For the Feature spreads, I tried to keep the look and feel similar to the ones I started when I created the one-page features and one-page department articles. Again, my target audience is fitness enthusiasts ranging from early 20s to mid 30s. I want to incorporate images of healthy alternatives to delicious favorites. I want the typography to be dynamic, engaging, and modern. All colors have been pulled from the images chosen to create unity. I think I know which spread I like the best, but I am curious to see if you all choose the same.
Brittany – I enjoy looking at all of these. Some thoughts: Layout #1 is busy, with lots of elements. The strongest elements are the photos, Ahead, and the lines that appear and disappear on the pages that encourage the reader onward. The body copy on the left-hand page sits in a really wide line length, probably too wide for us to easily navigate from right to left as we try to read from line to line down the column. And, that’s a lot of italic type to read in condensed paragraphs (you sure you need italic?). Could you consider a smaller line length... look at your grid. The Bhead at top of right-hand page is tracked widely, but sits in 2 lines… this amount of line tracking might work better across both columns at the top of the page in just one line. The long fingers of neg space between paragraphs seems to cut up the body copy maybe too much… did you try less space? Maybe no space and indents instead?
ReplyDelete#2 Layout appears to be a bit more calm, although the energy created by the relationship between the photo and heading type is a bit exciting. This is a strong beginning to this article. I wonder about the small photo on pg 7, with all that internal negative space on the right. I’m sure it was art directed to allow type to be placed there… so, what will you do? A descending group of smaller photos could move through that space adding quite a bit more tension and interest to the page. Something needs to happen to activate this area, and I’m happy that you selected this type of photo… it’s an opportunity to discover what else you can cleverly come up with. I question the font used for the Bhead in upper right… it looks too young, and doesn’t seem to fit with the refined approach I see everywhere else on the page.
#3 Layout – some interesting things happening, but your biggest challenge here is to unify both pages. They have nothing in common at the moment – and each individual composition stops at the inside gutter… if this is something you want to pursue, you will need to either start type on the left page in the negative space, and/or continue the pattern of photo shapes onto the right page. More work is needed on this layout than the other ones.
So… I think your choice is between Layout 1 and Layout 2 (my favorite as it stands currently).
Great work here! I really must say my favorite 2 are Layout 2, and 3. I like the concept for you side bar, it think if you continue with this throughout the magazine it good be a strong visual and design element. I would adjust the text frame and add a little more of a margin from the type and the end of the page because it seems to be butting up a little close to the end of the page. I like the food image you have as an entire page and he type choices are strong and I really liked how you pulled the color from the image to add for your typeface. It’s strong visually.
ReplyDeleteLayout 3 is just slightly more favored to me than others. I really think this is a strong design and even though there is a good amount of context on the page but with the spacing and point size you don’t feel overwhelmed. I would advise maybe creating a mask and eliminating the background of the utensils so it’s on its own. I really like the typeface you chose here maybe play with expanding it 2 columns and butting against the image in the third column. Also, love what you did with the image on the left hand page. It is creative and playful and gives you enough of what the image but creates a nice visuals change and especially hen your right hand page has a good amount of content this helps break of the design on a spread.