826LA
826LA is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. The students' work is compiled in self-produced books that are sold in the adjoining store (The Time Travel Mart). As designer, I developed concepts for the books that ranged from the short stories of English language learners to poems inspired by a theme of "place". I illustrated the covers and designed the interiors of each book, as well as supervised the production and print run.
ROLE:
Concept
Illustration
Layout Design
Typography
Print Production
A duo of books of short stories and dictionary definitions written by “English Language Learner” students. The concept of a forest and a desert came from the idea of expanding their horizon through improving their language skills. Elements from the covers were integrated into the interiors.
Short stories written by 826LA volunteers. The stories are thematically related to unused character ideas, giving the "lost heroes" new life.
Stories that were the result of a STEM bootcamp for students. Digital effects were used to create the collage appearance.
Students’ poems from a week-long workshop with a professional writer and poet. The theme of “place” was represented in the illustration of Echo Park, where 826LA is located.