Magazine Design

Scenario: You are a graphic designer in an art department for a publishing company. The account executive would like to choose one of the designers to create a new consumer magazine. To be chosen, the account executive would like to see your ideas. You will select a magazine that is of interest to you and redesign the cover and a 2-page feature spread.


The following information should be included:

Cover:

  • Magazine logo (Nameplate)
  • Dateline and cover lines (articles and content blurbs)
  • Photograph promoting a main feature article
  • Magazine price and bar code

Feature Spread:

  1. Photograph(s)
  2. Typographic elements:
    1. Headline (the main title)
    2. Lead-in or Subhead (descriptive display type before or after the headline)
    3. Byline (the writer's name)
    4. Photo caption(s) (small descriptions of photo content)
    5. Text (the body of the article)
    6. Folio (magazine name/date/page number)
    7. Pull quote(s) (brief quotes from the text in large type)
    8. Jump line ("continued on page ___.")

Jump spread

Continue your article after the opening spread to two more pages that concentrate more on text and less on imagery.

 

You will need to present 3 rough concepts to the client. After you have received feedback you will need to develop the final magazine logo (nameplate), finished cover, contents page(s), and a two-page feature spread.

You will work with your art director on research, idea exploration, and concept development. You will submit thumbnails to the art director, who will then choose 3 concepts to develop into 3 tight roughs. Once the roughs have been approved by the art director, the client will select one for the final comp.

In order to make sure that the job is scheduled appropriately, prints correctly and all electronic files are configured correctly you will be in close contact with the production manager. The final comprehensive design will need to simulate the final printed project as closely as possible. The client has asked that all of the digital files be delivered at the completion of the project.

Project deadlines

Student examples   2006  2007

Step 1: Meet with your projects instructor.

  1. Go to the magazine project page and collect the project information:
    1. Projects Course Syllabus
    2. Project Schedule
    3. Project description
    4. Project criteria
    5. Terminology
    6. Student examples
    7. Text and image files
  2. Print out a copy of the sign-off sheet
  3. Schedule a meeting with the projects instructor, who will be your account executive for this project.

Step 2: Meet with your process instructor.

  1. Go to the magazine process page and collect the process information.
    1. Process Course Syllabus
    2. Creative techniques to use
    3. Exercises
    4. Terminology
    5. Outcomes and criteria
    6. Instructions for presentation
  2. Schedule a meeting with the process instructor, who will be your art director for this project.

Step 3: Meet with your technology instructor.

  1. Go to the magazine technology page and collect the tech information.
    1. Tech Course Syllabus
    2. Outcomes and criteria
    3. Software tutorials
    4. Exercises: Type exercise
      • Instructions for presentation
      • Assessment
  2. Schedule a meeting with the technology instructor, who will be your production manager for this project.
  3. Determine prerequisite skills necessary to complete the project.
  4. Complete project exercises:
    1. TBA

Step 4: Complete project research.

  1. Define the target audience.
  2. Define the client need.
  3. Collect examples of magazine designs.

Step 5: Develop thumbnails

  1. Create three different concepts for the magazine design.
  2. Sketch the magazine design in thumbnail form.
  3. Verify that your work meets thumbnail criteria.
  4. Submit thumbnails to the art director for sign off / approval.

Step 6: Develop rough layouts.

  1. Develop roughs from thumbnails which were approved by the art director.
  2. Rough layouts will be to size of the final magazine and communicate more detail than the thumbnails.
  3. Verify that your work meets roughs criteria.
  4. Submit roughs to the art director for sign off / approval.

Step 7: Submit rough layouts to the client.

  1. After the art director approves your roughs, meet with the client and present your designs.
  2. The client will sign off and approve the design to be taken to final stage.

Step 8: Meet with the production manager.

  1. Determine the skills and steps needed to produce your design (digital strategy).
  2. Discuss your digital strategy with the production manager.
  3. Ask the production manager about any issues you are unsure of.
  4. When it is clear that you understand how to produce your design correctly and efficiently, the production manager will sign off / approve your strategy.

Step 9: Produce the digital comp.

  1. Create all native files (raster and vector images) using Illustrator and Photoshop.
  2. Assemble text and images using QuarkXpress.
  3. Conform to standard prepress criteria for all file preparation and type formatting.
  4. Make backup copies of all files after each work session.
  5. Print a black and white laser proof and check for correctness and accuracy.
  6. Have "DIGITAL COMP CRITIQUE / PEER REVIEW" of your grayscale digital comp.
  7. Make appropriate revisions.
  8. Print color separations and check for correctness.
  9. Make appropriate revisions.
  10. Create a PDF version of the final design.
  11. Copy all final documents to the server folder(s) specified by the client and production manager.
  12. Make an appointment with your art director for sign off / approval.

Step 10: Verify correct file preparation with your lab instructor.

  1. Using the print preparation checklist have a "TECHNOLOGY PEER REVIEW" of your project files before meeting a lab instructor
  2. Make an appointment with your lab instructor to sign off on the following:
    • hand in studio (lab) time sheet
    • show back up filing system
    • discuss file organization and naming conventions
    • discuss learning strategies
  3. Verify:
    • Correct raster file sampling and preparation.
    • Correct vector file preparation.
    • Correct font choices and styles.
    • Correct color usage.
    • Complete service provider package
  4. Submit the completed checklist to your lab instructor for approval/ sign-off.

Step 11: Submit final comp to the client for sign off / approval.

  1. Project should be linked up to the roster page provided.
  2. Project should presented using the html template provided.
  3. Client should receive all digital documents and a composite pdf file on the server as specified by the client.

Step 12: Fill out self-assessments: