PURPOSE
Subject Matter is a self-directed, collaborative publication created to explore the intersection of storytelling and design, and to function as a platform for people from all walks of life whose stories deserve to be shared. Each issue is a collection of curated stories focusing on a specific facet of the human experience.
BOLD TYPE PRESS
Bold Type Press is the student collective behind Subject Matter, named for our members' willingness to boldly pursue unorthodox creative paths and build a critical design practice which allows us to create work we are passionate about that makes a positive impact in our society.
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Hannah Gaskamp
Editor, Lead Designer: Strange & Supernatural Experiences, Contributing Designer: Mental Health & Recovery and Outdoor Childhood Memories, Slipcase Design, Brand Manager
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Rachel Bostick
Project Manager, Editor, Lead Designer: Strange & Supernatural Experiences, Contributing Designer: Mental Health & Recovery and Outdoor Childhood Memories
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Marla Mattila
Editor, Lead Designer: Outdoor Childhood Memories, Contributing Designer: Mental Health & Recovery and Strange & Supernatural Experiences, Web Design
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Molly Dwight
Editor, Lead Designer: Mental Health & Recovery, Contributing Designer: Outdoor Childhood Memories and Strange & Supernatural Experiences, Binding and production
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Pey-Jing Li Mehrinfar
Editor, Lead Designer: Mental Health & Recovery, Contributing Designer: Outdoor Childhood Memories and Strange & Supernatural Experiences, Binding and production
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Every aspect of creating Subject Matter was a collaborative effort, from the creation of a brand and cohesive system for the entire publication and a unique visual voice for each individual issue within that system, to the collection and curation of content, paper selection, and hand binding of each issue.
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TYPOGRAPHY
A modular logo was developed that could visually tie the entire publication together, while allowing each individual issue to have its own voice appropriate to that issue's topic. Roboto's modern simplicity allows it to function well with many typefaces and visual styles.
THE BOX
I designed the box with a photo that related to all the colors and themes and a weight of Roboto that was a good middle ground between the other weights used throughout. There was a lot of trial and error, but it all came together in the end.
STRANGE & SUPERNATURAL EXPERIENCES
Human experiences with beings and realities outside of our earthly perception or understanding are nearly universal; they have been recorded across countless cultures and have spanned centuries. These are experiences that, despite the ubiquity with which they occur, are often doubted and treated as fiction. In this issue, without judgement or censure, we explored the ideas of liminal spaces, entertained the notion of ghosts, and unpacked the emotions around tragedy and change, but most importantly we acted as a conduit to share these stories that might otherwise go untold.
CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF THE OUTDOORS
Our pasts are made up of big events as well as much smaller ones. The small events can be the most fascinating and impact us even more deeply than the big events. We often hesitate to talk about these events in our pasts for fear that we are being self-centered or that others might not be interested in hearing our stories or connect with them. In this issue, we facilitated the sharing of these memories that shape the people we become.
MENTAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY
Mental illness affects millions of people every day. Unfortunately, many people fail to get the proper treatment for mental health because of the stigma surrounding taking medication, seeing doctors, getting therapy, and also because of the lack of widespread access to mental healthcare. This issue addressed these mental health topics head-on by giving a voice to those who struggle with mental health issues.
BOOK LAUNCH
A marketing campaign was developed to promote the set's release. In order to encourage community involvement and facilitate more conversations, Bold Type Press would host storytelling events at local bookstores in Austin. Branding would include promotional bookmarks as well as signage and social media that provided details about the event and the issues within the set.
WEB PRESENCE
In order for there to be new issues of Subject Matter, there would have to be new stories shared with Bold Type Press. To help with this, a web page was designed to help connect with communities of people wanting to share their stories. New editions that would be created would consider even more aspects of the human experience and further our mission of creating a positive impact on our society by potentially partnering with nonprofit organizations.
IN THE WILD
A copy of the box set of Subject Matter was donated to Alkek, the Texas State University Library in the Special Collections. Here the first three issues of Subject Matter are available for viewing within the library.