For my features, I wanted to keep it interesting and fun for the my audience. (grades 11-12th ages 16-18). So I played around with bold typefaces, and color to add a pop to each layout. I want to make them engaging but without taking away from the content because that's what really important. But i don't want to bore them either. Also, I found it hard finding images for this feature article? I don't know why. I couldn't decide what to use. Anyways, feedback would be awesome! Thanks guys!
Hello Naidin,
ReplyDeleteLooking at your spreads I see elements from the second and third spreads that I think could eventually become a marriage for the final version. I really like the photo you used for the second spread. I also really like the pull quote and the line treatment (do we need both the horizontal and vertical lines? class?) in the second spread. I really like the color palette as well. My favorite thing about the third spread is the full bleed photo. Very strong image! One critic for this would be I don't really like the font used on HUNGER..
Great Work,
Rob
Of course you like the color palette ;) But yes I notice the use of line that could turn into something as well. I hear what your saying about the typeface on the last spread. I was trying to find something different than the other two spreads. Something other than a San Serif bold typeface.
DeleteThank you this helps!
I like your first spread, but since your audience is geared to high schoolers, maybe you should have someone younger? The girl you chose would probably be in her 20's. Maybe choose a teen instead.
ReplyDeleteI really like what you did with the orange lines in the second spread. It helps to navigate through the page easily.
The imagery for the third spread really works for the article being featured.
The girl was searched under late teens because my audience is ages 16-18 which I'd why I thought she would fit. But I see what you mean though! Thank you!
DeleteNadine – I see 3 very different approaches using the same text, exactly what my vision of the exercise was. Good! I see strengths in all 3 that could be recombined into a strong layout. The strength of Layout #1 is the large, compelling heading that travels across both pages. The 2 column grid works well to hold that strong initial drop cap. The photo, however, is a problem. I love that it is a silhouette that causes a great text wrap… but this article is NOT about junk food, just the opposite. Yet upon quick glance I would assume that this well-fed pretty women eating dessert represents the subject matter. That couldn’t be further from the truth, right? Layout #2 starts with an appropriate image that contains a clever heading placement. But the layout seems quite dense, where is the negative space? The quote is good, and I’d encourage you to find a photo that helps it take on some “visual” meaning too. I’m not sure what the double orange lines mean… they don’t seem to add visual information that accompanies the content. Layout #3 starts with a strong image that might actually be compromised by the title placement. Instead, I wonder if you were to reduce the photo from Layout 2 and add it to this large image… that would really represent the subject matter well, wouldn’t it? An empty refrigerator results in an empty plate – there is a connection. I question your intro paragraph boxed as it is… again, what do those boxes mean visually? I don’t think they relate to the subject. What would relate? This story starts with a dilemma about hungry kids – if this text were to wrap around a silhouette of a young boy (who could be Keegan) that might work well – or something of that nature. I encourage you to read the text again, think how you can bring it alive with images and other elements, and move forward with some of the stronger elements and approaches I see here to make a 4th layout. I can see that you enjoy the addition of “line”… so how can you use it effectively and not just as ornamental addition? For instance – lines pull the reader’s eye and helps us make a connection between different content in different places on the page. Give your lines a job, and they will become more integral to the page.
ReplyDeleteOkay I'm so glad to hear I did the exercise right this time! And all this sounds good! Thank you Coni! I think for the first one I chose that image because I wanted the teens to relate to it? But maybe a different one would work. I like the idea of a small boy to maybe pull on their heart stings a bit?
DeleteNadin, I am absolutely in love with the first layout. I would definitely say it is the most successful. The text flowing in and out of the image immediately grabs my attention as well as using color pulled from the image itself. The large heading type fits perfectly with your audience type. My only critique would to maybe move the line down a bit to separate it from the bottom alignment of the type.
ReplyDeleteThe other two layouts work, but they are just lacking a little something. Maybe adding a second color? Or maybe adding another small image wrapped into the text to separate the large amount of body copy? The typefaces chosen are very dynamic, but for some reason these layouts don't pull me in as fast as the first one.
Okay thanks Brittney! I will take this into consideration!
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