Overview

On Everything was developed after seeing Phil Hanson’s TED talk on the use of limitations as catalysts for creativity. The project began as a design exercise in minimalism, using only perfect squares, circles, and triangles to visualize complex concepts or emotions.

The project has since evolved into an interactive 60+ page book designed to provide deep dives into the many concepts and emotions we humans experience. A minimalist design is paired with a sourced, QR-code-based quote and a further media pairing that viewers can spend hour or days consuming.

The evolved goal of On Everything is to provide the viewer with an intensive, thoughtful, challenging exploration of the concepts and emotions that govern our lives, allowing them to process these ideas in their own way. This “toolkit” is not something to be assumed, but rather, digested, disputed, and made one’s own.

The original version of this booklet was created in 2015 and had no explanations or QR code references, making it somewhat lacking despite its intent. The 2020 version reworked all the designs and provided extensively-researched links, quotes, and explanations to create a comprehensive immersive booklet.

Visual Design

Usually, design would start with the quote. I would then research the foundation of that quote, its reference text, and the deeper meaning behind it. From there, I would use my allowed shapes to create a design that represented the central theme of that research.

As these concepts are complex and at times difficult to consume, I chose a color palette that was more relaxed and pastel, selecting a dozen or so colors to operate in that wouldn’t overwhelm the viewer.

High-contrast QR codes, references, and short descriptions were written to compliment each design and quote.

Typeface: Open Sans