Sketches / possible layouts

I've been sketching layouts of what my study of classic books will look like for our publication. I am interested in playing with the catalog format -- continuing to utilize the method of cataloging and recataloging information in order to generate new contrasts -- and displaying those results in a shopping or auction catalog format. I'm currently thinking of something with a bit of humor, like "Shop the History of Print!" This will provide the layout for exploring contrasts between the 100 Best Books of All Time, versus Amazon's Top 100 Free e-Book Downloads (updated every hour), and the Gutenberg Project's Top 100 Books downloaded over the past 30 days. I'm also considering working in tweet-length descriptions of books (perhaps displaying the oldest books on the best-of-all-time spectrum, described in 140 characters or less).

I've expanded my lists of "Bests" and am continuing to do so, while planning possible layouts and juxtapositions of my catalog pages -- contrasting full-length lists; top books by men and by women; the #1 best book on each of the lists I'm reviewing; best books by country around the world, and more. I am interested to see what kind of information these studies will return on what people are reading, how people read, what can be learned by changing reading habits over time as well as topical interests, and what forms will have longevity over time.

Classic books - a timeline

This is the first step in a series of cataloging exercises focused on the top 100 books of all time, as highlighted by the Guardian (UK) in 2002. The list consists of the 100 best works of fiction, as determined from a vote by 100 noted writers from 54 countries as released by the Norwegian Book Clubs. Don Quixote was named the top book in history but otherwise no ranking was provided. This timeline clearly shows a weight of "best books" toward more contemporary times, though the spread ranges from 1800 BC to 1995 (in this list).

A Catalog/Re-Catalog of the Vitra Design Museum Collection

In my search for an appropriate control group to catalog, I came across the Vitra Design Museum's Miniatures Collection. The Miniatures Collection represents 91 (out of nearly 600o pieces) of the museum's "most important classics of modern furniture history" in carefully crafted scale models of the original pieces that reside in the museum. You can read about the origins and holdings of the museum here or get more info on the Miniatures Collection here. One must wonder what led them to choose these pieces, and if other museums and authorities would concur. Which leads us back to the question of "what defines a classic?"....

The first grouping that I made was based on color...


Then I examined the shapes....


Then materials....



Then I started thinking about the idea of curatorial bias. I noticed that designers are repeatedly featured in this group of 91, so I separated out every designer that was featured more than once.


Then I started thinking in historical context. What was happening in the world when these chairs were being designed? This shows all the ones created during wars.

The possibilities for re-cataloging based on new variables are potentially endless. This is simply a small sampling of options, with a wide range of possible conclusions to be drawn.

Taiwanese ID-Hybrid Game

Pineapple cake and night market steak's offspring?!!!!! What would it be ?

catalog-catalog sheet

I'm working on a spreadsheet cataloging information both about changing forms of visual communications, and about specific types of catalogs.

The Illustrated History of Catalogs!

Nifty! Athough I was a bit disappointed to find that it wasn't quite as illustrated as I had hoped.

Taiwan Identity Update

Taiwan Identity Update- April 5th

Sketches-