For this exercise I started off just trying to fit the grid and work around that. But after the first two I really wanted to target my audience so I changed to a four column grid and chose certain elements I am going to stick with throughout the magazine. I feel like the overlay on the black and white photos will unify the articles. As always feedback is more than helpful. Thanks!
Chris
Chris, I like the way you unified the article with the blue accent element. I felt the bottom right blue accent on each image in the article offered a clear and consistent look. The only element the I would question is the triangle located on in the fourth column. All the other blue accent triangles pointed in the South-East direction whereas the last triangle pointed West. Consider pointing them all in the same direction.
ReplyDeleteChris – It’s great that I’m seeing 3 very different approaches on these pages. Nice. I think I’m also seeing that you may be feeling pretty constrained within the grids, as you mention in your explanation. Working in grids can feel constrained unless you choose to break the grid in some places, adding excitement and interest to the page. Both Layouts #1 and #2 need this type of “breaking out” to become more successful designs. For instance in Layout #1, why not enlarge the heading (please use the whole title of the article) and go across both columns on the left page… and even across the gutter (carefully so no words actually fall ON the gutter) and into the column on the right hand page? A Feature article can usually be identified by its large heading and large use of photos. If I had to guess, I might have thought this was a department, with its 4 smallish pictures. Would you consider choosing one of them to enlarge significantly, while juxtaposing the smaller ones on the pages to rebalance the composition? Layout #2 looks a bit like a government report rather than a lifestyle magazine. Your audience, of well-educated 20-25 yr olds would want… what? Are you speaking to males, females, or both (most difficult)? What do you know about them? What else do they read? Do some research into some of these questions, and it will also help you make some informed design decisions aimed at this demographic.
ReplyDeleteI see in Layout #3 an awareness of a how photos and type can work together to enhance the subject of the article. The large b/w photo (or is it a duotone?) works well to express the first paragraph. I do think it’s a bit strange to see so many blue shapes… when the heading actually says “Green” in its title. Have you considered actually using green? The 4 column grid will work for you, although I wonder if the first 2 columns on your right-hand page couldn’t be combined into 1 – allowing the text to flow across both of them (creating a wider shape on the page). Then your descending line of photos would introduce a line width contrast to that wider shape to its left. I question whether you need to fill the column at right with text (as you have here) – maybe instead enlarge one of the photos to flow into that column and allow some negative space over here to give us a rest, and give this more of a Feature feel. You will have 2-4 pages for this article, so there is no need to overload the spread with text. Consider wider margins all around too, and you'll immediately bring this closer to a Feature article feel.