The Silhouette of a Noble Crane: Poetry Meets Editorial Design

03/12 — 2025

by abduzeedo

A poetic journey shaped by editorial design — The Silhouette of a Noble Crane blends text, illustration, and material storytelling.

Editorial design is more than arranging text on a page—it’s about creating an experience. The Silhouette of a Noble Crane, the latest poetry collection by Nguyễn Thiên Ngân, embodies this philosophy. Designed by Quan & Duong, the book extends the poet’s narrative beyond words, using material choices, illustration, and layout to capture the essence of self-discovery.

A Poetic Vision in Visual Form

After seven years, Nguyễn Thiên Ngân returns with a deeply personal collection, Người là một bóng chim khuê tú (translated as The Silhouette of a Noble Crane). The title references the demoiselle crane—a bird known for its endurance, migrating across the Himalayas against extreme conditions. That resilience mirrors the book’s themes: transformation, acceptance, and identity.

Quan & Duong took this symbolism and translated it into a compelling visual language. They began with a question: If Nguyễn Thiên Ngân were an illustrator, how would she draw her journey? The result is a mixed-media approach that builds upon her photographs, layering illustrations that feel intimate, almost dreamlike. Scattered throughout the pages, the demoiselle crane makes subtle appearances, reinforcing the book’s thematic throughline.

Material as a Storytelling Element

The book’s design choices enhance the reading experience, making it as much a tactile journey as a literary one. An exposed spine with stitch binding adds a handcrafted quality, emphasizing honesty and openness—key themes in the poetry. Magic Comma art paper introduces a soft texture, inviting readers to linger on each page.

Handwritten annotations from Ngân weave through select poems, serving as whispers from the poet’s mind. These additions break the barrier between writer and reader, turning the book into a personal conversation rather than a static collection of words.

Editorial Design as an Emotional Medium

Great editorial design doesn’t just support content—it amplifies it. In The Silhouette of a Noble Crane, every element, from the paper stock to the binding, serves a purpose. The interplay of image, text, and form creates a reading experience that is immersive, tactile, and deeply personal.

As books move further into digital formats, projects like this remind us of the power of print. The Silhouette of a Noble Crane isn’t just a book—it’s an object meant to be held, experienced, and revisited. It proves that editorial design isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about evoking emotion, capturing meaning, and, in this case, bringing poetry to life beyond the page.

Find more about the project at Quan & Duong.