The Detainee’s Tale by Ali Smith
The Detainee’s Tale is a short story by Ali Smith, featured in 28 Tales for 28 Days – a campaign that released a new story online each day for 28 days. This initiative involved authors who engaged with individuals who have experienced detention in the UK. As the only European country that detains people indefinitely, the campaign aims to highlight and challenge this practice.
The story frequently references temporary passports, immigration documents, and the visuals of detention centres. These elements inspired all aspects of the book design. The colour palette reflects the hues commonly found in passports: a light pink tint for the background pages and bold blues and reds for the typography with the same red used for the cover.
The typography throughout the book adapts to the narrative’s environment and tone, with specific elements highlighted to underscore the themes of detention. The design ensures that the text stands out and aligns with the story's themes, enhancing the reader’s engagement. It also creates an inconsistent pacing highlighting the unpredictable conditions of being detained.
For this project, I created a typeface inspired by the perforated type found in passports. This typeface was used for the title and laser-perforated onto the cover. The design process began with sketches on grid paper, which were then digitised in Glyphs to create a precise and distinctive typeface.