Overview
During the final year of my apprenticeship at GBS St. Gallen, I dedicated a deep-dive design project to the life and work of musician, composer, actor, and writer Tom Waits. The result was a carefully crafted editorial concept that included a custom typographic and visual world, the book design, and an invitation card for the accompanying exhibition vernissage.
Client
GBS St.Gallen
Industry
Design Study
Service
Case Study
Editorial
Logo
Duration
3 Weeks
The Challenge
The main challenge was to visually translate Tom Waits’ eclectic and raw artistic universe into a cohesive print experience. His style is complex — poetic, gritty, experimental — and called for a design approach that avoided clichés while still capturing his distinctive voice.
The Solution
I created a visual and typographic system inspired by the rhythm and fragmentation in Waits’ music. The book layout combined expressive type, moody imagery, and layered composition to reflect the storytelling nature of his work. The vernissage invitation served as a bold, tactile entry point into the project’s world.
The Result
The final outcome was a cohesive and atmospheric design experience that resonated with Tom Waits' persona. The work was well received at the exhibition and marked a creative milestone in my design education — blending personal interest with conceptual and technical skill.
