While researching different cocktail books, I noticed a pattern in how the recipes were organized. They were always organized by spirit, which makes the most sense, but I wanted this publication to take a different direction.

Looking at drinking culture, there are many different reasons why someone would want to drink. During social gatherings, celebrating good news, having a terrible day at work, etc. I focused the publication on this approach to mixology.

When choosing fonts, I wanted a bold and timeless serif. This creates an elegant approach with the fonts, where the rest of the design decisions will be more modern. Font family Gimlet Display Micro and Text checked all the boxes. For body text, I wanted more quick readability with a sans-serif, this will create contrast with the serif as well. Aglet Sans made a good font pairing with Display Micro and Text.

Colors were more thought out for this publication. Knowing there would be photographs of the cocktails within the design, I didn't want too many colors to take away from photography. Selecting one bright color while the rest being darker helped not overwhelm the layout. I chose a bright yellow as the standout color. Yellow represents happiness while being attention-grabbing. Yellow paired with black made the design eye-catching and had a modern appeal. Black and yellow are the primary color pairings for this publication. There are also greys, a warm orange, and a dark burgundy for more unique layouts.

Mixology is a blend of artistry and science, and one needs to know how to balance flavors and textures. I wanted my design approach to represent the science portion of the craft. The first design choice to reflect this narrative was creating a periodic table of ingredients. Breaking down the ingredients into different categories from spirits to produce and then color coding them. Each ingredient features a unique abbreviation with the full name underneath. This table is featured at the beginning of the publication.

The beginning of the publication also has an introduction to mixology, common words/phrases, description of glasses, and mixology tools. These sections help readers get familiar with the process and feel more comfortable when choosing a drink to make. The instruction section includes a warning label about the effects of drinking and warns to always use caution when consuming alcohol. The drinking glasses section also features a vector graphic of what the glass looks like.

Section or "chapter" pages feature the title, description, and a quote. Adding a description to the section page helps explain the "mood" represented, so there is no overlap within the book. The quote adds a playful touch to the layout and content.

Recipe spreads include one large image of the cocktail with the name on one page and the drink information on the other. Photography of the cocktails was taken using a black backdrop since I wanted a moody classic appearance to what you would find in a speakeasy. The recipe description consists of a description, periodic imagery, ingredients, instructions, and a tip about or for the drink. Adding the periodic elements is a quick visual aid to help readers distinguish what ingredients they need instead of having to look closer at the ingredient list.

Included with each recipe spread is a video tutorial on mixing the cocktail. The reader can either go to a website to view the video or use Artivive (phone application) to scan the photo to pull up the video. Featured is a mixologist with all the ingredients and tools necessary to make the drink. The periodic icon is revealed when the ingredient is shown on the screen with the amount needed.

Concluding the publication is a section to help treat hangovers. It felt appropriate to offer a section to lessen the after effects and help with proper prevention techniques while they are enjoying the cocktails.

Building out the book, I wanted the dimensions to be tall and narrow, to resemble a cocktail menu in a distillery or lounge. When selecting binding, ease of use and hands-free was the focus. A hardcover ring binder was the best solution because you can lay the publication flat or keep it upright on the current page while the recipe is being made.

The Visual layout design was kept minimalist and clean. I wanted the content and imagery to speak for themselves without heavy flourishes. With the amount of information on the page, the focus was on presenting it in a clear style. Determining the hierarchy for each section was key since they ranged in content, but also finding commonalities to tie the whole publication together. One common visual theme I displayed throughout the book was the square checkerboard pattern. Using the periodic squares and staking them to create a grid pattern for visual textures on the pages and the cover.

Photography and photo editing of drinks. Using clear glasses and a black backdrop made turn out much darker than anticipated. This caused me to go in and brighten up the images without washing out the colors of the drinks.

I learned a great deal regarding publication layout due to the detail and complexity of the content. Looking for interesting ways to present information and how to add some graphic flourishes without becoming overwhelming was a hard line to determine. Once I found that balance it all came together easily.