Book Design, Mahmoud Kahil Awards

As part of the visual identity we created for the Mahmoud Kahil Awards, Tarek Atrissi Design developed the full design and production of the awards’ 10th anniversary publication — a bilingual Arabic-English book celebrating a decade of achievements in comics, illustration, and editorial cartoons from the Arab world.

The book’s design is driven by expressive Arabic typography. A custom lettering piece of the award name forms the bold centerpiece of the cover and becomes the book’s visual language — echoed throughout chapter openers, large-scale typographic compositions, and dynamic index pages. The interior layout integrates the award-winning works within a refined yet playful typographic structure that balances Arabic and English equally, creating a cohesive and engaging reading experience in both languages.

The visual tone of the book captures a duality: a celebration of creative excellence, but also a reflection of the region’s painful realities. The theme of “lost hands” — a metaphor for loss, particularly among children affected by war — is present across the book in subtle but powerful ways. While the raised hand on the cover marks the 10-year milestone, other illustrations show hands in dismembered or disappearing forms, reminding the reader of the human cost behind many of the stories featured.

Printed with a metallic gold Pantone on a fold-out cover that reveals extended illustrations, the book combines elegance and emotion. Black, yellow, and white dominate the palette, with carefully selected materials and production oversight to ensure a striking tactile object. This publication is a continuation of our branding work for the awards — a project you can explore here.