Questioning the Passport

It began with understanding the passport for what it is. Not only in terms of the difference in accessibility power it holds for different countries, but also to recognize similarities in layout, information design, security, visual patterns and colors. 

(Include links about passport references..  check Miro for more info.) 

In groups, we researched on its history, evolution to its present form and size as well as discussed visual components such as emblems, watermarks, aspects of editorial design, personal details and cultural representation.

Layout, Stamps and Collection

Have you ever noticed the stamps in your passport? How often do you give those stamps a 2nd or 3rd glance after they are (sloppily and hurriedly) stamped by the immigration officer? 

It's interesting (and a bit of a turn-off) how the stamps are randomly spaced across the passport. An entry stamp for a country is on page 4 whereas the exit stamp may be on page 7. It's probably not the fault of the officer stamping it but it made me think: if architectural 'design' can determine the way a space is used, can the same logic be applied to a passport? Can visual design, or elements of it, encourage us (the immigration authorities and the citizen) to use this document in a way that it visually evolves over-time? 

This exact thought led me to designing stamps of the passport rather than the passport itself.

Reimagining the Passport

To clarify the title of this section, I did not re-imagine the design of the passport for the document that it is. I have left all the passenger information and security measures in their place. On that note, I have also not aimed at replicating any part of the passport except for its layout, size and placement of basic information.

The only place my design idea intervenes are on the immigration pages. 

The stamps will still possess all the information that regular stamps have, in a more artistic, humanly designed fashion. 

The pages usually are either blank or have a 2X2 quadrant on each side. Using these quadrants and pages as reference I derived the size for the stamps. The smallest rectangle stamp is for regular transit. Combining 2 rectangles gives a bigger canvas which could be used to show the cultural and traditional side of the region. And for special events that are global/ international in scale (FIFA Worldcup, Olympics) could use the entire page.  Imagine having a special stamp for your visit to France in the next month!

Using the grid automatically allows for a neat presentation of the passport and these stamps will do exactly that! Help convert your dull blank passport into a collection of unique stamps and memories from your travels.

Print and Binding

Thanks to Mr. Geserick and Monik, we also had the opportunity to bind our own passport booklet. It was an interesting process to learn. I realize the binding process looks fairly simple, yet requires finesse and patience for a quality output. 

(collect photos and click more of the passport)

Recently, I also had the opportunity to attend a linocut workshop at the Dessau Summer School. I explored how icons, stamps, elements from nature could be made and learnt to give depth and texture to the artworks as well. This exercise gave me the confidence that making miniature stamps is possible and I look forward to making more of these. 

I deeply appreciate Prof. Katrin Günther's gesture to allow my participation in the Summer School. :)