Book excerpt: Imagine the work of a young designer for whom concept and humor are more important than the glossy aesthetics of mainstream periodicals and design annuals and for whom the message trumps the media, and you begin to get an idea of the refreshingly smart and thought-provoking work of Daniel Eatock. Rejecting the widely held opinion that work made without a client is "art" and work for hire is "design," Eatock challenges both categories by purposely blurring the distinction. Whether he is solving traditional client problems or those of his own choosing, Eatock’s work responds to personal fascinations and the pure desire to invent, discover, and present. The first monograph on this unconventional practitioner, "Daniel Eatock Imprint" is as unconventional as the artist himself. While utilizing and embracing the expectations of a traditional monograph, the London-based designer also challenges and subverts them, presenting works based on connections and associations through color, composition, titles, material, and format rather than in chronological or hierarchical order. Constantly oscillating between art and graphic design, this book is full of Eatock’s astute observations and eccentric obsessions.