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Multi-purposed
The design functions as both an attention-grabbing poster and a handheld informative summary. One side displays the poster and the other side divides into four sections that fold into the booklet.
As discussed in the essay, many tenets of design are associated with Western traditions and origins despite evidence of African descent and influence. The piece represents a reclaiming of these design principles by African culture on the poster and highlights key points of the essay in the style of a cover to cover book in the booklet.
The layout for this design was chosen to mirror that of a book, simplifying the reading experience so the text does not appear as one large, overwhelming block upon first glance. The booklet begins with the cover, containing the title and author. The key message from the article was summarized in the two main pages, followed by the back cover, which contains a graphic of the golden ratio to help readers visualize the design concept being discussed. The word "golden" was incorporated to provide context to the element and create balance with the front cover.
The intended purpose of this design was to catch the reader's attention with a bold poster on the front to guide them through the more complex content on the back, bringing awareness to the underrepresentation of an African aesthetic in the design world.
An eye-catching sans-serif font was selected for the poster and title of the booklet, while a serif font was chosen for the booklet's main blocks of text because of its readability and professional look. The word "African" is placed over "Fibonacci" to emphasize the reclaiming of the Fibonacci Sequence and Golden Ratio by African culture. Repetition of different versions of the Fibonacci Sequence are used throughout the poster to add meaning, intrigue, and movement to the piece.
Symbolism
To reflect the weight and importance of the essay's message, black was chosen for the color of the text. Gold was chosen for the background to carry the theme of the golden ratio throughout the entire design.