Sarah Crookes

Brief: Reflect the content of a book in its form.

This story centres around themes of loss and irreversible damage as I write about my brother, who is losing his eyesight due to a genetic degenerative condition for which there is currently no cure. 

The burlap material, onto which the story is printed, frays continuously as it is handled, resulting in the complete and irreversible destruction of the book, reflecting the condition of my brother’s eyesight. 

Brief: Design a tattoo magazine which makes the tattoo industry more approachable.

The magazine's clean and modern aesthetic helps to separate the industry from its grungy past and the negative stereotypes associated with tattooing. 

It showcases only small tattoos, presenting the industry in a less intimidating fashion than when people with large pieces of ink-work are shown. Each tattoo is paired with a story about the design and its relevance to that person. These personal stories help to humanise the industry and create a relatable situation for the reader. They emphasise the extent to which tattoos have developed over the past decade and how personal the tattoo designs, and the act of getting tattooed, have become. 

The magazine also includes a section that aims to challenge the myths and assumed risks associated with tattooing. This section introduces local tattoo artists and provides an insight into how to go about getting your first tattoo, encouraging those who are considering getting inked.

This magazine is available to buy
If you are interested in purchasing a copy please email me at hello@sarahcrookes.com with a delivery address. 
£10 each.

Brief: Create a photo book which explores the emotion of grief.

I chose to explore grief through images of the sea. The close-up view of the water reflects how all-encompassing and overwhelming the feeling of grief can be. The different emotions within grief are shown through changes in the aggression and speed of the waves as well as the amount of foam created and whether the water is being restricted by rocks. 

Past emotions reappear throughout the book, highlighted by a change in paper texture, reflecting the unpredictable and non-linear journey of grief. The varying page widths mirror the movement of the sea and make it impossible for the reader to flick through the book, emphasising how one must go through each emotion within grief before they can reach acceptance. 

My hope is that by representing such complex emotions through a familiar and natural image I can help people gain a better understanding of the process of grief. 

Brief: Design a catalogue for the Contemporary Crafts Course degree show at Falmouth University.

Fingerprints are used throughout the catalogue, as well as on the front and back cover, highlighting the use of hands within the act of crafting and reflecting the individuals on the course.

The layout of the catalogue is simple, so as not to distract from the work featured. It was particularly important that to celebrate this group of students, and their work, because, due to the closure of the course, they were the last year of Contemporary Crafts students at Falmouth University. 

Brief: Design an internal company magazine which celebrates the recent acheivements of the company and its employees.

The design had to adhere to brand guidelines whilst portraying information in a fun and engaging manner, suitable for all Taylor Wimpey employees, from office mangers through to on-site workers.

Brief: Celebrate the life and work of a local craftsperson through print. 

These two books showcase a selection of work, and an interview with, local craftsperson Jane Smith. 

The books revolve around the theme of ‘balance’, and integral part of Jane’s work. In Jane’s work glass and ceramic aspects interact with one another to form beautiful pieces. Similarly, these two books, although physically separable, work together to tell the story of Jane’s life and current work.  

The black book, includes text that is separated across opaque and transparent pages. It is only by turning the pages that the reader can make sense of the text, highlighting the importance of unity between different aspects. 

The white book showcases a selection of Jane's most recent work. The images are cropped so that each piece is revealed over a number of pages. This adds a sense of wonder and suspense for the reader and gives Jane's work the attention and celebration it deserves.

The colour scheme, binding and format of the books takes inspiration from the concept of yin yang. 

Brief: Design a cover for Euphoria by Lily King which provides a more accurate reflection of the novel's content.   

This simple yet dark cover has a much more sinister feel than the book’s previous colourful cover. My aim was to capture the loss and damage experienced throughout the novel, creating an intriguing contrast between the cover image and the books positive title.  

The blue fabric reflects Nell’s dress. The way it is torn mirrors the damage that Nell suffered, as well as the loss of her and so many others throughout the book. The way that the fabric flows across the cover is reflective of the sea, which is a key element within the book.

The text is set in Baskerville to mirror the serious and mature content of the book.

This book focuses on the relationship between a smoker and their cigarette. By looking at several different smokers, and the situation in which they smoke, it questions whether smoking is a public or private act, an indulgience or a neccesity, and, most imporantly, what relationship, if any, there is between a smoker and their cigarrete.

I’ve had the pleasure to work on several Annual Reports over the past year, working alongside a Creative Director, Senior Designer and Artworker to produce these final works. As well as working on creative concepts and page layout design, I’ve also handled amends, typesetting and icon/infographic design.

As part of concept design I have been responsible for image sourcing, writing photo briefs for photographers and directing shoots.

Brief: Design a modern and contemporary cover for Capote’s novel In Cold Blood. 

This simple yet bold cover separates the book from other crime novels whilst staying true to it’s shocking and haunting content.

The two footprint trails are de-bossed into the cover adding an interesting tactile element to the design. The subtle appearance of the prints emphasises the killers’ elusive nature and their ability to go unnoticed both during and after their crime. It incorporates a pair of bloody footprints, which was the only clue that the killers left behind.

Brief: Design a typeface that is reflective of a particular personality trait.

This is an animated typeface in which each letter is formed through the movement of dots.

The more dots that join each letter form, the more complete each character becomes. This is reflective of the energy an extrovert personality receives from being around others and emphasises how they feel more comfortable and ‘whole’ in social situations.

These concertina books showcase three poems by Edgar Allan Poe. The design and format of the books revolves around the theme of story-telling. The exaggerated portrayal of good, evil, love and loss, within Poe’s poems creates a fairy-tale-like feeling and suggests that these poems should be viewed as stories.  

The concertina format of the books reflects the idea of each poem being one long story. The horizontal format means that the flow of the poem remains uninterrupted when being read. The illustrated letter on the cover of each book is based on the embellished drop caps often found within old story books and fairy tales.  

During my semester in Augsburg, Germany I was given the opportunity to work in a letter press studio alongside some German students.

Together we produced a book which focuses on the typeface Memphis, exploring it’s characteristics, it’s origins and it’s form.

The book is set in Memphis and is written in both English and German, reflecting the collaboration involved in its making.

Brief: Design a cover for Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller.  

This cover creates a tense feeling in the reader, reflective of how twisted and disturbing the story becomes as the book progresses. My aim was to highlight themes of possession and control, which are evident throughout the book.

The tree roots reflect the wild and natural setting of the book. The sinister way in which they reach down towards the title mirrors James' control over his daughter and the cruelty with which he treats her. 

The text, which is set in Tw Cen MT, appears slightly friendly and childish, reflecting Peggy's mentality as she seems constantly unaware of her father's dark intentions. 

My dissertation explores tattoo trends in Britain – how they have affected popular tattoo design, and in turn, what tattoos communicate. 

The tattooed leather wrap reflects the subject matter of the dissertation. The design incorporates elements that I touch upon in my exploration of tattoo trends, including sailors, youth subcultures, celebrity ink and the artistic elements of modern tattoo designs. 

During my free time I like to create these little cards, taking inspiration from quotes, poems and song lyrics. I am fond of hand-lettering and calligraphy and enjoy the way that, even if I use the same style of lettering, no two pieces are ever exactly the same.