Book as a medium, book as a culture: the digital shift in publishing and the role of arts and design. Francesca Coluzzi, Intern Researcher Institute of Network Cultures, Amsterdam, September 2012 – January 2013

1. book as a medium, book as a culture:
the digital shift in publishing and the role
of arts and design.
Francesca Coluzzi
Intern Researcher INC, Amsterdam.
September 2012 – January 2013
This is not a presentation
This is not a book
This is not an eBook
This is not a magazine
This is not a videogame
This is not a Powerpoint
This is not a Pdf
This is not an ePub
This is not an iPad
This is not a Kindle
This is not a computer
This is not a screen
This is not a page
This is not paper
This is not a code
This is not a medium
This is not ...

2. What will the book look like in the future?

3. “Books without batteries”,
Jeff Stahler (2000)
“The book reader of the future”, issue
of Everyday Science and Mechanics
(1935)

4. Do we read and write differently
on digital devices?
What is a ‛reading experience’?

5. “bios [bible]” installation
(2007)
Turning pages on the iPad.

6. Can design and arts contribute to the development
of digital publishing, and how?

7. Topics and quotes from the interviwes
...
“Book forgotten by heart”,
Vincenzo Agnetti (1969)
“56 Broken Kindle Screens”, Silvio Lorusso
and Sebastian Schmieg (2012)
All these images come from the blog MMMMarginalia

8. Context
Framework
Inquiry
Case Studies
Analysis
Job and Time
Methods
Index Introduction
Introduction
Job and Time
Methods
Context
Framework
Inquiry
Case Studies
Analysis
Conclusions
Conclusions
Out of Ink research project
Present publishing domain
Book medium:
Media
Technology
Communication processes
Book culture:
Practices
Social behaviours
‛Book Makers’

9. Context
Framework
Inquiry
Case Studies
Analysis
Job and Time
Methods
Conclusions
Past:
Unbound book 2011
Boek uit de band 2012
Me:
From SEPTEMBER 2012
To JANUARY 2013
Next:
RAAK-MKB Toolkit Digitaal Publiceren
02/2013 - 12/2014
1° phase 2° phase
Analysis
Structure
Inquiry Inquiry
SEPT 2012 JAN 2013
Interviews with case studies
Video editing >
Out of Ink Website >
Research framework
Research questions
Cross-analysis
Job and Time

10. Context
Framework
Inquiry
Case Studies
Analysis
Methods
Conclusions
Qualitative Research:
The why and how.
Focus on particular case studies.
General propositions and overall
conclusions.
Semi-structured Interview:
Flexible.
Less structured.
Source:
“Business Research Methods 3rd edition”
Alan Bryman, Emma Bell.
>
Interviews with:
ʽBook makers’
print/digital books.
Different professionals:
Designers
Artists
Publishers.
Methods

11. Context
Framework
Inquiry
Case Studies
Analysis
Conclusions
Conclusions
Conclusions:
Different containers of the information
(like books, e-books, etc.)
change nature,
shape
and structure:
They converge
but they also become specific
in their formal and cognitive features.
The interesting point lies
beyond the difference
between digital and analogue media:
It’s about understanding
how technology impacts both
language
and behaviour.
Suggestions:
Set up a dialogue between
both digital
and analogue media;
old and new behaviours.
Give a voice to design
and art’s free and creative
thinking.
Create effective connections
between artists, designers,
technologists and publishers.

12. Context
Framework
Inquiry
Case Studies
Analysis
Job and Time
Methods
Conclusions
Publishing
Domain
Activities Profiles
Production
Designing
Content
Software/Devices
Collecting/Selling
Reading/Buying/Sharing
Research/Teaching
Enabling communities
Context
Publisher/Self publisher
Designer
Artist/Author
Developer
Librarian
User/Reader
Researcher
Aggregator

13. Framework
Inquiry
Case Studies
Analysis
Methods
Conclusions
Research’s issues
hierarchy
Main issues
Sub-topics
Basic Questionnaire
Print to Digital
Tools and Software
Collaborative Practice
Reading Experience ­
Publishing Cycle
Platform and Networks
Changing Roles
Open Source

14. Inquiry
Case Studies
Analysis
Methods
Conclusions
ʽBook Makersʼ
Basic Questionnaire
on 2 main topics:
A. The book as a medium
B. The book as a process
14 Questions to
the ʽBook Makersʼ
Artists
Publishers
Designers

15. Case Studies
AnalysisConclusions
Designers:
NIELS SCHRADER, Designer,
Mind Design Studio, Amsterdam;
DIMITRI NIEUWENHUIZEN, Designer,
Lust Studio, The Hague.
LARS BÖHM, Uncovered Magazine,
Student 2012 Medialab HvA, Amsterdam;
Specific Projects:
MONIKA PARRINDER, Researcher, RCA London.
Project: “Limited Language”.
DAVID BENQUÉ, Designer, London
Project: “The Infinite Adventure Machine”.
>
ANTHON ASTROM, Designer,
Astrom / Zimmer Studio, Zurich.
Project: “Lines, Interacting With An Idea”.
WALDEMAR WĘGRZYN, Designer, Katowice.
Project: “Elektrobiblioteka”.
Publishers:
ERIK KESSELS, Kesselskramer
Publishing House, Amsterdam;
MICHELE AQUILA AND VALERIA DI ROSA,
U10 Publishing Start-up, Milan.
MAXINE KOPSA, Kunstverein Gallery
and Publishing House, Amsterdam;
ANNA AND BRITT FROM VISUAL EDITIONS,
Publishers, London.
Hybrids:
YOLANDE VAN DER HEIDE,
Casco Publishing Class, Utrecht;
RAOUL BOERS, Lecturer In e-Publishing
and Content Management HvA, Amsterdam.
DELPHINE BEDEL, Researcher, artist and
publisher of “Hardcopy” Magazine, Amsterdam;
>
WILL HOLDER, Researcher, artist and
publisher “F.R. David” Journal,
Published by De Appel, Amsterdam.

16. Analysis A.Conclusions
Topics and quotes from the interviwes
...
A4. The Relationship between
Content and Structure.
>
>
A5. Media Convergence:
Platforms, Formats and
Collaborative Practices.
>
>
A6. Tactility, Materiality,
Physical Presence.
Go to Analysis B. >
A. The book as a medium
A1. Books, e-Books, Reading
Experiences.
>
>
A2. Design/Publishing Process and
Identity.
>
A3. The Relationship between Text
and Image.
>

17. Analysis B.Conclusions
Topics and quotes from the interviwes
...
B4. Tools and Devices.
>
>
B5. Art and Design Contribution
to Research and Development in
Publishing.
Back to Analysis A. >
END
B. The book as a process
B1. Dissemination, Overload of
Information and Concentration.
B2. Self Publishing, Open Source
Culture and Economic Models.
B3. Obsolescence, Longevity and
Virtuality.

18. 1
6
11
2
12
7
3
8
10 9
4
5
14
13
What is the main
difference between a
book and an e-book?
What about other digital
editorial products? What
about calling them all
reading experiences?
What do you think are
the new parameters,
limits and rules in the
design process for the
e-book? How do they
differ from the design
of a paper book?
In which elements of
the project do you
think your identity as a
designer resides? How
would you manage to
keep it, or even change
it, in the making of
digital book projects?
Do you think you will
make digital books in
the future?
The relationship
between text and
image has always
been one of the core
matters in visual
communication. How
has it changed in the
digital environment?
Do you think this
relationship could
become something
different in digital
publishing, and how?
What about the
relationship between
content and structure
in the lay out of a book
(indexes, hyperlinks,
different ways of
visualization etc.)? How
does it change with the
digital? What about it in
digital publishing?
Do you think interactivity
and media convergence
can affect the design of
a book? What about the
proliferation of different
formats? What about
collaborative practices?
How does it change with
the digital? What about it
in digital publishing?
Do you think we are
risking an overload
of information in
publishing, especially
in online and digital
publishing?
Is there any element
of tactility in the digital
book? What do you
think about that?
Has the traditional book
changed? Can we talk
about a sort of paper
reaction to the digital
shift in publishing?
What do you think
about the increase of
self-publishing, both on
paper and digitally?
What do you think about
open source culture?
What economic models
do we have now in
publishing and which do
you think will take over
in the future?
What do you think
about the obsolescence
of the digital? Is
putting the content
back onto paper the
only choice that we
have to overtake this
obsolescence? Do you
think we could find
other solutions?
We are living in
the era of the
dissemination of
information. Do you
think we are lacking
concentration?
Do you think that
dissemination and
concentration can
coexist or do we
have to choose
between one of
them?
Can art and design
practices give a
contribution to the
development of proper
structures, models
and devices for digital
publishing, and how? In
which direction would
you like the research
on digital books to be
developed?
Which tools are you
missing and what do you
think is still needed for
digital publishing?
14
questions
to book designers
Back to Inquiry >

19. – THANK YOU –
Francesca Coluzzi:
francicoluzzi@gmail.com
Website:
http://networkcultures.org/
[Out of Ink project]
Vimeo page:
https://vimeo.com/channels/outofink
Images & Notes:
http://mmmmarginalia.tumblr.com/
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