Print design

Desktop Publishing (DTP) DTP involves laying text and graphics on pages. As well as being able to use DTP and graphics software you need to know: 1.The names of various page elements 2.Some basic typographic ideas 3.Some simple principles for attractive page design.

Page elements The Scotsman front page, 3 October 2006

Page elements Masthead in serif caps Splash (lead story) headline in serif Puff in sans serif reverse type Strapline in serif Index Mug shot Jump line Logo Body text Sidebar Headline in sans serif Caption Cutout Rule Slogan (Scotlands National Newspaper) The Scotsman front page, 3 October 2006

Basic typography Font TypeExamplesUsage Serif Times, Century Serifs are the small strokes at the ends of the letters. Serifs make small body text readable as the strokes lead the eye along the line; serif fonts can connote tradition, the past, authority Sans Serif Arial, Century Gothic Sans serif is French for without serif. Sans serif connotes modernity in mastheads; often used as subheads within serif body text Script Comic Sans, French Script Connotes personalisation – use sparingly Display Broadway, Impact Use sparingly for particular connotations

Simple design principles Print and web designer Robin Williams provides simple page design principles in The Non-Designers Design Book (2 rd ed.), Peachpit Press, When you design a page of a magazine or a print advertisement you should consider four aspects: 1.Contrast 2.Repetition 3.Alignment 4.Proximity These are illustrated in the following slides which analyse the design of the front cover of New Scientist, 19 May 2007.

Contrast Contrast makes different elements look different Magazine information: the title is the largest textual element in the top section of the page. Story puffs: The puffs for the three stories are differentiated by font size and colour. Modules: the top and bottom modules have their elements left and right and aligned. The central module has text and image centre aligned.

Repetition Repetition gives a unity to page design Typography: the typefaces are all a modern sans serif which also connote the up-to-date nature of the content. Colour: Note the repetition of the colours: dark blue and orange text; turquoise in the background of the puff top-right, text bottom left and in the image background.

Alignment Alignment leads the eye around the page Almost every element on the page has been aligned with one or more elements. There are three vertical lines and 3 horizontal lines - all invisible - which have been used to line up page elements Centre-alignment is often regarded as boring but here the axis of symmetry of the bear is used as a line to centre the lead story puff on climate change. The centering visually links image and puff.

Proximity Proximity places related elements together The page uses a modular layout with three horizontal modules: Top: this contains magazine information: title, date, frequency (weekly), types of content (news, ideas, innovation, careers). Centre: Puff for lead story above an appealing polar bear picture. Bottom: Puffs for two more stories plus price and bar code.

Planning advertising content We need a method of planning the content of print advertisements One of the best-known methods goes by the name AIDA - the initial letters stand for attention, interest, desire and action The method is also useful in planning front page of any print publication as this acts as an ad for the content.

Attention How are you going to attract peoples attention? You will need to consider aspects such as: –choice and treatment of main image(s) –choice of words, font, size, colour for main text –where the ad is placed to maximise the chance of it being seen by the target audience.

Interest Once they have noticed the ad their interest must be gained You will need to consider aspects such as: –choice and treatment of supporting image(s) –choice and treatment of body text.

Desire They must be encouraged to desire the product/service/campaign aims You will need to consider : –what benefits will the reader gain by spending money and/or time and on the product/service/campaign? –perhaps posing an intriguing question which is only answerable by reader action.

Action The advertisement should provoke the reader into the desired action You will need to consider if the advertisement includes information such as: –where to purchase/access/join the product/ service/campaign –where can the reader can find out more (e.g. address, phone number, , website).

AIDA analysis Examine this cover from New Scientist (19 May 2007) How does it try to attract the readers attention? How does it try to gain reader interest? How does it encourage the readers desire to buy the magazine?

AIDA analysis Examine this poster for An Inconvenient Truth (2006) How does it try to attract the readers attention? How does it try to gain reader interest? How does it encourage the readers desire to see the film? How does it try to provoke reader action?