by Stacey Wiseman | Apr 8, 2016 | FREE!, Inspiration, Photo Book Design Layout
It’s been over a week since the announcement of Zaha Hadid’s unexpected death and I wanted to take some time to share how Zaha’s work has inspired me, both as an architect and a designer. In 1997, I visited her first built work, Vitra Fire Station soon after it was built. Then in 2003, while I was living in New York, I made a special trip down to Cincinnati, my hometown (big) city, for the opening of the Cincinnati Art Museum.
As the first female architect to ever win the famed architectural award, Pritzker Architecture Prize as well as the RIBA Gold Medal earlier this year. Since it took 25 years since the inception of Pritzker Prize before a female was awarded, it shows how difficult it is to receive recognition as a female architect. I was always drawn to her visionary, painterly approach. And while there was criticism surrounding her work, she made a significant impact on architecture – in her built and unbuilt work – by creating striking new forms and pushing the boundaries of how we conceive of architecture.
Each art progresses at its own speed, and Hadid accelerated her development by taking architecture to what appeared to be unbuildable extremes in drawing and painting.
Joseph Giovanni on Zaha Hadid’s work in “In the Nature of Deign Materials: The Instruments of Zaha Hadid’s Vision”
Just two weeks ago, I shared one of my favorite books for design inspiration in my recent Intro to Photo Book Design Workshop: Zaha Hadid. This book features Zaha’s work in a compelling way. To mark Zaha Hadid’s legendary impact on creative thought, architecture and design, I wanted to share my insights on this book. While it doesn’t get into her work, the book design is a compelling nod to her work: simple, stark contrast and visionary.
As I mentioned in the introduction to this workshop, I’m educated and registered as an architect. So, I have lots of architecture books lying around the house. As you can imagine, they are heavy on the photographs (and drawings), so their layouts can be easily applied to photo books as well.
I received the Zaha Hadid book as a Christmas gift one year. It is a compilation of the work (built, drawings, models, etc.) of Zaha Hadid, a female architect based in London. This is a beautiful book and one I want to feature to you because a) it is a square format and b) it features a black background. I’m trying to cover all the bases with my photo book inspirations!
A simple cover conveys the form and heavy reliance on the black color throughout the book. The cover is very indicative of the look and feel of the entire book. The content of the book is organized into 3 basic parts: a text description of the firm and the project (printed on white paper), projects (black paper) and credits (back to white paper).
A unique feature of this book is that each page is actually a folded-over page, so there are no images on the backside of the paper. Obviously this is a custom feature, but one I wanted to point out!
I love how the captions are handled in this book. It may not be appropriate for your family book but it is a sophisticated way to give more information about the photos. Each photograph is numbered 01, 02, etc., above, and at the bottom of the page is a more detailed explanation of the photo.
The specs:
- Square Size (9.5″w x 9.5″h)
- Soft cover
- 197 pages
The layouts below are inspired by a few of the layouts from this book. Even though this book is 9.5″ x 9.5″, I adjusted the layouts to fit a 12″x12″ square size book.
Want to get jpegs to help you re-create these layouts for your own photo book? I’ve got a great free download for you!
by Stacey Wiseman | Nov 26, 2015 | FREE!, Motivation, Promotions
Holiday Shipping Deadlines
I hope you’re planning on making a photo book this year – either for yourself or to give as a gift. If you are, you know how important it is to select your photos and design your pages before the Holiday shipping deadlines. Otherwise, your book won’t arrive in time to share with (or give to) family and friends this Holiday season.
So….I’ve created this handy guide for making photo books with Blurb, Shutterfly or Artifact Uprising. You’ll notice it includes different shipping options (from standard to express) and country options in case you live outside the US but want to use one of these three companies.
Want to download the PDF? Click Here for your 2015 Holiday Shipping Deadline Calendar
Holiday Discounts
Now that you know when you need to have your books ready for order, how about some discount codes!
(And I’ll keep updating this post weekly with any new coupon codes.)
**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.**
Blurb
Blurb wants to add a little sweetness to your Thanksgiving! Starting today, you’ll be able to enjoy 40% off any printed Blurb book that you make when you use the code CREATIVE at checkout! This limited-time sale provides a great opportunity for you to do something special with your pre- and post-holiday photos. Gather them together in a beautiful Blurb book and save 40% off on your order!
Offer: 40% off at Blurb with code CREATIVE40 through 12/1
Valid:11/25-12/1
Code: CREATIVE40
Terms & Conditions: *Offer valid through December 1, 2015 (11:59 p.m. local time). Valid for printed books made by you. A 40% discount is applied to your product total with a minimum order of USD $25, GBP £25, EUR €25, CAD $35, or AUD $35, and no maximum discount. This offer is good for five uses, and cannot be combined with volume discounts, other promotional codes, gift cards, or used for adjustments on previous orders.
Shutterfly
Shutterfly has great options to personalize your photo book this year. And they are offering some great coupon codes.
*Offer expires November 26, 2015 (11:59 P.M. PT). Offer is good for 30% off qualifying merchandise orders of $1-$48.99; 40% off $49-$148.99 and 50% off $149 or more (after any other discounts and before taxes, shipping and handling) through shutterfly.com, our mobile-friendly site or Shutterfly apps. Taxes, shipping and handling will apply. Not valid on TripPix, personalized postage stamps, prepaid plans, gift certificates, Videograms, cards sent using mailing services, prior purchases and orders placed for in-store pick up. Cannot be redeemed for cash or combined with other offers or credits. Not valid for resale.
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*Offer expires November 29, 2015 (11:59 P.M. PT). Offer is good for one free expedited shipping upgrade (when you pay for the price of economy shipping) on qualifying merchandise orders of $39 or more (after any other discounts and before taxes, shipping and handling) shipped within the U.S. only through shutterfly.com or our mobile-friendly site. Must select expedited shipping at checkout. Taxes will apply. Orders with multiple recipients will receive one discount applied to the shipment with the highest shipping cost. Not valid on personalized postage stamps, cards sent using mailing services, orders shipped to non-U.S. destinations, gift certificates, prior purchases and purchases made on the Shutterfly apps. Cannot be redeemed for cash or combined with other offers or credits. Not valid for resale.
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*Offer expires November 29, 2015 (11:59 P.M. PT). Offer is good for free shipping on select qualifying merchandise orders of $70 or more (after any other discounts and before taxes, shipping and handling) to Canadian destinations (using code: SHIPCAN70) through shutterfly.com or the Shutterfly Photo Story app for iPad. SHIPMENTS TO CANADA ARE SUBJECT TO TAXES, DUTIES, OR OTHER CUSTOMS FEES, PAYABLE BY YOU UPON DELIVERY. Free shipping to Canada is not valid on metal prints, framed and non-framed canvas prints, wood wall arts, mounted wall arts, acrylic prints, dimensional wall arts, photoshow dvds. Taxes will apply. Orders with multiple recipients will receive one discount applied to the shipment with the highest shipping cost. Not valid on cards sent using mailing services, gift certificates, prior purchases, purchases made on the Shutterfly iPhone, iPad and Android apps or Shutterfly Pro Galleries. Cannot be redeemed for cash or combined with other offers or credits. Not valid for resale.
Artifact Uprising
Want to make a photo book of your favorite photos from the year? This is my favorite gift for my mother and mother-in-law. It’s something that I know they don’t already own and will be something they’ll treasure all year long. Every year, I assemble my favorite photos and make an Artifact Uprising photo book. It’s elegant, simple and beautiful.
To see how I make my In 100 Pages photo book with Artifact Uprising + get 10% off your photo book, click here.
If your book is ready, Artifact Uprising has a 20% discount if you spend over $175, 15% off over $125 and 10% off for orders over $100. Use coupon code: GIVEHAPPY that expires on 11/30/15. To find out all of the details (and fine print) here.
Happy Thanksgiving!
by Stacey Wiseman | Mar 17, 2015 | Contest, FREE!
The 2015 NCAA March Madness Brackets have been posted. The play-in round games are tonight (I’m actually watching them as I type!) And I’m definitely in the spirit for basketball!!!
And for a contest!
No, it’s not a bracket challenge. No basketball knowledge is required. This is all about picking those lucky cinderella teams with a double digit seed (seeded 10-16) that make it to the Sweet Sixteen. You know, the teams that are impossible to predict but oh-so-fun when you guess the right one!
Here are the details.
To enter this completely free challenge, you have to be on my email list.
All you have to do is reply to my Contest Announcement email (sent on March 14th) with your 3 answers by 12:15pm EST on Thursday, March 19, 2015.
Missed this email? Just send me a quick email [info@bookthisproject.com] and I’ll get you squared away!
In your email reply, you need to let me know:
1. What 4 teams do you think will make it to the Final Four?
(You’ll get 1 point for each team that makes it to the Final Four, up to a total of 4 points)
2. Who are your Cinderella teams? List two double digit seeded team you think will play a Sweet 16 game.
(You’ll get 2 points for each Cinderella team (a double digit seeded team) you selected who makes it to the Sweet 16.)
3. What is the point score of the winning team on Championship night?
(This is the tie-breaker question.)
The person with the most points (maximum 8 points) wins.
(If there is a tie, I’ll use the tie break score (#3) to select the winner. The closest winning score without going over, wins my challenge. )
The prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card.
I’ll announce the winner in my April 11, 2015 email.
For the replay:
- Sign up for my free email.
- Check your inbox for my Contest Announcement email.
- Reply to the email with your Final Four picks, your two Cinderella picks and point score of the winning team.
- Reply by March 19, 2015 by 12:15pm to enter.
- Watch the games and check my emails throughout the tournament.
- Winner will be announced on April 11, 2015.
Good Luck!!!
Here’s the fine print.
- This contest is not affiliated with any other company or organization (facebook included).
- All three questions must be filled out in order to enter the contest.
- The contest is open to any person on the Book This Project newsletter list. You must be subscribed to my email newsletter list to enter and win. The person who wins the contest will receive the award via the email address that is associated with the Book This Project newsletter.
- Any objection to this contest must be submitted in writing my April 5, 2015.
- Only one entry per person.
- Book This Project is not responsible for any technical issues that occur while trying to enter. Entrance simply involves replying to my contest announcement email…so hopefully there are no technical issues with that. 😉
- Book This Project reserves the right in their sole and unequivocal discretion to cancel, terminate, modify, delay or suspend the contest. It’s not likely, because I love basketball and you, my dear reader. But putting it out there anyway!
- Thanks so much for participating in my non-bracket challenge!!!!
by Stacey Wiseman | Sep 18, 2014 | Description, FREE!
As a mom of a kindergartner, one of the things I’ve been completely surprised with is the amount of papers! When I read this recent article in Apartment Therapy, I could completely relate.
Every night, we are getting 5-10 pieces of paper. Some are results of his school practice. Some include important school information. And some are program announcements, book offers, and general advice.
Already, we’ve accumulated a huge stack of paperwork.
There is a definite need to separate out the parent action items with his practice papers to keep and then recycle the rest.
But…what to do with all of his school papers that I keep?
A photo book, of course.
I’ve decided to photograph 10-12 papers each month and will photograph them and place them in my photo book.
Scanning is one option or you can set up a space on your table or a wall to photograph them in order to get a jpeg for your book.
One thing I noticed with his schoolwork is the need to practice writing. As a new writer, he is struggling with how to use the lines to create his letters.
So I created a guide with the kindergarten sight words that fade out so he can practice.
If you want the 10 page practice guide for your child, click here.
And if you enjoyed my strategy for weeding out school paperwork, you’ll love my tips on how to narrow down your family photos. That’s coming soon!
by Stacey Wiseman | Aug 10, 2013 | FREE!, Photo Book Design Layout, Podcast
Lately I’ve been writing a lot about vacation photo books. Today I want to include a couple of tips on taking vacation photos and designing your vacation book.
This may help you decide which photographs to use and what to do with them. Or if you are like me, perhaps you have one vacation planned for Labor Day weekend!
First, take a look at the vacation book I designed last summer.
[divider] Second, here is a free download of 8 tips for your vacation photo book. (Here is a smaller version of the download – perfect for viewing on your mobile device!)
[divider] Third, here is my August podcast. I apologize for the quality. I’m staying at my in-laws while our house is being renovated so I didn’t have my microphone – and – I have a bit of a cold!
Leave a comment below letting me know your favorite tip to use in your vacation photo book!
by Stacey Wiseman | May 17, 2013 | FREE!, Product Feature
It’s time for another pdf download for your kids to practice writing, matching, and coloring based on favorite children’s books. (My last one was here.) In our household, we’ve been reading a lot of Eric Carle’s The Very Busy Spider. So…I decided to create a free pdf download for you to work through with your child.
This pdf includes ways for kids to practice writing, matching words, finding words, forming sentences and coloring. Plus there is an activity to make your own spider web using yarn and glue. It’s a simple diagram, but feel fee to elaborate and make it as creative as you want.
[divider] Here is a sample of the pdfs:
For your free download – click here –
Plus, if you want to customize this with your child’s name, click here.
Tell me your kid’s favorite page in the comments below!
by Stacey Wiseman | Jan 31, 2013 | FREE!
Each month this year, I would like to attempt a graphic to help my son learn to read, add, subtract, rhyme, color, and perhaps write. I’m just creating things for my children and I thought I would share them with you as well.
The first book, is the humorous book “I Want My Hat Back” by Jon Klassen.
We have enjoyed reading this book over the past month and now it is time to get creative with it.
To follow along, get out your copy (or purchase the book if you don’t already own it) and print out this practice sheets pdf.
Here are some sample pages. (The pdf is 8 pages, 8-1/2″x11″, landscape.)
If you want it customized with your child’s name, click here and I’ll send it to you with 1-2 days!
Let me know what you think about the downloads in the comments below. And as always, get your camera out and snap some pics of your kids reading, drawing and playing. I’d love a link!
