Collaboration

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Book a consultation, request an estimate, link to our social channels, attend an event, or learn more about the people we work with. In this section, you can connect with us in whichever way suits you best

Our Services

VIKA designs books and brands that showcase the work of the artists and organisations of the future. We combine the conceptual rigour of book arts and the high production values of fine art publishing with the dynamism and connectivity of creative technologies.

VIKA’s Book of Books Business Overview
F1 Retro 1970, Mark Hughes.

Book Design Client Testimonial
Whitstable Biennale 2022 branding montage

Brand Design Client Testimonial
Victoria Forrest, director of VIKA. Photograph by Guy Bellingham

About Victoria (under construction)

A bookshelf in the VIKA studio

VIKA HQ (under construction)

Environmental Considerations. Design VIKA are one of few designers to reverse engineer book design from the production line. Page size, pagination and realistic print runs optimise and reduce wastage (see opposite). The choice of inks used was also minimised. Photographs were printed as duotones, and colour was used sparingly to enhance the texture of the recycled papers. Printer Printed using vegetable inks at Taylor Brothers, a carbon balanced printers certified by both the FSC and the World Land Trust. Chosen for close proximity to VIKA negating international shipping, couriers, and press-passing. Paper Printed on Fedrigoni’s Recycled Materica Viva: FSC certified, ECF free, Acid free, Heavy metal absent, selected secondary fibres. Paper is further carbon balanced through The World Land Trust, an international conservation charity endorsed by Sir David Attenborough. Papers used are: Woodstock: a pulp coloured, recycled, uncoated paper with 80% recycled fibres and 20% ECF virgin fibres, FSC certified, smooth finishing. Symbol Freelife Matt: an environment-friendly ECF paper, FSC certified. High content of recycled material with a 40% minimum recycled guarantee. Triple blade coated on both sides with matt finish. This material was challenging to use with the ink denisities for such dark images. We found that the recycled fibres are shorter and flakier than pristine fibres, meaning that small white dots appeared in some books. To negate this, dots were hand spotted by the printer and the artist. Such imperfections are the cost of sustainable materials. We must stop holding recycled stocks to the same bar of quality as pristene materials. We must learn wabi sabi and embrace what these imperfections represent. Cloth Bound using Winter & Company’s Toile Ocean, the first book cover material made from recycled polyester yarn derived 100% from ocean bound plastic and coated with water-based acrylic. For every metre sold, 1% of turnover goes to clean water projects. This material was challenging to use as it does not adhere easily to recycled board. We are using the cloth’s reverse side as we wanted the bright red colour and so were not using it as designed. We needed to test several glues to get the fabric to adhere well. Foils The cover is blocked using Foilco vegan, recyclable biodegradeable, compostable foils supported by the Zero Foil 2 Landfill scheme.

Environmental Considerations
VIKA designs books and brands that showcase the work of the artists and organisations of the future. We combine the conceptual rigour of book arts and the high production values of fine art publishing with the dynamism and connectivity of creative technologies.

About VIKA (under construction)

VIKA in partnership with Innovate Bristol

Connected Books (under construction)

VIKA designs books and brands that showcase the work of the artists and organisations of the future. We combine the conceptual rigour of book arts and the high production values of fine art publishing with the dynamism and connectivity of creative technologies.

Design estimate

An empty hardback book opened into a black page.

Free half hour consultation (under construction)

VIKA designs books and brands that showcase the work of the artists and organisations of the future. We combine the conceptual rigour of book arts and the high production values of fine art publishing with the dynamism and connectivity of creative technologies.

Portfolio review (under construction)

VIKA designs books and brands that showcase the work of the artists and organisations of the future. We combine the conceptual rigour of book arts and the high production values of fine art publishing with the dynamism and connectivity of creative technologies.

Concept Design

Dummy Book Design (under construction)

Archive curation (under construction)

VIKA designs books and brands that showcase the work of the artists and organisations of the future. We combine the conceptual rigour of book arts and the high production values of fine art publishing with the dynamism and connectivity of creative technologies.

Photo-editorial (under construction)

VIKA designs books and brands that showcase the work of the artists and organisations of the future. We combine the conceptual rigour of book arts and the high production values of fine art publishing with the dynamism and connectivity of creative technologies.

Bespoke duotone printing (under construction)

VIKA designs books and brands that showcase the work of the artists and organisations of the future. We combine the conceptual rigour of book arts and the high production values of fine art publishing with the dynamism and connectivity of creative technologies.

Reprographics (under construction)

Proofing (under construction)

Press-passing (under construction)

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Events and meets
Opportunities to connect, online or in person

VIKA Books on BBC Radio Bristol talking about BOP 2022 at the Martin Parr Foundation, I Also Fight Windmills and Free Mines Coal Faces

VIKA on BBC Radio Bristol
Nick Hodgson talks about his book Free Mines Coal Faces at the Martin Parr Foundation

Free Mines Coal Faces @ MPF
VIKA Books on BBC See Hear Deaf Brain talking about Where is the Bird?

BBC See Hear: Deaf Brain
VIKA on BBC Radio Bristol with Martin Evans talking about Women in Innovation and the first augmented reality book to inspire the use of BSL in hearing families

Martin Evans’s BBC Radio Bristol
MindStyling for Entrepreneurs Victoria Forrest: Remaining fascinated by the world calms me

Mindstyling for Entrepreneurs
Free Mines Coal Faces, Nick Hodgson. VIKA

The Sustainable Photobook Network (under construction)

In the Shadow, Leonie Hampton. VIKA

In the Shadow at Format Festival
Gaslighting Art at The Performing Photobook, part of Format Festival 2023

Gaslighting Art @ Format 2023
Nick Hodgson talks about his bookFree Mines Coal Faces on BBC Radio Gloucester

Nick Hodgson on BBC Radio Gloucester
VIKA Books at BOP 2022 at the Martin Parr Foundation

BOP 2022 @ Martin Parr Foundation & RPS (under construction)

VIKA Pitch @ Palace

VIKA @ St James’s Palace
VIKA designs books and brands that showcase the work of the artists and organisations of the future. We combine the conceptual rigour of book arts and the high production values of fine art publishing with the dynamism and connectivity of creative technologies.

VIKA on BBC Points West
CARGO (Charting African Resilience Generating Opportunities) book launch at Waterstones Bristol

CARGO launch @ Waterstones (under construction)

Where is the Bird? at Bristol Technology Festival

Where is the Bird? @ Bristol Tech Fest (under construction)

Where is the Bird? at Bristol Royal Infirmary

Where is the Bird? @ Bristol Royal Infirmary (under construction)

Where is the Bird? at Waterstones Bristol

Where is the Bird? @ Waterstones (under construction)

Radiobook Rwanda book launch at Waterstones

Radiobook Rwanda launch @ Watershed (under construction)

People we love
VIKA is proud to work alongside a remarkable range of talented networks, individuals, organisations and projects. These people inform our work and inspire us. By getting to know them, you learn more about us.

VIKA in partnership Innovate UK and Women in Innovation

Innovate UK: Women in Innovation
Baby BSL Where is the Bird? The first Augmented Reality book to inspire the use of British Sign Language in Deaf and Hearing Families.

Deaf Studies Trust
VIKA in partnership with D&AD

D&AD Future Impact
VIKA in partnership with Digital Catapult

Digital Catapult
VIKA designs books and brands that showcase the work of the artists and organisations of the future. We combine the conceptual rigour of book arts and the high production values of fine art publishing with the dynamism and connectivity of creative technologies.

The British Book Awards
VIKA designs books and brands that showcase the work of the artists and organisations of the future. We combine the conceptual rigour of book arts and the high production values of fine art publishing with the dynamism and connectivity of creative technologies.

WECA
VIKA in partnership with SWCTN (South West Creative Technology Network)

SWCTN
Where is the Bird? at Waterstones Bristol

CreatTech Ones to Watch
The Silent Land, Jesse Alexander. VIKA

The Sustainable Photobook Network

CAMERA @ University of Bath (under construction)

VIKA in partnership with Woman Who Community

Woman Who Network
In the Shadow, Leonie Hampton. VIKA

The Bookseller
This is my Proof: How Women Are Processing Violence and Domestic Abuse Through Art, Gaslighting Art, VIKA.

Sian Norris

UKRI
Baby BSL Where is the Bird? The first Augmented Reality book to inspire the use of British Sign Language in Deaf and Hearing Families.

Innovate UK EDGE
Baby BSL Where is the Bird? The first Augmented Reality book to inspire the use of British Sign Language in Deaf and Hearing Families.

TechSpark
VIKA in partnership with Great British Entrepreneur of the Year (GBEA)

Great British Entrepreneur of the Year
VIKA in partnership with InnovationRCA

Innovation RCA
VIKA in partnership with National Technology Awards

National Technology Awards
This augmented reality (AR) combines smartphone technology and sign language to inspire families to use British Sign Language with their children. The app contains 20 FREE BSL videos of everyday signs, together with tips for Deaf and hearing families to play in sign language from the Deaf Studies Trust.

BookMachine

Kibera Pride Initiative (under construction)

Bristol Royal Children’s Hospital (under construction)

Talk Club

Local Dive Thailand (under construction)

VIKA in partnership with Innovate Bristol

Innovate Bristol

Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards
VIKA in partnership with the Stevies

Stevie Awards

Tech Women 100

WomanWho Solopreneur Award

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A free VIKA Book of Books

We have FREE exquisitely manufactured, hand-stitched and lithographically printed, Book of Books for potential future clients to experience the production quality of VIKA books.