BranD #77

Each themed edition of BranD showcases brand work and design. An excellent reference publication for anyone working in commercial or brand-based design, as well as those working in graphic design more generally. Plus, it often features innovative print finishing techniques.

In this issue:

The renowned British illustrator Chris Harnan noted that “While AI may appear to pose a threat to the design and illustration industries, it could also spark a counter-movement that champions the raw, imperfect beauty of handcrafted creations.” To show our respect for more designers, BranD collaborated with Chris Harnan and Hannes Drißner to make this Artist Issue: The Right Kind of Wrong.

Selling Points:

73 Practical Tips for Illustrators!

Chris Harnan provides 73 practical tips for illustrators, covering topics such as the homogenization in the field of illustration, setting up a studio, career planning, seeking inspiration, communicating with clients, drawing techniques, the impact of AI on illustrators, just to name a few. With an open mind, he shares his experience of carving out his place in illustration over the years.

A Joint Creation by Three Parties: BranD × Chris Harnan × Hannes Drißner

Hannes Drißner, a designer from Germany, was invited to take charge of the layout design and binding for this issue. He conducted an in-depth research before the design. He mainly takes on projects of VI and publication design, and he is occasionally involved in teaching. He has been recognized by various awards, including the Most Beautiful Books from all over the World, Tokyo TDC and 100 Best Posters.

Fun Narrative in Chris’s Work

Chris is adept at exploring and showing interesting narrative in his work. He hides absurd and fun stories in his illustrations through abstraction and simplification, which earns him a place in the field of illustration due to his excellent narrative ability.

“Mistakes” Hidden in Design

As a visual echo to the theme of this issue “The Right Kind of Wrong,” the designer intentionally made some mistakes in the layout design and cover design, conveying an idea of exploring and breaking boundaries to readers. Here is the list of “mistakes” in design:

There is almost no margin to the edge of the page.

Pantone Metallic Silver ink was used in this issue. Although it is not reader-friendly, it endows each word with a shiny glow.

The logo of the issue on the front cover and the bar code on the back cover were integrated with the artwork of Chris, which is to echo the theme of the issue, “The Right Kind of Wrong.”

Original Illustrations on the Cover

Chris created 4 illustrations for this issue. Two of them represents his analog creation and two, digital creation.

“Splitting” the Magazine into Two

Based on Chris’s analog and digital work, Hannes created a new binding—splitting the magazine into two parts—to emphasize the uniqueness and differences in Chris’s work.

A “Loooong” Magazine

The length of the unfolding magazine is almost 1 meter (295×900mm). Readers can turn 4 pages at a time, which is an unprecedented reading experience.

Balance of Rationality and Sensibility

Chris divides his work into two categories: digital and analog. He follows intuition when creating analog work, while in digital work, he creates unusual symbols through rational thinking. Chris shares how he balances the rationality and sensibility when he creates digital or analog work.

Recommended by 30+ Illustrators

The thought-provoking work of Chris has been reported by various media. This special issue is recommended by more than 30 illustrators around the world.