There & Back

Project Overview

This book visually explores my father's cross-country road trip in 1961. Each panel is designed separately, but is also a part of the larger book. In the same way, my father's journey was his personal experience, but also exists within the context of America in 1961.

My role

Visual Designer
Maryland Institute College of Art
I designed all visual elements of this project and constructed all final materials. Photography is actual photography from the 1961 road trip.

Process

I interviewed my father to uncover the larger story and context around his road trip in 1961. I included text from these audio recordings throughout the book, both as smaller text intended to be a visual texture as well as in the larger pull quotes. I went to the Library of Congress and pulled newspaper articles from the different locations he was passing through on his road trip. East coast states that are smaller and more dense were displayed on one panel. States further west that have a smaller population and bigger feel to them were displayed across two panels. The final product is an accordion book that tells the linear story of his trip from Boston to California and back again.