Unfiltered: Youth Reflections on Mental Health
& Wellness
book design by Brittany GarukThis book serves as lasting documentation of the work generated by the participants of YouthLAB 2019/2020. In this program, high school students come together to become agents of change in their community by providing peer support. They learn about topics such as trauma, depression, anxiety, LGBTQ2SIA+ issues, disordered eating, bullying, and relationship violence, and use expressive arts therapy to create art and writing in response to what they have learned.
Process
I met with the youth and program coordinators to brainstorm what they wanted the book to communicate to readers (other youth). These questionnaires, along with discussion helped give me an idea of what they wanted.I met with them a second time to show varying potential ideas and aesthetics, and get feedback on which direction to go in. I got very specific feedback that helped me to ensure the final product reflected their desires for the book.
Moodboards
Colour
Vibrant, colourful pages were used to make the book feel more alive and approachable. They offset the otherwise formal tone set by the typography and the seriousness of the content. These colours were chosen intentionally to compliment the diverse collection of artwork in the book.
Vibrant, colourful pages were used to make the book feel more alive and approachable. They offset the otherwise formal tone set by the typography and the seriousness of the content. These colours were chosen intentionally to compliment the diverse collection of artwork in the book.
Typography
The entire book is set in Adobe Jenson Pro. Red is used sparingly to accent numbers and glyphs; for example to create a table of contents within the letter to the reader at the beginning of the book, as seen below.
