Book—4 Shapes: A Circle, a Square, and a Triangle Walk Into a Bar
This book is born out of explorations with the 4 most basic shapes in the world of design using Blurb's BookWright tool. These are inspired in the powerful design movements and styles of the 20th Century. Aside from having fun, the purpose behind this body of work is to showcase the versatility of these forms. These 4 shapes, when combined, are truly greater than the sum of their parts.
As a designer, I’m madly in love with shapes. My first introduction to shapes as a grander-than-life concept was probably as a 7-year-old, while watching Disney’s 1979’s film Donald Duck in Mathmagic Land. I just couldn’t believe that everything, even sound was made out of shapes. I was specifically surprised how basic geometric combinations were capable of forming structures infinitely big and infinitely small. Now, as an adult, I’m still amazed at the wonders of geometry, and how it magically makes designs better. Thank you, grid!
Recently, Blurb released a huge update to BookWright (our downloadable book-making app) for folks who love shapes and want to give their books an extra flair. We can now create circles, squares, triangles, and lines within the book-making tool! To showcase just how powerful the update is: I decided to put it to the test by creating a book exclusively made out of shapes. Giving a strong nod to Modernism’s giants: László Moholy-Nagy, Josef Albers, and Piet Mondrian (among others that might have been picked up by my subconscious), I started to play. And as they say on the Internet, the results surprised me.
Sample book spreads. The compositions vary from geometric experiments, to single-panel comic strips that anthropomorphize geometric shapes.
Before creating the book, though, which I cleverly named 4 Shapes: A Circle, a Square, and a Triangle Walk Into a Bar, it was time to think about the basics again. I interviewed other designers at Blurb to get a sense of what their favorite shapes were and why. Conveniently enough, no shape was left behind as each of the 4 designers interviewed quickly adopted their favorite and defended its value:
“Squares and triangles feel more rigid and restricting. A circle can roll or float away, become bigger or smaller. The circle is the most organic shape.”
“I like organization and grids, squares fit naturally into both. They have crisp corners, work at a variety of sizes and can be used to measure things.”
“I like the multi-symbolism behind the triangle and it’s a great graphic element. Geometrically, it’s very interesting. Also, there’s the connection with pyramids and aliens.”
“I hate shapes because they are confined, just like our existence. I like the line because it goes on forever.”
Sure, technically speaking all shapes are tiny dots united in a two-dimensional plane to create the visible world, but all of these explanations resonated with me, and I took them with me as the 4 Shapes book developed.
Notable highlights of the experience in making this book:
Shapes appear cleaner as "fills" with no "strokes."
No need to fill in every space when you are playing (absence is equally important as content)
Changing a shape's corner radius can create unexpected derivative shapes, even creatures or Lebanese windows!
Letters are shapes too!
Shapes hiding behind other shapes can create scenes (like a rectangle with a circle behind easily turns into a sunset)
To create diamonds, simply turn your squares to a 45° angle.
Engaging with shapes is a great way to express the complex and "abstract" world within you, even when you think you "can't draw."
The use of Proline Uncoated 100# paper was the perfect finishing touch. The paper’s texture and weight helps the primary colors pop, while the toothiness provides a sense of sculptural dimensionality.
