A Gift to My Better Half
Mixtape and Publication Layout by Shyon Toh.
This project was created as an anniversary gift for my other half — a celebration of our shared love for music. We're constantly exploring new genres together, and in 2019, we developed a special appreciation for Taiwanese indie R&B and hip-hop.
To capture that shared experience, I curated a mixtape that flows through some of our favorite tracks, paired with a lyric booklet to deepen the emotional connection.
To capture that shared experience, I curated a mixtape that flows through some of our favorite tracks, paired with a lyric booklet to deepen the emotional connection.
The process began with a series of typographic experiments exploring how the visuals should be represented. I tested various textures and typographic styles; from illustrative and bitmap treatments to bold and thin handwritten fonts. Through these iterations, I found that handwriting carried a more sincere tone and added a personal touch that felt more authentic.
Leaning into that discovery, I developed a series of handwritten titles for each of the songs included in the playlist. These were heavily inspired by the aesthetics of Taiwanese pop song booklets, which often feature expressive and nostalgic design cues.
Leaning into that discovery, I developed a series of handwritten titles for each of the songs included in the playlist. These were heavily inspired by the aesthetics of Taiwanese pop song booklets, which often feature expressive and nostalgic design cues.
To complement the handwritten elements, I kept the overall layout clean and minimal. This approach allowed the hand-drawn titles to stand out and retain their emotional resonance.
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Do check out the mixtape below.
Do check out the mixtape below.