 58 plates of Reed's work.

"We selected Toast Design Studio for this catalog project because of their design aesthetic and attention to detail. For an academic institution and museum this publication is so important to us and supports our mission to serve the community. This catalog has become THE monograph on Doel Reed, representing the artist and the university in archives and museums that have Doel Reed in their collections located across the United States and Great Britain. We are very proud of our publication and the quality of the design that will endure as an historical document as well as a prized ‘coffee table’ book that will be enjoyed by many."

— Victoria R. Berry, Founding Director and Chief Curator of the OSU Museum of Art