Publication Design, Layout, Typography
Adobe InDesign | 8.5”x11” | Print
Collaborative project with classmates Ben Sanders and Kennedy Coe
Swedish Feasts & Treats Cookbook
For this assignment, I compiled a sixty-page cookbook with a team of design students to showcase a variety of different recipes through unique visual compositions. I have always been interested in Scandinavian design and folk art because of my family’s Swedish roots, though my only significant link to my heritage comes from recipes passed through generations. I took this project as an opportunity to explore my cultural identity through an aspect that I was already familiar with- delicious food!
My team organized a collection of Swedish recipes accompanied by colorful and engaging modern Scandinavian-style designs to create a contemporary atmosphere that complements the more traditional and homely recipes included in the book. This visual narrative was established through a dynamic color palette, illustrations reminiscent of folk art, decorative geometric type systems, and brought together through a grid system to maintain consistency and visual hierarchy.
Imagery
The illustrative elements of the cookbook were designed alongside my teammate Kennedy, and are inspired by traditional Swedish folk art and motifs with a simplified silhouette to reflect modern Scandinavian design trends.
Notably, the dala horse image is used as a visual motif in the cookbook. The dala horse is one of Sweden’s most recognizable icons, and appears on the cover and throughout the book. Originating in the Dalarna region, dala horses are an internationally recognizable symbol of Swedish art and culture, and a source of national pride for the Swedish people.
Flowers appear as an illustrative element to represent the importance of nature in Swedish culture and art. As it is a heavily forested country, ingredients like berries and herbs, often found deep in woodlands, are prominent in Swedish cooking and baking.
The color palette is inspired by the Swedish flag (blue and yellow) and natural fauna (green and red).
