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 blog about my work, research, ideas, typography and passion for books.
WORK | I’m excited to share my latest book design project, Blåtone, created in close collaboration with two amazing photographers, Wenche Dahle and Lars Andreas Dybvik. It’s been an inspiring journey, and the result is a beautiful book that reflects their exhibition, centered around diptych photography.
Blåtone comes with three different cover colors, and the typography captures the essence of the musical term blue note, often tied to a mood of melancholy and contemplation. Like the subtle dissonance in blues and jazz, the book invites readers to go beyond what they see at first glance and explore the deeper emotional connection between the images and nature. Some of the pages are creatively cut to give a glimpse of the exhibition’s images—turn the page, and you reveal the full picture hidden behind, inviting a deeper exploration.
I hope the book inspires others to reflect on their own relationship with the natural world. See more from the book here.
PhD | Today I have officially been awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Many thanks to the University of Reading and the Department of Typography and Graphic Communication for the opportunity to be part of the research culture. It has been a challenging and exciting journey with tons of knowledge, archival, structuring, discussions, thinking and writing, including a pandemic.
WORK | After three successful performances at Røst, the Querini Opera has been invited to perform at Arsenale Nord in Venice in October 2023. The venue is a former shipyard from the 1400s with high ceilings and large archways, providing a unique and dramatic setting for the opera.
I am hired to develop the visual identity for the opera. Together with Hildegunn Pettersen, Raine Nilsen and Monica Stendahl Rokne, we started with a one-day workshop defining the vision, aim and desired personality for the identity of the opera.
WORK | At the same time I was finalising my thesis, I designed a book for Steinerskolen in Trondheim, which celebrated its 50th anniversary. It has been a great and exciting project and a pleasure working with author Anne Lise Aakervik. The book was launched after an excellent performance in Olavshallen on 5 October 2022, including all the pupils from the school. See more from the book.
PhD | I was excited to enter Teams and the online viva voce examination with Dr Alison Barnes and Professor Eric Kindel today. It went well, and I enjoyed the conversation. After two and a half hours, they confirmed that I had passed and recommended that I would be awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, subject to minor amendments being made to my thesis.
Celebrating with Trine Neumann-Larsen at Britannia Hotel. Happy, exhausted and very proud.
PhD | Today, 16 May 2022, I submitted my thesis. Happy, relieved, exhausted and proud. In the next few months, I will prepare for the online viva voce examination to be held on Tuesday, 2 August 2022. I will be examined by Dr Alison Barnes, School of Humanities and Communication Arts, University of Western Sydney, Australia and Professor Eric Kindel, Head of Department, Typography & Graphic Communication, University of Reading.
Tomorrow is the Norwegian Constitution Day which will be a great day to celebrate in many ways.
WORK | My latest book design ‘Selbumønster’ (Selbu pattern) is a beautiful book showing the diversity of the knitting tradition in Selbu. The book presents registered patterns used on garments that have been produced in the village of Selbu or sold as the brand name ‘Selbustrikk’. The book, written by Anne Bårdsgård, is a follow-up from ‘Selbuvotter” (Selbu mittens) and grounded on a similar visual expression. See more from Selbumønster.
PHD | Workshop and talks regarding the ephemera of food packaging at the Department of Typography & Graphic Communication, University of Reading 28 November 2018. Michael Twyman, Alison Black, Guy Baxter, Julie-Anne Lambert and myself. Great inspiration and fascinating exhibition showing food-related ephemera and books.
