Nancy Kay Clark, editor of Design Edge Canada's presentation to Centennial College/University of Toronto journalism students on the basics of magazine structure given on Oct. 2, 2012

1. [-] Magazine Design

2. [1] Intro
The role of the magazine art director and
designer is to convey the editorial message and
voice, and capture reader attention, with visuals
including layout, typography, photography and
illustration. It is more than just decoration; it
goes to the core of the editorial mission.
“Design should never say, ‘Look at me.’ It
should always say, ‘Look at this.’”
—Graphic Designer David Craib, Parable Communications, Ottawa

3. [2] Anatomy of a magazine spread
Signpost or slug Horizontal rule Gutter FP4C ad
Head (hed)
Deck (dek)
Drop cap
Text (body
copy)
Close-crop
photo
RHP
Folio Vertical rule Bleed Jump or turn White space

4. [3] Architecture
Common metaphor: The 3-course meal
Hors d’oeuvres: Main course: Dessert:
Cover Feature well Back of book
Editor’s note Cover story Columns
Letters Secondary features Listings
Front of book Service pieces
section (usually Reviews
named) Classifieds/small
Columns ads
End piece
Almost every magazine in the world has this architecture. Readers are
intimate with it, if not conscience of it

5. [3a] Architecture
Other metaphors:
“The classic form is quite like that of a grand opera. You whet the
appetite with the overture... Next the opera may introduce us to
shorter passages and fragments of melodies, building up to the
climax of a great aria...”
—Horst Moser
“ [Neville] Brody, for instance, refers to examples from
architecture, and says that he tried to base his design for The
Face on town planning, guiding his reader through the magazine
with signposts and, at particular points, with open spaces.”

6. [4] Grid
3-column: standard
4-column: front and back more typical
2-column: sometimes features
Usually dictated by the type of advertising you’ll
get (e.g. partials vs full-pages, ads in
competitive set)
Affects personality: 4-column faster pace,
2-column bookish
A key decision: decide on grid structure early

7. [4a] Grid: 4-column

8. [4b] Grid: 3-column

9. [4c] Grid: 2-column

10. [5] Advertising: part of the visual experience
Partials:
• 1/2 page vertical, horizontal, island
• 1/3 page vertical, island
• 1/4 page
• 1/6 page
• Full page
• Double-page spread (DPS)
• Inserts, tip-ons
The advertising you can expect to get will play a big role in
your architecture, not the other way around
The more partial ads, the more challenging for the designer.
Can look junkier.

11. [5a] Advertising: part of the visual experience
Advertising voice vs editorial voice: make sure there is
contrast
Advertising voice: colour, mixed typography
Editorial voice: white, white space, constrained typography

12. [6] Typography
The most important design choice
Huge factor in conveying your editorial voice and personality
(along with image selection and layout)
Best Looks for Fall
Best Looks for Fall
Best Looks for Fall
Best Looks for Fall
Usually the first indicator of amateur vs professional design
Borrow from other magazines: everybody does it
Learn the language of typography

13. [6a] Typography
Serif, serif, serif, serif:
e.g. Century Schoolbook, Bodoni, Caslon, Times New Roman
Use serif type for body copy and also display
Sans serif, sans serif, sans serif:
Meta, Helvetica, Bureau Grotesque
Display, captions, secondary copy e.g. sidebars
Sans serif type often works well for headlines

14. [6b] Typography

15. [7] Anatomy of the Cover
Skybar
Logo Folio
(sometimes
called the
masthead) Tag line
Starburst Secondary cover
(disruptor) line
Inset photo
Main cover line
or sell line
UPC code and
bipad #

16. [7a] Anatomy of the Cover
Radical clarity
over cuteness!
For most magazines, cover lines must
instantly communicate benefit to the reader

17. [7b] Anatomy of the Cover
Think about how your magazine will be displayed:
• On a newsstand: full face or covered up?
• In a rack
• In the mailbox

18. [8] Physical Format
• Size (standard/editorial, oversize, tabloid, digest)
• Binding (saddlestitched, perfect bound, loose)
• Paper (glossy coated, matte coated, uncoated,
supercalendared)
Considerations:
• Cost
• Personality
• Competitive set
• Feel
• Environment
• Reproduction
• Advertiser expectations
• Distribution mode (postal, newsstand, racks, etc.)

19. [9] Mix: the secret to a great magazine
Visual mix:
•Photography vs illustration vs text/typography
•Size (images, type, white space)
•Length (articles)
Editorial mix:
•Voice/voices
•Story choice
•Article length
Article formats:
•Features
•Essays
•Short items: front of book
•Columns
•Service pieces
•Illustrated pieces/infographics/photo essays
•Q&A
•Surveys
•Signature pages/formats

20. [9a] Mix: Cover

21. [9b] Mix: table of contents (TOC)

22. [9c] Mix: masthead, ed note, partials

23. [9d] Mix: front of book, opener, rhp

24. [9e] Mix: front of book, columns, sidebars, lhp

25. [9f] Mix: front of book, departments, pacing

26. [9g] Mix: feature well, DPS, pacing, white space

27. [9h] Mix: feature, recurring design motif

28. [9i] Mix: feature, recurring design motif

29. [9j] Mix: opening spread, slab serif, illo, rules

30. [9k] Mix: inside page, pull-quote

31. [9l] Mix: opening spread, colour, font

32. [9m] Mix: inside spread, ad insert

33. [9n] Mix: cover opener, special display font

34. [9o] Mix: cover feature, recurring design motif

35. [9p] Mix: cover feature, recurring design motif

36. [9q] Mix: cover feature, pacing device

37. [9r] Mix: cover feature, b&w, 2-col

38. [9s] Mix: cover feature, colour illo

39. [9t] Mix: back of book opener, rhp

40. [9u] Mix: back of book, partial ads, 3-col

41. [9v] Mix: back page department, signature piece

42. [9w] Mix: signature piece

43. [10] Your magazine
Budget = physical format
Personality = physical format
What advertising can you expect to get?
Find magazines with similar personalities and missions, borrow and
adapt
Decide on grid & basic architecture (remember those ads!)
Choose 2 fonts and basic type styling: front, middle, back (borrow!)
Type is your most important weapon
Choose colour palette (business colours vs playful colours)
Think about pacing esp. editorial well
Focus on cover. Think about how it will be displayed
Work with printer for best reproduction, e.g. file specs

44. [10a] Your magazine
A few things to watch out for:
• Editorial photos bleeding into advertising
• Advertising content/colours clashing with editorial content/colours
• Tombstone headlines (depending)
• Lack of contrast: mix up sizes (e.g. images), colours
• Too many type styles
• Choose radical clarity over cuteness

45. [11] Web links
Society of Publication Designers
SPD.org
• The Process blog, lots of cover examples
Coverssells.com
MastheadOnline.com
Typedia.com