Hello,
I am a student and working on a redesign for Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. For the assignment, we are putting together the book start to finish, including full illustrations.
From what I've seen, most of the design approaches for Siddhartha revolve around a really surface level understanding of the book; i.e. a cover with some sort of Buddha/Eastern philosophy/religion-related image on the front. Since Siddhartha is really a Western interpretation of Eastern philosophy/religion, I really want to get away from this. It's overdone, I think, and inaccurate, and it doesn't really do the book justice. It also doesn't appeal to a contemporary demographic. I'm hoping to convey a new sense of this book's relevancy to a modern reader. Past designs/treatments have been escapist - about traveling into a psuedo-historical time through a fable. I want the design and illustrations to direct the reader more to the hear and now.
The illustrations I've created will accompany each chapter beginning and play upon the main themes of the book: the idea that text-book, logic-based knowledge (in this case, represented by a collage of type) by itself cannot lead to enlightenment, but rather, intuitive, "wisdom" founded on experience leads to an ultimate understanding of "truth" (with experience-based knowledge represented by a collage of bright, images - some pop-culture images, others natural forms, others references to history, others consumerism...). These image collages also represent the second major theme in Siddhartha: that everything in the world is connected and has inherent value and that life, and experience, should not be avoided in an ascetic manner. As Siddhartha progresses in the narrative, he finds himself closer or farther from enlightenment based on his participation in these to modes of understanding; the illustrations -simple silhouettes that are either letter or image based - represent these states.
A link to some of my illustrations can be found here:
http://erinkendig.blogspot.com/2009/06/illustration-word-image.html
I am looking for typeface in which to set body copy of the book. I am thinking a serifed, old-style font might be best, but I'd like to do something other than the ubiquitous Garamond. I'm not too particularly familiar with the various typefaces that are out there.
I would like the type to be somewhat calm feeling, understated - I feel like setting the type with generous (though not insane amounts) of leading might be appropriate. I don't want it to feel too overly whimsical - but rather, elegant. And traditional, in a way. Nothing too zanny.
The format of the book will be 8 x 8 square.
Any suggestions are much appreciated!
Thank you!
