I’m Bodil, a book and identity designer from Trondheim, Norway, holding a PhD in Typography & Graphic Communication from the University of Reading. My research interest concentrates on the verbal and visual presentation of health messages on food labels dating from 1850 to 1970. Please read my blog and have a look at my work. Feel free to get in touch if you think there is something I can do for you. Get in touch ›
A space for my work, research, ideas, typography, and passion for books.
WORK | Time to look back. As usual, I’ve designed the annual report for my own company. It sums up a year of interesting challenges and ongoing development.
Looking ahead, I have more questions than answers. Will I continue facilitating design-driven innovation courses? Will I create new workshops related to youth and mental health? Will I travel, start new collaborations, or form completely new constellations?
WORK | I’ve just completed my PhD after four years and eight months of research and reflection. In 2023, I’ve been trying to slow down and consider what’s next—Information design? Writing a book? Maybe several books? For children? Based on my PhD?
But life moves on, work needs to be done, and income is essential. One of my proudest achievements this year has been completing the design of a large book about the 40-year history of Cirka Teater. This 300-page ‘self-biography’ brings their performances—both big and small—to life, visually and verbally. Designing the anthology with over 400 photos, illustrations, and contributions from directors, actors, musicians, architects, and more was a rewarding challenge. The front cover of my annual report features the cover illustration by Ina Sæther Berger from the Cirka Teater book, beautifully reflecting the project’s spirit.
WORK | In 2022, the year was primarily characterized by the completion of my doctoral degree, the Viva voce examination, minor adjustments, submission, and graduation. However, my life as a book and identity designer is gradually starting to mirror the annual report.
WORK | 2021 has been characterized by a life in the world of letters and texts. Everything has revolved around research, language, sentences, explanations, understanding, labels, presentation, structure, more structure, more sentences, corrections, fine-tuning, abstracts, and conclusions.
WORK | This year’s annual report for my own business is characterised by a year with a pandemic, lockdown, writing, frustration, face masks, rules, testing, new rules, restrictions, tiredness and difficulty focusing. Most of the time spent on working is related to the thesis, in addition to a few design projects, such as finalising the book about Selbu patterns and identity for EiP (Everything is Possible).
WORK | Operating simultaneously as a graphic designer and researcher is not always easy and several days contains work from both disciplines. My everyday life inspires this year’s annual report for my own company, from the food I am eating, where I am working, what I am reading to travels, archives and preparations for new book projects.
WORK / PERSONAL PROJECT | As my PhD is a full-time study, 2018 has been characterised by more research than design projects. The annual report for my own company is therefore visually inspired by food labels and in particular Sainsbury´s packaging design from 1950-60. The front page is part of a label from 1964 from The Sainsbury´s Archive, Museum of London Docklands.
PERSONAL PROJECT | Learning how to use the material for working with letterpress. Department of Typography & Graphic Communication, University of Reading. Looking forward to working with more letterforms and colours.
PERSONAL PROJECT | A new step. This years theme for my annual report is how 2017 was divided into 2/3 design and 1/3 research. Design projects, the beginning of my doctoral research in September, a new everyday life, a lot of reading, searching for food labels, frustrations, happiness, curiosity and some few design projects…
PERSONAL PROJECT | Are things predetermined or is it just a coincidence that life sometimes change direction?
This year´s theme for my annual report is about how a talk with a former colleague in 2016 changed my perception of my own company, my business and my everyday life for the next three to four years… Or maybe for the future? She told me about a Norwegian Professor who has a Research Degree in Typography. I was inspired and suddenly realized that I was ready to slowly change my career. Where does this decision brings me? – I don´t know – time will show.
