Irma Boom

Irma Boom is a highly inspiring book maker.  Her process of booking making is unique and although she hates to see her books as a piece of art, they are part of the Museum of Modern Art, NYC. For every book that Boom designs, she puts together a 3D handcrafted model so that she can visualise the final result, 'I build the design in the book, not on the computer screen.' 


Eye Magazine, Irma Boom, Reputations

'Boom searches for a uniquely specific editorial starting-point to translate to exceptional form. And with each new publication she seems to reinvent the book.'

 IB: It is an intuitive decision if I take on a job. It’s all about trust. If there is no trust, it becomes really difficult. When I lived in New York and I showed my work there, people asked: ‘Why are there are no images on the cover? You need an image on the cover otherwise it won’t sell.’ And I told them that we don’t have that problem in the Netherlands. 

- This snippet from the interview with Boom demonstrates the confidence and passion she has with her work. It also demonstrates the alternative rules that she is working with in graphic design, for example not using images on the front cover and embracing the typographic element. Although this goes against what is seen to be a selling element for a book, it is also a selling element that there is a book on the shelf that is something different than the rest. This is something to consider when designing the front cover of the handbook. Having something that is appropriate to the handbook is important as it tells the story of the publication to the reader before they open the first page. It also needs to be interesting enough to make them want to choose the handbook over anything else on offer.