This booklet was put together during my sophomore year at Cornish College of the Arts. Using copy produced by Reverb magazine, I designed and produced this brief timeline of the electric violin.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/369c37a4-1dbf-4bdd-a2f9-a85a05a19b50_rw_1920.png?h=0c2259d3504531b9f746ab296ffd4b6f)
Research
After analyzing Reverb's content, I dove deeper into important moments in the electric violin's history. I wanted to create a story rather than a timeline, so I found images and anecdotal content to support the text in a narrative fashion.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/0ba5c374-3cb1-4af6-b82e-615908c5e6be_rw_1920.png?h=363b5950d81bc98e550a066af9d203ba)
The first electric violins date back to the 1940's, but were popularized during the 50's and onward. I chose a retro illustration style in emphasis of their origin.
Process
I began by designing simple elements to add dimension to the text. I started experimenting with textures and forms that would emulate 50's illustration trends and screen printing techniques. After determining my texture swatches I began developing a shape language to ground my graphics.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/8fa73218-0e6e-4c4e-802d-d8a41e2b38af_rw_1920.png?h=ef4c7428651ca6e8841eb2fe4adaed07)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/55ce3a1c-cc6f-44ab-b845-1a20ec731884_rw_1920.png?h=acb7e956aa2c8ffdded8b20867872232)
The final version features modular shapes which emulate the shape of the chinrest on the violin—an element that ties every generation of the instrument together.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/579c14c1-0a11-4c46-adfd-952f1c13da51_rw_1920.png?h=6292aed458a9ce8322bb566d57d32426)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/a53d8bcc-210d-4382-abe0-1e0f71bdcb49_rw_1920.png?h=1d5da7520994615571897693e83a8d43)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/77e95218-5b35-4058-819d-2d0a4752dcdc_rw_1920.png?h=76188eaa0c61ccbe689e60e8dcb8890c)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/2a42b636-d9af-4d36-b05f-40c3d4fb29a4_rw_1920.png?h=959d296c4df066e009af83777a239123)
Next, I started sketching out the cover elements. I knew I wanted a character to hold a violin running across the page, so I started experimenting with different styles.
The last step in my process was to create the cover. I went through several rounds of selection between varying color schemes. These were the top two.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/f89fdbd0-dcc1-440c-92e3-4354c4e54afb_rw_1920.png?h=63cf7ba0388bb72b5d813d5a4d30a3ea)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/dc7e1266-94dd-4a1a-aeff-4e93a34c443b_rw_1920.png?h=5253ed1628253138759b245552abd958)
Production
After a series of tests, I came to like the contrast of yellow provided in print. The final book came to 24 pages and was printed on fine tooth paper, bound by saddle stitch.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/1c0b257f-8eaa-4d56-b491-521b15d327a2_rw_1920.png?h=1d28d234dbfb34c50bae29d60e75a5c7)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/2b3b77d6-7df3-4b82-a42e-5755969012ac_rw_1920.png?h=fe9479d6d9b3ac49b7fc49f534d0ce25)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/cabd86d5-93fc-4d1a-8f6d-0b9aa1bc31d1_rw_1920.png?h=363e2e9dc31b6319fcfd08fe22b7f462)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/bc52a60d-4e30-4c8c-ae15-3995b4567008_rw_1920.png?h=1f8b0234a6d9915a0b9c93398f4543dd)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/686170a9-904e-42b8-bb90-688edffa2f98_rw_1920.png?h=b533ceec61ec3eb495565b2649c8b97c)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/303e192a-3cb3-4996-8dcc-bf7e61ac4b49_rw_1920.png?h=86292402bf13111f737a29899083f822)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/8084aeb2-dd82-48c9-bad9-1c6c6d380dfe_rw_1920.png?h=3891db22bcf33c8d0e4f82b39f92bce3)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/f3de1540-2035-4098-a056-8aa865f2fec3_rw_1920.png?h=0fa58c5a1e77054e928b84487f7b2369)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/60c24793-43d0-464d-bed3-977243f198a8_rw_600.png?h=8a765156acfd9526f27368ebeab20740)