8vo On the Outside

Muir co-authored and designed the book ‘8vo On the Outside’ published by Lars Muller, 2005 ISBN 3-03778-019-3 with Mark Holt, a founding member, with the researcher, of the independent design company 8vo. ‘8vo On the Outside’ survey and explains the design rationale of 8vo from 1984 to 2001.
The design emphasises the narrative sequence of the company’s design work. The small format of ‘8vo On the Outside’ facilitates the focus on this rather than the layout of spreads. Grey is used throughout to harmonise the volume, on the one hand to frame examples of the process of creating typographic and graphic design and on the other (white on grey) to avoid letting the text overwhelm the design. The book is intended to show the transition from print to computer and then a partial return to print as 8vo, in common with many of its contemporaries, were working at a time of considerable technological/production change –from paste-up to desktop followed by a return to basics.

As a result of ‘8vo On the Outside’, the researcher was invited to present the research at Profile Intermedia 8 (Achtung! Dangerous Ideas at Work) at Bremmen, Germany, 9-11th December 2005.

‘8vo On the Outside’ was reviewed in a number of publications including Creative Review (January 2006) which featured a cover design by the researcher and Eye (Spring 2006) text by Anna Gerber. The researcher also wrote a background analysis of the research for Grafik (October 2005).