Cover and selected pages from the final book
Period products Guidebook
Purchasing guidebook on period products
ROLE Author, Designer, Printmaker
YEAR Feb 2023
SCOPE Secondary research, Writing and editing, Design and layout of book, Diagrams
This book is a simple, illustrated guide to period care products. It is an outcome of a 2-week internship at Studio Tints and Prints, which revolved around working with screen printing for book design. Complex problems seldom get addressed on an individual level but here is a humble attempt to pitch something better. This project gained significance when it was found that until 2023 period products were never tested using real blood (source).
I explored bold visuals and illustrated diagrams on a socially pertinent theme alongside learning the screen-printing technique.
Iterations of the cover page and book sizes; Proofreading; Making flatplans.
1
Introduction
4
What to look for while buying?
2
What are menstrual hygiene products?
3
How to choose?
5
Note on superstitions and virginity
6
References and acknowledgements
Book chapters
Illustrations of diagrams, OHP sheets used to expose the screens; Me at work; Cover page prints
PROCESS
I made some posters to learn the medium and parallel and did secondary research and writing for the book. After understanding the medium, I divided the print contents between the screen-printed cover and the laser-printed interior matter. The illustrations in the book are hand-drawn brush-and-ink drawings meant to match the line quality of the screen-printed cover. This was a pilot project for something I want to continue to work on. I am looking for creative folks to get in touch with for any collaboration.
OBJECTIVE
Have you ever found yourself confused about the right period product for you? Many women are not aware of options other than sanitary pads (those who can afford them). Those who can't afford disposable sanitary pads can (only in very few cases) stitch reusable ones if provided with the fabric cutting pattern, and the fabric organisations, if provided with information, can also develop resources around this information. This book was thought to be a manual on period management. It includes details about the methods, cost, and materials of products. And a small guide on making a choice between these products. To clarify, it does not include the biology of menstruation and puberty.
As designers, we often tell our own stories with a belief that users share our problems too. This book is an illustration of my own dilemmas on menstrual hygiene products and their effectiveness. The process of conceptualizing and working on this was eye-opening. Note: The book in its current form is not entirely technically accurate.