Just do it
When Wayne Chang is out distributing books, children often ask him how they can realize their dreams. He tells them things are not as difficult as they imagine; they just have to go ahead and do it. Maybe the first time you achieve only 50 percent, but you carry on and the second and third time it’s better and better, closer and closer to your dream. Each generation of the aesthetic textbooks embodies different objectives of the team. The first generation confirmed the value of the project. The second explored different possibilities for different age groups.
With the experience of two generations of textbooks behind them, in their third generation of textbooks the Aestheticell team has extended the scope of the books from Chinese to English, math, natural science and society, with a different designer handling each subject area. Swi Chen believes that each designer is a curator, so each is given the freedom to design the textbook in accordance with their conception of the subject.
Chen says the task of each book is different. Across the range of subjects, from society and Chinese to natural science, English and math, some conform closely to current legislation and usage, while at the other end of the spectrum there are no restrictions at all, allowing the designers to exercise their creative values just as they wish.
The foldout page format of the math textbook by designer Joe Fang seems like something out of Transformers. By the endeavors of designer Alice Wang, the equipment and procedures of the experiments in the natural science textbook are presented in high-quality photographs. The pages’ background colors accord with the different natures of the experiments. For experiments involving gases it’s a cold-hued blue. For those involving combustion, warmer tones are adopted.
The society textbook was produced by information design firm Simpleinfo, whose illustrations enable the information to be conveyed at a glance. It introduces foods with illustrations of visits to night markets. Gender equality and the issues of indigenous peoples are also presented through images, stimulating the imagination and giving children and teachers scope for discussion.
In the Chinese textbook, designer Feng Yu uses graphics appropriate to the content of the text. When discussing time management, for example, he includes a time recording chart to enable children to plan their own time and to get them to think about the topic. Designer Leslie Chan’s creativity delivers an English textbook rich in the visual impact of contemporary art. Its cover features blank spaces for children to fill with words or pictures just as they please.
These textbooks rich in design concepts have been distributed to 170 schools throughout Taiwan. If during their 12 years of compulsory education and countless in-class hours, children can immerse themselves in these beautiful books, they are bound to experience a different world of the imagination in terms of the keenness of their color perception and their inspiration to creativity.
The Aesthetic Textbook Project has shaken up everyone’s idea of the textbook, but current legislation may prevent significant changes from being made any time soon. Yet any change, however small, such as relaxing the regulations about textbooks’ typefaces, illustrations, layouts and even price, can give rein to the skills of outstanding Taiwanese designers, and so enhance textbooks’ impact.
From the classroom environment to the design of textbooks, by changing these media that accompany children during an important time in their lives, we can make “aesthetic education” no longer just about art classes or visits to art galleries, but about making a sense of beauty an integral part of life, bringing a whole new meaning to the term.
Believing that a sense of beauty must be cultivated by the environment, Huang Kuoping shares titbits about his beautified classroom on Facebook. (courtesy of Huang Kuoping)
Believing that a sense of beauty must be cultivated by the environment, Huang Kuoping shares titbits about his beautified classroom on Facebook. (courtesy of Huang Kuoping)
In the thoughtfully laid out classroom, children can find a corner to their own liking and read at leisure. (photo by Lin Min-hsuan)
A classroom is not just for attending class: children spend much of their time there. If the environment is beautiful, a sense of beauty is cultivated almost by osmosis. (photo by Lin Min-hsuan)
Aestheticell was set up in an effort to advance Taiwan’s aesthetic credentials. From left, its founders Wayne Chang, Lin Tsung-yen and Swi Chen. (photo by Lin Min-hsuan)
With a textbook layout containing plenty of white space as well as fine pictures and photos, classes are not just about acquiring knowledge but also about imperceptibly cultivating a sense of beauty.
Aestheticell is pursuing the Aesthetic Textbook Project, redesigning textbooks in the hope of instilling a sense of beauty in children’s minds.
Aestheticell is pursuing the Aesthetic Textbook Project, redesigning textbooks in the hope of instilling a sense of beauty in children’s minds.
Aestheticell is pursuing the Aesthetic Textbook Project, redesigning textbooks in the hope of instilling a sense of beauty in children’s minds.
Aestheticell is pursuing the Aesthetic Textbook Project, redesigning textbooks in the hope of instilling a sense of beauty in children’s minds.
Aestheticell is pursuing the Aesthetic Textbook Project, redesigning textbooks in the hope of instilling a sense of beauty in children’s minds.
Designers integrate such creative wonders as augmented reality and scratch painting into their textbooks, making learning more fun and stimulating children’s imagination.
Designers integrate such creative wonders as augmented reality and scratch painting into their textbooks, making learning more fun and stimulating children’s imagination.
When design enters children’s lives, aesthetic education has all the more possibilities. (courtesy of Aestheticell))