TOUCH
TOUCH
An experimental book exploring themes of connection and tangibility in human relationships.
TYPE
Book Design
TIMEFRAME
1 month
ROLES
Visual Design, Photography, Copywriting, Bookbinding
TOOLS USED
InDesign, Photoshop, Wax Thread
Purpose
Written during a time of isolation, Touch recalls the physical nature of human relationships and its connection to our daily lives. Touch takes readers on a journey of tactility—moving from the untouched to the touched, and back again—continuously and infinitely.
Readers are invited to explore the malleability of this book at their fingertips. Make it twist, turn, stretch, and curve. Let an exploration of Touch bring a sense of tangibility and presence in reality.
Structure
Touch is a 40-signature handmade coptic-bound book that symbolizes the dynamic, changing, and malleable nature of human relationships. With a page size of 3.5 inches by 3.5 inches, this book fits within the palm of the hands. The reader has the power to change the shape and form of the book, just like they have the power to mold their own relationships.
Interior Spreads
The pages of Touch are filled with original photography which includes textures of daily life—a broken orange peel, a silky cloth, a fuzzy sweater and more. Through simple typography of descriptive language, the reader is presented with different sensations and an abstract representation of the push and pull in human relationships. The book can be read forwards or backwards, as it moves between the relationship with the self and with another.
Takeaways
I really enjoyed photographing for this project, which I don’t normally do (shoutout to my mom & dad for being patient hand models). The long process of binding this book was cathartic to produce from start to finish—and it was rewarding to see it come together. This piece is very personal and feels like a snapshot of my own feelings, surroundings, and circumstances during this time. I love seeing others interact with the malleability of the book, and I hope it can be meaningful to others as well.
If I had more time and resources, I’d like to explore different paper materials and perhaps add about 30 more signatures to give the book more length and flexibility. Overall, this project was really fun to create and I enjoyed the process of it.
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