Magazine Layout

Goal:  Create a mock magazine layout consisting of a front and two connecting secondary pages.

Directions: Create a mockup magazine cover and two page spread.  
(1) Download and print out Grid Template.  Create preliminary layout on printed grid template.
(2) For the magazine cover layout, consider allocated space for a Masthead, Primary & Secondary content and Photos/graphics.
(3) For two page layout, consider how many columns will be used, drop caps, Titles, pictures and captions.
(4) Once layouts have been approved, define a subject for your project to drive the content needs.  Use Greek Text to fill in paragraph information. Headers, Titles, Photographs & Graphics should all be subject specific.  (Final work will be accomplished with Adobe Illustrator.  Adobe Photoshop may be used to edit photos before importing to Adobe Illustrator.  
(5) Create original Drop Cap(s) & Logo/Masthead for final design.
(6) Consider font choices. Font choices should enforce and empower design, not distract or water down design intentions.
(7) Consider Visual Hierarchy as in terms of the order of importance that viewers should perceive information.  

Vocabulary

Gutter (Ally): Blank space in the center where tw3o facing pages meet. See gutter margin

Margin: The outside margin of a page, as opposed to the back (inside) margin or gutter.

MastHead: A distinctive design, logotype, or style of type used to identify a company. Typically at the top of the layout / document.

Font Familes (Serif vs. Sans Serif):

Storefront Font: A decorative font designed to grab the viewers attention quickly.  Effective for a few words.  Not effective use of font display for paragraphs of text information.

Text Wrap: Formatting - Text conforming to the outer contours of surrounding graphic information.

Drop Cap: A single letter at the start of a body of text, designed to stand out and direct the viewers attention.  Drop Caps are typically larger than other fonts on the page and tend to be embellished with non functional design detail.

Visual Hierarchy: is the order in which the human eye perceives what it sees. This order is created by the visual contrast between forms in a field of perception. Objects with highest contrast to their surroundings are recognized first by the human mind. The term visual hierarchy is used most frequently in the discourse of the visual arts fields, notably so within the field of graphic design.


Grid System: The most flexible foundation to support the designer working in two and three dimensions is that of the grid. The grid divides a two-dimensional or three-dimensional space into smaller compartments. The fields or compartments may be the same or different in size. (See grid designs below.)


Columns: Vertical partitions of space used in design to organize graphic content.

Greek Text: In publishing and graphic design, lorem ipsum is a placeholder text (filler text) commonly used to demonstrate the graphic elements of a document or visual presentation, such as font, typography, and layout, by removing the distraction of meaningful content.


Borders: A part that forms the outer edge of something. A decorative lip that surrounds graphic elements such as text, photos and graphics.

Banding: The presence or formation of visible stripes of contrasting color.


Bleed: Is a printing term that refers to printing that goes beyond the edge of the sheet before trimming. In other words, the bleed is the area to be trimmed off.