Weekly Update #2. Sample pages: ToC, Abraxas, Sources
Would you like to see 5 sample pages from the PDF? Then you should click that link. (Edit: A couple of people have had difficulty with the direct link -- if you get an error, try this one.)
Points of note:
- If you mouse over the two underlined words in the Table of Contents pages (Abraxas and Sources), you see that they're both links. In the final PDF, all of the headings will link to the appropriate pages (and there won't need to be underlines) but you can you can see how it's going to work.
- I'm laying out the PDF in InDesign, and I exported this sample in spreads. That means that what will be two pages in the final PDF are smooshed into one for the purposes of this preview. I do that for two reasons: I like to see a whole page spread at once when I'm working to watch margins and placement; and, this way, you can see how the pages would print out on a Letter or A4 sheet of paper when we're all done.
- You can ignore the file information at the bottom of the page, and the printer's marks on the edges. Again, those are mostly for my reference, although the top and bottom marks will show you where a letter-sized sheet of paper would fold in half.
- I'll be doing a full proof pass when I'm all done, so if you find any typos, don't worry about it. I mean, feel free to mention them, but I'll be getting there later.
- Most of the entries in Dictionnaire are really short. A few of them only have two or three sentences. So I'm moving a summary of the translations to the cards, and filling out the information from other sources in facing page's text.
- (For those of you that know how academic citations are supposed to look: I'm just combining the endnotes and bibliography into one section. I think it's going to be easiest to find the references if they're indexed by entry, and I'll do the standard full publication info for the first mention, and abbreviated info for each subsequent mention.)
- Abraxas is the only entry that's sourced in this sample (except for the page #s for the corresponding Dictionnaire pages, got those out of the way early), but I wanted to include that page just to give you an idea of how that's going to look.
This is one of those updates where feedback will be extra awesome. I mean, a) I'm so excited to be showing you this, so please don't make me explode while I'm waiting to hear what you think but, probably a bit more important, b) updates like this one are where I'm going to find out if there's any weird usability issues for any of my backers (PDF looks weird, links are misbehaving, etc) because I don't have every operating system, so I'd rather find out about those sorts of things before I send out the finished file.
(EDITED TO ADD: I've changed the status of this post to public. These will likely be the last pages of the PDF that are posted publicly, as the finished book is a reward for backers. But, since we've 19 days left of funding, I'd like to be able to post the link on the front page, so people who are on the fence about pledging can see a few more details, or forward the link to others who may be interested. I really appreciate everyone who's linked this project so far -- Thank you!)
Happy Friday, everyone!
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Apr 9, 2012 -
May 9, 2012
(30 days)
- First created · 2 backed
- Ariana Osborne 32 friends
- Website: twitter.com
Pledge $3 or more
38 backers
A Good Deed Is Its Own Reward: But a thank you is always nice, too. My thanks for a $3 pledge will be a single, random card from the deck, slipped in an envelope and mailed wherever you like.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $6 or more
5 backers
The Hellish Wallpaper: It's probably even going to be a little bit yellow, because that's the color parchment I'm working with. For this tier, I'm making a 1680x1050 desktop wallpaper of all 69 demon images (not the full cards).
Estimated delivery: Jul 2012Pledge $9 or more
35 backers
Six Fiends for Six Friends (+1 to Keep): A single, random card from the deck for you, plus six more (also random) cards to give to your friends -- or to strangers you'd *like* to be your friends.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $25 or more
16 backers
Digital Demons: A PDF of all 69 card designs, with additional pages of more information on each of the demons, translated (and a bit expanded) from the original French. This is the research bit of the project -- I won't just be shoving de Plancy's short texts through google translate (although, sure, that too, a bit) -- there should be a good page of information for each image, nicely laid out with a table of contents and professional design.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $26 or more
55 backers
Digital Demons Plus Thanks: As with the standard Digital Demons reward, you'll get a PDF of all 69 card designs, with additional pages of more information on each of the demons, translated (and a bit expanded) from the original French. BUT, as a thank you for keeping to the "sixes" theme of this project and pledging $26 instead of the classically "most popular" $25 reward, I'll also mail you a single, random card from the deck.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $42 or more
5 backers
DIY Grimoire: Centuries-old references are all well and good, and this package comes with the Digital Demons PDF. But for those of you that want to add your own notes, you'll get an A5 (5.8"x8.3") spiral-bound notebook with 200 pages of blank or lined paper and the card design of your choice on the cover.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $66 or more
181 backers
Digital Demons and Analogue Deck: Here we go. You'll get the PDF of all 69 demons and supplemental information, AND physical deck of high-quality cards. These are larger (3.5" x 5.75") than a standard deck of playing cards, to fit the images and names, as well as frame elements and designed backs.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $76 or more
32 backers
Electronic, Print, and Potential: A couple of people have asked now, so this is the package deal for the PDF+deck from Digital Demons and Analogue Deck level, AND a matching notebook from the DIY Grimoire tier. (Those of you that are good at math may wonder if this really adds up, but this project is brought to you by the number 6, so.)
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $86 or more
8 backers Limited (58 of 66 left)
The PERSONAL Deck and Digital Demons: This is the same as the Digital Demons and Analogue Deck reward, but YOUR deck will have 70 cards, the last of which will include your own choice of image. Your band logo? Your tattoo? Your cat? Your choice. (Please note that you must own the rights to the image -- I'm not getting sued for putting a corporation's logo on a card, no matter how funny I might think it would be.)
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $96 or more
42 backers Limited (58 of 100 left)
Bless and Keepsakes: The Digital Demons and Analogue Deck package, and a 5.25" square, wooden keepsake box inlaid with a 4" tile on which will be printed the demon of your choice. Because the original engravings are nearly-perfect squares, these boxes will show off the restored images at about double their original size. The cards will NOT fit in the box (cards are rectangles, the boxes are square), but I'm absolutely certain something special will.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $116 or more
22 backers
I Wanted to Make a Paradox/Pair of Decks Pun, But: The Digital Demons and Analogue Deck package for yourself, and a spare deck to give to a friend. Or to use as a backup. Or to shuffle both decks together and play Le Pouilleux (which is really just Old Maid without the obvious jab at Lamia).
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $166 or more
2 backers
Deuce-Ace: These sorts of things do tend to come in threes, don't they, so this is the Digital Demons and THREE Analogue Decks -- one to keep, and two to share.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $166 or more
1 backer
The Full Spread: This is the package with *everything* -- The Digital Demons PDF, the Analogue Deck, the 1680x1050 desktop wallpaper, the 200 page notebook (you can choose lined or unlined paper) with your choice of any of Breton's 69 illustrations on the cover, and the keepsake box, also with your choice of the 69 illustrations on the 4" inlaid tile (you can choose the same illustration for the notebook and box to make a matched set, or two different ones). ☞N.B. as above: The cards will NOT fit in the box (cards are rectangles, the boxes are square), but I'm absolutely certain something special will.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $666 or more
1 backer
The Reward of the Beast: The Full Spread reward (PDF, deck, wallpaper, notebook, keepsake box) for you, and THREE MORE full sets to give to your friends. You'll be able to pick up to 8 different illustrations for this reward (one for each of the 4 notebooks and 4 boxes) so you can have matched sets of books and boxes, or a different image for each one. ☞N.B. as above: The cards will NOT fit in the box (cards are rectangles, the boxes are square), but I'm absolutely certain something special will.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
Comments
Creator Steven Kwan on April 21, 2012
I looked at the sample via the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, and Adobe Reader 10 on both Windows 7 and Mac 10.7.3, and I had no problems with how the wonderfully designed spreads look. The links in the Table of Contents work, too. Can't wait to see the final pages!
(Love that you chose Adobe Caslon Pro, BTW.)
Creator Dana Bubulj on April 20, 2012
As a note on the Image/Text placement, the reason it seems quite natural the way you have them is that that's the traditional way to do Tarot books, from what I've seen.
They look amazing, and I'm so excited to see it progress (I love having the updates!)
Creator Pierre Blanchet on April 20, 2012
Nothing to add, just wanted to throw in my "Wow" ! Good work indeed, Ariana and you're right to leave this post public, clean work like this needs to be seen ! Each one of your posts is a real delight. Well done !
Creator Ariana Osborne on April 20, 2012
Richard and John: I'll do a proper colophon later on, but I'm setting the book and cards (mostly) in Adobe Caslon Pro because it comes with all of those styles and variations -- plain, italic, swash, ligatures, etc. And also because I'm just fond of the typeface and it's it's an old style family that could have been used around the time the original book was published. That's right, folks: there is *no end* to the things I nerd about.
Creator John Hyland on April 20, 2012
I don't have a lot to add, but this looks fantastic! Seconded on the excellent font choices.
As a counterpoint to A M Brodie above, I think the "picture to the left, description to the right" layout felt more natural to me than the reverse would have, but I have no particular reasoning behind that, and haven't read many art books.
Creator Ariana Osborne on April 20, 2012
That's a really good point you've made, AM. Art books DO often have the art on the right, and information on the left (if it's not art on every page) -- because when (especially right-handed people) flipping through a book (in the Western world), we tend to scan the right pages more than the left. So we go: turn page, see image on right, open book wider, look at text on the left. My reasons for putting the text on the right are: one, if people want to print these out, it's going to be easier to flip through and look for NAMES for reference than to try and quickly match an image, and two (and this is the part where you'll have to forgive me) I just wanted to put the pictures of the demons on the... wait for it... *sinister* side.
Creator Richard Kempter on April 20, 2012
I needed your "bit.ly" link too Ariana.
I printed the Abraxas page and it looks amazing, and that's just black and white. The text is easy to read and I love the layout with the name right justified and your 'Annotation', 'Inspiration', and 'Divination' font. The image text is easy to read too and a great color choice. (Win XP with Adobe Reader 8.)
The Table of Contents is nicely laid out. I don't know if you can make the "Sources 151" stand out any different versus the 69 demon names. It's a tough thing to do because of the layout. Just my opinion. Most books look the same though so it's just me.
Well done Ariana! Can't wait for the final products.
Creator A M Brodie on April 20, 2012
This looks amazing! The design work is beautiful and its going to be fantastic having so much extra information about the images and the demons themselves. Also really loving having all of these updates as I find the process fascinating.
One comment on the PDF, and it's probably just my own taste/experience, but I'd pictured the layout as being information on the left hand page with the illustration on the right hand. I don't know if this is just a layout I'm used to from some art books?
Brilliant so far!
Creator Amy Evenson on April 20, 2012
Ariana - this looks awesome! Really love the way it turned out. Nice Job!
Creator Nick on April 20, 2012
Works now. Thanks!
Creator Ariana Osborne on April 20, 2012
Nick, you shouldn't need an account, no. Try this link?: http://bit.ly/IVPNbz
Creator Jennifer Day on April 20, 2012
Looks great! I used a PC and viewed it through Chrome and Adobe Reader. (Also, I don't have an Evernote account, so not sure what would be up - maybe too many people viewing at the same time?)
Creator Nick on April 20, 2012
I just get an Evernote error saying access denied? Do I need an Evernote account?
Creator Ariana Osborne on April 20, 2012
Thanks for mentioning the iPad, Ian. I don't have one of those, but was curious as to how it would look on one.
Creator Ian Wellock on April 20, 2012
Wow. Just, wow. Viewed on iPhone, iPad, and mac os x, in a variety of browsers, this just looks awesome :-)
Incredibly inspiring and exciting, can't wait to get it!
Creator Ariana Osborne on April 20, 2012
Thank you, Alcebiades!
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**N.B. I've changed the status of this post from "Backers Only" to "Public" because it occurred to me that some people might want to be able to see this very small sample before they pledge, and so that everyone can feel free to link the sample if you have friends that you think may be interested in the project.
Creator Alcebiades Diniz on April 20, 2012
Dear Ariana
Open the file in the Chrome browser (Mac OS X 10.7.3) and it worked (links and all) without problems. I thought the general structure (text, image, reference) great (I'm going to change my Backer status to include the cards and the PDF book). Congratulations on the excellent work.
Best regards,