We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Svoboda Tzekova about their original and creative Book / Encyclopedia design work. Svoboda Tzekova is an award-winning communication designer, that makes our world a better place with their original book / encyclopedia works.
Svoboda Tzekova ("ST") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Bulgarian ABC Book History Book / Encyclopedia. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
ST : A historical review of Bulgarian primers during the past two centuries through a subjective selection and interpretation of the visual and text content.
ST : The aim was to achieve a harmonious combination of various visual and verbal information, using a neutral design that helps the reader to enter the subject. Something that could be regarded both as an easy reading and an in-depth analysis.
ST : An exhibition.
ST : The research took one year and the design itself — six months.
ST : I have been working on the concept together with Anton Staykov. Although the final result embodies our idea, we had to meet our publisher’s requirements.
ST : Fortunately, right after its initial stage the project was supported by the biggest Bulgarian textbook publisher. A substantial aspect was the fact that the publishing house owns the archive of the state textbook publisher form the socialist period. Without the access to those resources we wouldn’t be able to complete the project at all. Thanks to PROSVETA Publishing we also had the chance to collaborate with professional editors.
ST : Before no such thing existed in Bulgarian. The field was rather unexplored and I believe that such products play a crucial role for the society.
ST : Anton Staykov as a co-author of the concept and а main contributor in the whole process of research and compilation.
ST : Both specialised and ordinary readers.
ST : Epson and Canon scanners, iMac, EIZO monitor, Adobe Photoshop, In Design, Adobe AcrobatPro
ST : The writer Nadezhda Radulova was helping through the whole process and contributed with two texts; Marin Ginev was our main editor, Vihra Stoeva-Yancheva - artistic editor, Zhana Gancheva - technical editor.
ST : Without the contemporary scanners and monitors reproducing the imagery or the old print materials would be impossible.
ST : We have gone through the stocks of 30 public libraries and more than 50 private collections to create the first catalogue of Bulgarian reading textbooks. For the purpose of the book, 700 representative images were selected. In this number are illustrations, photos, diagrams, typographical images, facsimiles.
ST : The aim was to achieve a harmonious combination of various visual and verbal information, using a neutral design that helps the reader to enter the subject. This kind of new genre needed special approach.
