MAGAZINE GRID LAYOUTS & STRUCTURES
The Importance of Magazine Design & Layout The appearance and layout of a magazine or a publicaGon is most likely one of the most important aspects of magazine design. The front cover needs to grab people’s aLenGon, so it needs to be something that will really stand out from the rest of the magazines that are in compeGGon. With so many publicaGons being released both weekly and monthly, there is always a huge baLle between companies in order to ensure that their magazine is presented in such a way that it will sell beLer and gain the biggest number of readers. A magazine needs to stand out from the rest, and by the first thing that the audience will see is the front cover, so this will need to be its biggest selling point. The use of bold Gtles and sub-‐headings is extremely crucial in order to make that sell, and to engage readers into purchasing and reading through the enGre publicaGon. Magazines will need to ensure that people will want to read on past the contents page, and first impressions mean everything, so a strong front cover is the first selling point of the magazine. At the same Gme, this strong selling point needs to be conGnued throughout the enGre publicaGon. InteresGng use of layouts and designs are extremely important as it gives an idenGty to the magazine, and people will start to recognise its qualiGes and style. For example, many people can idenGfy a parGcular magazine due to its layout style and grid structure, making it very successful as it makes an impression on its readers. Colour, shapes, borders, typography and space all play a significant part in the design of a magazine, so a strong and interesGng layout needs to be conGnued as a theme throughout. I have carried out some research into a number of different magazines in order to gain inspiraGon for my own ideas. This will help me to see what layouts have already been done, and what is popular for magazines today. It will also help me to compare and contrast between different publicaGons based on price, target market, content and genre.
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VOGUE
As you can see, the layouts are basic and not greatly experimental. The grid structure shown in the middle shows lots of wriGng coloumns, which may come across as quite dull and doesn’t give an interesGng vocal point.
The layouts in the US version of ‘Vogue’ are very plain and simple. The pages show the real arGcle along with grid layouts I have made myself by look at the grid structures.
ELLE DecoraGon
The pages I looked at in ELLE DecoraGon didn’t seem to have many columns of wriGng, which can be beneficial as someGmes pictures can speak more when it comes to interiors, however I aim to have a equal raGo of pictures and images in my magazine, parGcularly because it will be quite descripGve and will give informaGon about my images. What I did find appealing, was the fact that almost every page in this publicaGon has a different grid layout, which keeps things interesGng for the reader
Harpers BAZAAR
From looking at a few pages from the BAZAAR magazine I noGced that they o^en laid out their pages as if they were scrapbooks, giving the effect of a collage of images. The images take up the majority of the page or spread, and liLle wriGng is used. As shown on the grid layouts I have made, most of the secGon are grey, which represents where an image is used.
I like the ways in which the magazine has used a collage effect, it creates a ‘layered’ look of images which suggest a lifestyle to readers, as interiors and fashion are fused together in the images used. I aim to use this technique in an arGcle of my own
COMPANY
Company magazine is a young and fresh publicaGon aimed at a younger target market, o^en students. The layouts are usually quite interesGng, using other frame shapes such as circles to make it more appealing to the eye, as shown above in the spreads. The magazine has a good use of both wriGng and images, which is something I really want to ensure that I incorporate into my own design. Similar to the BAZAAR magazine, each page is different and has a new and interesGng layout to keep readers engaged, rather than using simple layouts which aren’t as interesGng.
Homes & AnGques
The Homes & AnGques magazine have some really good layouts, infact, some of them are my favourite out of the number of magazines I have looked at for research. They have a good use of wriGng and images, and the grid structures are very neat, and do not have any overlapping photographs. They also use the ‘collaging’ technique by using products to create and show a lifestyle. The publicaGon is however, very safe and not parGcularly experimental. I would like to see some interesGng shapes as I would like my magazine to have a modern and contemporary look to reflect my target market.
DOMINO
Domino magazine is also aimed at a younger target audience, and because of this, they have analysed their readers carefully and have produced a really modern and contemporary magazine, filled with lots of interesGng arGcles, along with innovaGve layouts and grid structures to go with them. Domino magazine is sGll my favourite publicaGon in terms of layouts, as I find there Is something completely different on every page. They also use different shapes to frame text and images, which create interesGng focal points for the readers. It is also something that I have never seen in any other publicaGon, and I have taken great inspiraGon from the layouts of this magazine, as this is the style I wish to incorporate into my own design.
MADE WITH LOVE
Made With Love magazine is a modern interior design magazine, and has a young target market. I love how they use really bright colours to grab the aLenGon of users, an layouts are something I have never seen before. The use of geometric paLerns and interesGng shapes really finish of the page, and the colours use o^en the reflect the photographs shown on the pages. Combining both Domino magazine and this publicaGon, I am confident I can produce something that will be really unique and suited for both my traget audience and subject.
Layout Experiments BASIC
I have put together a few of my own designs for magazine layouts, in order to test my creaGvity a^er looking at the publicaGons I have researched. I have considered both basic and abstract/fun layout structures to see what sort of style would be best suited for my magazine.
BASIC
These layouts reflect the styles of magazines such as Vogue, ELLE DecoraGon and publicaGons aimed for more of a higher class target market, thus keeping the style relaGvely basic and not too modern. I will sGll, however, mix some of these layouts with abstract styles to please all readers.
ABSTRACT/FUN
These layouts are a lot more experimental, and would be ideal for a magazine that aims to grab the aLenGon of people interested in design and contemporary styles, which summarises my target market. A lot of different shapes are used, as well as a good mix of both wriGng and images on each page.
ABSTRACT/FUN
Using ‘Domino’ and ‘Made With love’ magazines, I have used them as inspiraGon to create some fun and exciGng layouts. I feel that these will be really appealing and will keep the reader engaged with the enGre publicaGon. With my magazine subject being based on design and visual maLers, I feel that using abstract layouts will reflect what my magazine is all about. It is somewhat ‘merchandising’ the ways in which the pages are displayed and perceived.