In 1995, an exhibition entitled Shiba Kokan-His Versatile Life was held in Tokyo and Kobe. While working for the project in many aspects, I directed the major part of my efforts toward the production of the exhibition catalogue. By introducing DTP technology, I tried to create a catalogue at a minimum of time and cost, while presenting texts and plates effectively. With no full-fledged DTP system available at the museum, we had to accomplish the task using the minimal equipment of personal computers and desktop-publishing software.
Under such environment, the success of the project depends on fine teamwork between the curators and the staff at the editing company who are responsible for final platemaking and printing processes. Matters to be considered by the curators include: the choice of a DTP application; decision on page layouts and fonts; dealing with photo reproductions; and the procedure of exchanging data. This article tries to illustrate the advantages of and hints on using desktop-publishing technology in producing exhibition catalogues.
