If you’re looking to get better at editorial or layout design, a great project is to rebuild a layout and then rework it. In the video below, I’m redesigning a magazine page that I found. I go into detail about how we can make the layout better and the justifications for my decisions.
I’m following the same process that I follow every time I approach a page. So, follow along, maybe take some notes, and then use the video as a reference for future projects.
Here are some takeaways
Stop decorating your designs.
We’re designers, not decorators. First, you have to decide which elements make sense and match the content of your page. If you can’t validate why an element is on your page, remove it. This brings me to the next takeaway…
Create space, don’t fill it.
Our end goal as designers to communicate. There are times when we have to fit a lot of content into tight spaces. With that said, we need to find ways on how to create space. White space around elements allows your text and images to breadth, which also makes it easier for your reader to understand.
Establish a grid.
I constantly mention this to designers. Grids are essential, especially in editorial design. They provide structure for your designs. Additionally, they are the fastest way to drop elements onto a page. One way to create more white space on a page is to give your page enough margin around the content.
Be conscious of your design system.
What do I mean by a “design system?” It’s simply that you’re doing things systematically. In the video above, I created a very simple system for the use of lines on the page. There isn’t a single line in my layout that doesn’t follow that system.
This can also apply to typography. Reduce the number of fonts you’re using and keep everything consistent. This will allow your readers to have a visual reference of the information they’re consuming. Subheads are bold and the body copy is in serif? Don’t confuse your reader by changing this up randomly. There is an instance where using callouts creates an opportunity to introduce a different style, but again, it should somehow relate to the other text styling on the page.
For multi-page documents, your design system can be creating a large element that serves as the anchor for the page. The other elements will then be placed based on that anchor element.
Design in black.
We all want to get to the end solution as fast as possible, but what can be confusing along the way is when you design with color. As I mentioned, design should be purposeful. You can’t really decide on color until your layout is done. When you design in black, you start looking at your text as elements and it neutralizes where you can place them on the page. If you design with color, there is a subconscious aspect where you start placing your text to balance out the color on the page.
Lastly, black text on a white background is bullet-proof typography and is easier to read. Keep it easy for yourself and for your reader!
Explore additional options.
You can start by pushing all of your elements off to the side and then reworking the page from scratch. You can swap out different images, which will force you to change the layout. Running your text horizontally or vertically will allow you to create a more rigid structure, but it will allow other elements to be the real hero.
Add another design element. In this case, I tried options with a colored background. This was an opportunity for the products to overlap an element. Overlap creates depth in your designs.
Explore as many options are you’re able to. I want to caveat that I’ve designed thousands of pages and I’m extremely comfortable building layouts. If you’re new to this, consider sketching some layouts and then build them in InDesign.
Conclusion
Focus on your process because that’s what will help you create a consistent level of design each time. The more you trust in this process, you’ll then start to find more success in your designs. Hopefully, you’ll be happier with the end products as well and develop work that you can be proud of. Keep on creating!
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