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Synesthetic Minds

Spring 2022
Synesthetic Minds is an interactive book that talks about synesthesia in writers and artists. Designed to have multiple editions, Synesthetic Minds is told through a narrative with brand characters accompanying the writing. This writing is uplifted by the fictional narrative that synesthesia is controlled by “synesthetic elements” that embody the characteristics of the five senses. These elements are shown doing their tasks in literally rewiring the brain, causing synesthesia. This book has a section of stickers containing all the elements for which the reader is encouraged to use in parts of the book or keep to themselves.



Project Overview


While studying in college, I was assigned to design a publication that reflects a reading of my choice. Synesthetic Minds is a reflection of a writing that talks about synesthesia in artists, more specifically writers. I developed this book to be an interactive read that has the potential to be built upon in its identity. I did this by writing a brand narrative that visually explains the concept of synesthesia in a fictional metaphor.


The Characters


I digitally drew these characters that represent the “elements'' that cause synesthesia. They are vibrant, alien, and emotionless. The first page of this book is a risograph printed drawing of all the elements rewiring the brain to confuse the five senses. As a pretext to the writing, the reader is introduced by this fictional setup and watches the imagery follow through to the last page. Each page has visuals to support the writing within the surreal environment the elements are working in.

The interactive portion that sets the identity of this publication is the element stickers. Every edition comes with a sitcker sheet that readers are encouraged to use inside and outside the book. I left designated areas blank that are designed for the reader to use a sticker of their choice.


Design Decisions


My goal for this publication was to be bold, layered, and almost overwhelming. I used vibrant, highly saturated colors, crowded layouts, and larger-than-average type sizing. Synesthesia is when your brain routes sensory information through multiple unrelated senses, causing you to experience more than one sense simultaneously. The colors, words, drawings, and textures of this publication are a physical representation of this simultaneous feel of the senses. 

︎   Textures
  • Many of the short sheet’s within this book have an organic cut to them. Others have windows for the reader to run their fingers along. This offers a textural portion that plays along our touch sense. 

︎   Crowded Layouts
  • Every spread in the publication is filled with text and image. You will find little-to-no negative space across the entire book. This was to give a minor feeling of being overwhelmed. It is literally too crowded with different subjects for the reader to be able to simply read the writing and move to the next page. They find themselves exploring the page between each paragraph.


About Designer

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Anu Iyer graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts, studying Graphic Design. Based in Northern Virginia, Anu has experience working with small seed to large corporations.  
   
She began her path as a traditional artist and, after being exposed to Creative Cloud, switched to digital illustration and graphics. Now, Anu has learned web development and earned certifications in the fundamentals of computing as well as product innovation. On the journey to perfecting her style, she is expanding her portfolio by creating multi-modal works with print, digital, and interactive media.  
Anu now works at Georgetown University as a Graphic Designer in the Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship (CNDLS). There, she runs the visual graphics for all courses within the School of Continuing Studies. She oversees all graphics, illustrations, animation, etc., for every course within SCS.