Strategy and Specification

give Blood

Michael John Brown

iStd 2013

078–060

Strategy

grid

typefaces

typeface rationale

chapter Headings

pull Quotes/ donor Bios/ Body copy/ folios

contents/ Blood type/ donor names

Blood centre pages/ donate page

Quote pages/ Book Jacket

colours

photos

amendments

finishing

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contentS

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Strategy

I’ve always had a fear of needles, and have therefore always dismissed the notion of blood donation purely on those grounds. Whilst holding a certain admiration for people willing to take time out of their own lives to give blood, I also couldn’t help but wonder why anyone would voluntarily go through an experience that to me, was very unnerving. Yet in the UK, around 1.6 million donors give blood each year, up to 4 times per year. Wondering why a person might volunteer to donate blood led to an increased curiosity in to the reasoning for participating in the act. I wanted to understand why people donate, I wanted to conquer my own fear of needles and I wanted to move passed my own selfishness and partake in something that has the potential to save lives.

I understood that if I took on this project, my primary research would consist of facing my fear and donating blood. I wanted to get this done as soon as possible, so signed up online and booked an appointment for the following week. I asked some friends if they would accompany me, one who is a regular donor and one who, like me, had never donated before. Unfortunately, they would not allow me to document the process using photography, a rule I had to respect due to patient confidentiality and the fact that other donors might feel uncomfortable around a camera. After donating, I took notes on my experience and included a written account of my donation within the book. When I look back on the process, it wasn’t half as bad as I had expected. Only then did I understand what it meant to be a donor, to feel like you have made a difference and to know you have taken part in a selfless act. If I can give blood and overcome my own fear of needles, there really is no excuse not to attempt giving blood at least once; something I try to convey throughout the course of the book.

This book serves as a celebration to the act of blood donation, a celebration of people’s good will, kindness and ability to consider others. It is a celebration of life and serves as an insight in to the lives of everyday people willing to sacrifice their own time in service to people who are less fortunate. Throughout the book I attempt to portray blood donors as ordinary people through the use of donation stories, alongside photos sourced from the donors themselves. It is an attempt to resonate with the reader, allowing them to relate to the donors through the stories and accounts they have given in hope of inspiring them to do the same. These people do not ask for anything in return, no prize, praise, or reward; simply heroes. You never know when you yourself might require blood, but if I ever do, I for one would like to feel like I have earned it.

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grid

Document size: 138mm x 200mm

1. Top margin: 12.72. Inside margin: 12.73. Outside margin: 12.74. Bottom margin: 17.95. Gutter: 4mm6. Baseline increments: 10pt7. Module height: 21.1mm8. Module width: 12.6mm

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typefaceS

Baskerville:

Semi Bold Italic

Italic

Regular

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Helvetica neue:

Condensed Bold

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Designed in 1757 by John Baskerville. It was chosen throughout the book to compliment the stories and accounts given by donors. It is one of my favourite typefaces due to its crisp edges, making it highly legible. The typeface echoes John Baskerville’s passion for calligraphy, inscription and handwriting, making it a perfect fit to portray the stories from featured donors. Baskerville’s elegance and refined beauty help celebrate the act of giving blood, adding a prestigious feel to the act, whilst maintaining a sense of character and personal touch. According to a recent study carried out by Errol Morris, readers are approximately 1.5% more likely to believe a sentence if it is typeset in Baskerville compared with several other typefaces. This may suggest that a font can subtly influence us to believe that a sentence is true. This adds a certain amount of credibility to the typeface, and by using it I hope to strengthen my argument for encouraging people to donate.

In contrast to Baskerville, I chose the 1983 reworking of Max Miedinger’s Helvetica for its impact, sound structure and legibility when used on a large scale. Helvetica Neue is a typeface that is able to blend in with an assortment of different design styles and aesthetics, allowing it to sit well beside other fonts. I needed a typeface that would grab the attention of the reader, something that really stood out and was impossible to ignore. This aided in the impact of the donor quote pages, allowing them to really push the argument in favour of giving blood. Helvetica Neue also gave the pages a sense of visual variety in comparison to the smaller, more elegant body copy. When used for the names of donors on each page, the neutrality of the typeface aided in the effort to portray them as normal, everyday people, whilst their stories of donating set in Baskerville aided in portraying the act as something special and heroic; an act that anybody can take part in.

Baskerville:

Helvetica neue:

typeface rationaLe

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cHapter HeadingS

Preparation

1.

chapter Headings: Baskerville, Semi Bold Italic, 14pt, C=10 M=100 Y=65 K=24, Aligned left1.

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pULL QUoteS/ donor BioS/ Body copy/ foLioS

donor Bios: Baskerville, Italic, 8pt/10pt leading, C=10 M=100 Y=65 K=24, Aligned left

pull Quotes: Baskerville, Italic, 18pt/21pt leading, C=0 M=0 Y=0 K=100, Aligned centre

Body copy: Baskerville, Regular, 8pt/10pt leading, C=57 M=31 Y=0 K=22, Aligned left

folios: Baskerville, Regular, 6pt, C=57 M=31 Y=0 K=22, Aligned centre

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13 | Blood Donors

It’s a really great feeling knowing that you have just done something that has the potential to save

somebodies life.

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36 | Blood Donors

I am 32 and live in Newquay; I have done for 17 years. I work for the NHS and also for a company that specialises with people who have autism. I have given blood three times and they have all been in 2012. I started on January 19th.

I had always wanted to give blood as it was something which my dad had always done. This was until he was diagnosed with a brain tumour and was no longer allowed to donate. A friend of mine was chatting to me one day saying he was giving blood in a few days time. My friend knew that I had wanted to give blood and asked if I would like to join him. I agreed, but instantly started to think about whether I would faint!

The day came and it fell on the anniversary of my dad’s death of 15 years. I took this as a sign to go for it. I was so nervous but the blood nurses put me at ease, this was until they asked me what I had done that day. I answered that I had visited my dad’s grave and promptly burst into tears. They took the time to chat to me and reassured me of the wonderful gift I could give in just a few minutes. This gift was to save three lives! The overwhelming feeling of doing a good deed exceeded me, along with the pep talk I was giving myself “Please don’t faint, please don’t faint”.

Before I knew it, I had completed the donation and was sent to the tea table. The tea table is just fabulous! It gives the nurses the chance to keep a beady eye on the donors to ensure no further bleeding or fainting. The table is run by volunteers and gives you a chance to chat to fellow blood buddies. On my first visit to the tea table I had the pleasure

of meeting a lady who was on her 50th donation. I was in ore of this little gentle lady who was a true life saver and since then I have made it my mission to give as much blood as she has.

Before my second donation, I was unfortunately refused for donation due to having chickenpox of all things. I was left with a feeling of enormous disappointment. I have since given blood twice and have now started to time how long my donations take. My record is just under five minutes, which is pretty fast for a female.

After giving blood you have a fantastic excuse to rest, take it easy and not do anything too strenuous for the rest of the day. You have a humbling feeling inside and feel proud to be among such wonderful people who have taken time out of their busy lives to save others. I in no way feel I have yet earned the right to say I’m a fully fledged blood donor, but I will be that lady in years to come sitting at the tea table after giving my 50th donation.

I have recently become a volunteer tea lady to give something back to the people who, in my eyes, are just incredible. I feel that everyone should try and give blood at least once as it’s not scary, it doesn’t hurt and you get to feel a huge sense of pride afterwards. I often speak to people about giving blood and recommend it as more and more people are saddened with news they have cancer or know someone who has. Cancer patients are more likely to require a blood donation; my dad being among them. I have recently discovered at my last donation that a pint of blood can save up to four lives.

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contentS/ BLood type/ donor naMeS

Blood type: Helvetica Neue, Condensed Bold, 182.2pt, C=10 M=100 Y=65 K=24, Aligned left

Minus: Helvetica Neue, Condensed Bold, 182.2pt, C=10 M=100 Y=65 K=24, Aligned left, 12pt baseline shift

plus: Helvetica Neue, Condensed Bold, 182.2pt, C=10 M=100 Y=65 K=24, Aligned left, 19pt baseline shift

contents: Helvetica Neue, Condensed Bold, 42pt, C=10 M=100 Y=65 K=24, Aligned left

donor names: Helvetica Neue, Condensed Bold, 14pt, C=10 M=100 Y=65 K=24, Aligned left

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Preparation

Blood Donors

Blood Centres

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CONTENTS

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37 | Blood Donors

A+EmmA-LouisE GALLAGhEr

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26 | Blood Donors

A-I live in Perranporth, with my husband John, whilst working as a teaching assistant at the local school. I love spending time with the family, as well as dog walks and skiing trips during school holidays.

I started in 1994 because when I was pregnant with my daughter Louise, I had thrombosis and needed to take Warfarin to dilute my blood. Because of this, I needed to be on stand-by for blood transfusions whilst giving birth. My husband John had given blood a lot, so after that experience I thought I should do it too. I thought that there must be loads of woman who go through the same thing as I did, and I knew I could help them. I must be on about 35 donations by now. When donating with my husband, we normally have a race to see if we can beat each other. I used to be faster when my blood pressure was higher.

I always remember that Tony Hancock sketch when he goes in to have his blood taken. They prick his finger and he gets up saying “Well, that’s it then”. It’s quite funny really. Last time I went, they did the finger prick but my blood just didn’t sink. They then had to take blood from both of my arms to fill a pouch.

LindA KeLLy

* Blood Types, Contents and Donor Names sized to fit between baseline grid increments

* Baseline shift adjusted to centre plus and minus

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BLood centre pageS/ donate page

Blue address: Baskerville, Italic, 8pt/10pt leading, C=57 M=31 Y=0 K=22, Aligned left

red address: Baskerville, Italic, 8pt/10pt leading, C=10 M=100 Y=65 K=24, Aligned left

Letters: Helvetica Neue, Condensed Bold, 140pt, C=10 M=100 Y=65 K=24, Aligned left

red Body copy: Baskerville, Regular, 8pt/10pt leading, C=10 M=100 Y=65 K=24, Aligned left

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57 | Blood Centres

Westbury-on-Trym Baptist Church, Reedley Road, BS9 3TD

Southville Centre, Beauley Road, Southville, BS3 1QG

St. George Community Centre, Church Road, BS5 8AA

57 | Blood Centres

Westbury-on-Trym Baptist Church, Reedley Road, BS9 3TD

Southville Centre, Beauley Road, Southville, BS3 1QG

St. George Community Centre, Church Road, BS5 8AA

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06 | Preparation

D

A

ODistraction helps reduce nervousness, so bring an MP3 player, book or a friend along with you to the donation session.

On both the day of donation and the evening before, ensure you drink plenty of fluids. However, it is essential to avoid alcohol as this will considerably affect hydration and delay recovery.

A good nights sleep the evening before is beneficial to well being and recovery.

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Layout and colour of letters on this page was used to mimic the flow of red blood cells within the body and to add more visual variety to the book.

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QUote pageS

BooK JacKet

Quote: Helvetica Neue, Condensed Bold, 22pt/28pt leading, C=0 M=0 Y=0 K=0, Aligned centre

rule: 2pt, Thin – Thin, 12.65mm, C=0 M=0 Y=0 K=0

Source: Baskerville, Regular, 10pt, C=0 M=0 Y=0 K=0, Aligned centre

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The jacket for the book features a plus symbol on the front cut out by hand using a scapel. This symbol was chosen to relate to the content based on blood types and to reflect the possitive intentions of the book. This symbol can also be related to healthcare, hospitals and medical facilities, allowing the audience to make certain connections as to what the book might contain. The ends of the jacket boast the title “GIVE BLOOD” which folds around the cover to sit within the front and back of the book. The title has been screenprinted using white ink to mimic the white typography found on first aid kits and uses Helvetica Neue, Condensed Bold, 112pt.

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We make a living by What We get, but We make a life by What We give.

Winston Churchill 3.

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12.5mm

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coLoUrS

red: C=10 M=100 Y=65 K=24

The original plan was to base this on the pantone colour “Oxblood” to mimic a realistic shade of blood. I later moved away from this colour as I felt it was too dark, adding a negative feel to an otherwise positive book. I later changed it to a more vibrant red to compliment the positive message I was trying to communicate, a colour that also suited the theme of celebration.

Blue: C=57 M=31 Y=0 K=22

I needed another colour to use within the book that could also be associated with blood. I chose to use blue due to the connection people make between the colour and veins within the human body. The shade of blue was chosen in an attempt to compliment the red.

Black: C=0 M=0 Y=0 K=100

The black was chosen to highlight the pull quotes on certain pages. This created a high contrast between the other colours within the page, making it stand out, forcing the readers eye to acknowledge it. Even if the reader doesn’t take the time to read through the donor’s story, they can still get a good idea of who that person is and what they have said.

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pHotoS

Images sourced through featured donors or otherwise photographed by myself. Images treated in Photoshop CS4.

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red: 300dpi, Monotone, C=10 M=100 Y=65 K=24

Blue: 300dpi, Monotone, C=57 M=31 Y=0 K=22

25 | Blood Donors

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aMendMentS

Quote pages:

Upon receiving the book from the printers, I would have liked to have used a darker shade of blue for the full quote pages. The red worked really well and created a very striking page where the quotes really stood out, whereas I felt the blue was a bit weak in comparison.

inside Margin:

If sent to print again, I would add more space to the inside margin to take in to account content on a few pages that got lost down the spine of the book when perfect bound.

page 22: More careful consideration could have been used when placing the pull quote here as the the “NHS” from the image behind interrupts the flow of the text.

page 40: Prior to printing, I adjusted the tracking on this paragraph and failed to notice what it had done to the left hand side of the text, resulting in three of the same letters in a row.

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22 | Blood Donors

I’ve donated 65 pints over the years and have collected prizes for doing so. It’s not

the prizes that make it worth it though, it’s the act of giving that is the reward.

40 | Blood Donors

O+I have just graduated from the University of Plymouth with a degree in Animal Science. I am extremely passionate about the natural world and conservation, amongst other interests such as animal welfare and punk rock music.

I first gave blood when I was 19 years old, I believe it was the 28th of December. I think I initially did it to impress my girlfriend at the time, but since then I’ve realised what an incredible act giving blood is. Donating literally saves lives.

I definitely feel like it makes a contribution to society, providing others in trouble with a chance. I’d encourage others to put aside their fears about giving blood, even if it’s occasionally, as it really does make a difference to someone else’s life. MOrgan Vaughan

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finiSHing

Book printing:Ripe Digital Ltd.

Bind: Perfect bound

Jacket:135gsm Tropical VermillionPlus sign cut by hand with scalpel“GIVE BLOOD” screenprinted at Bristol UWE

Stock: Cover – 250gsm Evolution 100% with laminate *Body Stock – 120gsm Evolution 100%Chapter Inserts – 135gsm Tropical Vermillion

* Laminate used on cover to compliment the celebration of blood donation, adding a sense of worth to the book