Recipes for Design: Feeding Creativity

The Final Assignment:
The Cookbook Project:
Working Title:
Recipes for Design: Feeding Creativity

Everyone seems to have a cookbook. It is a basic universal experience.
So, before you start rolling your eyes at this crazy idea think about this group project that would include the merger of both the current Junior and Senior Design classes as well as alumni who will participate towards a published work to benefit the GSU Graphic Design Department. One big beautiful visual and gastronomical book featuring your favorite recipe art directed as you see fit. 
All these recipes would be fully imagined and created by your own use of typography, illustrations, photography, collage or whatever style you wish. The sky is the limit...all in good taste of course (no pun intended.)

Like a great design, food takes preparation and formula and imagination. Each cook or cook puts their own twist on perhaps an old-fashion recipe handed down to them from generation to generation. Designers do the same in their world of visual communication. This is a project when the two worlds come together in creating an interesting double-page spread of your favorite dish or meal.

How many times have you been to a dinner prepared by an artist or a designer and thought of their process? That process of cooking is much like process of visual communication. Ironically, cooking and food is visual communication until you take the first taste. How something looks can actually add or detract from a meal.

Preparation, ingredients, cooking specifics, portions,serving and setting the right ambiance. All this adds up to a designing a perfect meal for friends or family.

I have already contacted a local printer who has agreed to print for free. I have a paper company who will contribute the paper. Now all we need is your own imaginative design and imagery.This is the third year I've assigned this project to juniors and seniors. Your class would bring the grand total of 60 pages to the project. We need 80 and the seniors will 
create work in the spring during their portfolio class. That will allow us to finally publish the book hopefully.

All proceeds (if published and sold) could go to The Graphic Design Club at GSU to benefit speakers, trips, workshops, lectures, and conventions.

CONSIDER THESE FACTS:

-One of the very first jobs Andy Warhol had as a graphic designer (1961) was to illustrate the Amy Vanderbilt's Complete Cookbook. In all those beautiful Illustrations of food and the recipes Warhol mixed type and image into some of his most successful and creative work as the pop icon he was to later become. This work today on the open market and at auction are some of his most cherished work.



above:
"In 1959, artist Andy Warhol, together with his friend Suzi Frankfurt, produced this funny, fanciful limited edition cookbook for New York's beau monde."



Above: "I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence' is The NYT Best Selling Cookbook and Entertaining book by Amy Sedaris and it has been a cult favorite for years.

“Julie and Julia” is based on the amazing creative work by Julia Childs and a real-life blogger, Julie Powell and is the number one film the nation currently. The story of Julie Powell's attempt to revitalize her marriage, restore her ambition, and save her soul by cooking all 524 recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I, in a period of 365 days. The result is a masterful medley of Bridget Jones' Diary meets Like Water for Chocolate, mixed with a healthy dose of original wit, warmth, and inspiration that sets this memoir apart from most tales of personal redemption.

INSIGHT:
Now is your chance to not only contribute to your own Design Club but to also create a one-of-a-kind portfolio piece which could be part of a larger design project. A larger community project that actually stimulates the appetite for design and cuisine.

Think of the type of meal or dish you wish to create. Asian? American? Japanese? Mexican? Italian? What are the spices used in the preparation? What does it look like when it being prepared? What does it look like once served? What kind of meal is it and what would you suggest to accompany the recipe? Leave no stone unturned in this
creation. Is it an appetizer? Is it a dessert? Is it the main course?
Vegetarian? Meat-Lover? Fish? Low Carb? Sushi? Exotic?

How should it look when it is finished?
What are the calories or does it matter?

Background Info on this project:
This idea of publishing a book for graphic designers for graphic designers has actually been in development for a few years and one that I recently pitched to several fine art Book publishers. There are NO books about cuisine or cooking by artists. This niche is one that would definitely have an audience and one that most creative people would want to contribute to. My original idea comes as a way of contributing money via a Designer’s Cookbook for the non-profit
Miracle House organization.

Specifications for project:
Each designer is given a double-page format to design within.
The size is 10" x 15" (horizontal/landscape format.)
It may be color or black and white.
You should consider the center fold/gutter and edges

It is up to each of you to design a working and "tested" dish or meal that could be followed by others thus yielding a successful result. You should look at other recipes to see the directions for such if you are not familiar.

The visual is totally up to you. Only type, Type and Image and anything that might work within a 2D format.

Think of the possibilities. Make this unique.
Due Tuesday, December 4th.

Beautiful IKEA Cookbook
http://demo.fb.se/e/ikea/homemade_is_best/