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Going Down Swinging is one of Australia's longest-running and most respected literary journals. They have published print, digital, and audio anthologies since 1979. Needless to say being approached by GDS to design one of their editions was a career highlight for me. The theme of the edition I was tasked to design was "FAKE".
Before designing any concepts for the layout, I read the submissions and commissioned works that were to be included in final book. A common thread between them was the artificial nature of nostalgia, and this is where I drew my main inspiration. Taking cues from many of the pieces that included this motif, I began working on something that fused the aesthetics of vintage children's encyclopaedias, high-school text books, and, of course, the iconic Guinness Book of World Records (a staple of any 90s child's' library).
My goal was to create something that was fun and colourful, that referenced those familiar artefacts in a comforting way, while also invoking a subtle grotesque mood to reflect the tension between nostalgia and make-believe. But of course my top priority was working out a way to incorporate those elements, while not compromising the clarity of each individual piece.
"Holly liaised seamlessly with stakeholders, including artists, writers, printers, editorial and marketing staff to make sure that everyone had what they needed. She engaged thoroughly with our product (the book) in order to design in accord with the ideas and the style of the content. She went above and beyond for each piece in the book and brought in many elements - both subtle and provocative - that would reward a reader upon multiple examinations/engagements with the page. Upon sending out the book, we received a stream of appreciative photos from contributors and readers. It looked great on social media without compromising the integrity of the object. We couldn't be happier with the process of working with Holly and the product delivered."
Hollen Singleton, Co-Editor of Going Down Swinging
