As we explore different graphic design pieces, we can’t ignore the book page layout.

This introduction page from Matt Zoller Seitz‘s 2015 book The Grand Budapest Hotel is an excellent example of contrast and framing.

First the color contrast.

You have grandma’s pea soup green (hex code: 594f20ff) located in only two places on the page. In the 1,418 – Word lettering, and the W drop cap. The rest of font color is standardish black (hex code 0f100fff). It’s enough of a color contrast to guide the eye, but not distract the reader.

My favorite piece of the layout though, is the framing.

Designer Martin Venezky uses the word INTRODUCTION to lead your eye down the page while simultaneously framing in the first paragraph. He does this by breaking INTRODUCTION vertically at the C. Of course Martin may have made that choice for an entirely different reason, but that’s how I interpreted it.

Visually this book feels like your thumbing through a cast member’s exquisitely assembled film-shoot scrapbook.

It’s a true page turner in both prose and design.