Writing For Print

Given the current lockdown restrictions I found it hard to come up with a print article topic, typically I gather inspiration from my surroundings whether that be a particular trend I’ve seen someone wear whilst out in the city centre or an illustration that’s evoked emotion in an art gallery. I wanted to write a piece that would have relevance but would also be fashion focused. I came up with the idea of writing an article on ‘The UK Independent Designers You Need to Know About This S/S21’. All of the designers I featured in the article had either started their brand during the first lockdown in 2020 or their brand had flourished as a result of having more time on their hands. The bright imagery allowed me to be more creative with the visual layout and as there were no guidelines to follow in terms of the visual representation of the magazine, I kept it simple by adding coloured boxes. When I submitted this article, I decided to take a look at my peer’s submissions and noticed that our visual styles were not consistent, some students changed heading fonts, and some were extremely bold and colourful. On reflection I think the print writers could have had a meeting to communicate the visual style we should stick to for that week. Furthermore, I think that in the future there could be consideration for an art editor that would be able to ensure that all writers had a visual style guide to follow and ensure that the visual presentations of articles marry well with each other. ‘Art editors are responsible for the way a magazine looks. They present the words and images in a way that is easy for the reader to digest, with high visual impact.’ (Job Description: Art Director, 2012)