Better layout, Better content
Updated: Jan 17, 2021
Learning about Graphics Design is probably one of the most interesting & useful things through my journey of 12 weeks in the Making Media course at RMIT. Related to my second assignment of "Creating a 12-page magazine", I now know for certain that: beside Content, a good Design plays a key role in the success of a Magazine (both E-magazines & Printed magazines) since it generates the best reading experience for viewers; the more intriguing the magazine design is, the more connected to its readership. This blog will analyze both the technical and aesthetic factors of two inside pages' layouts from 2 different magazines.
The first sample is taken on Pinterest from an unknown author. When I first glanced at this page, I was immediately impressed by its lively & colorful photos of pizza pieces, the editor was so smart and mindful that also included the shades for each piece in order to make it looks more realistic. These pictures deliver the feeling of freshness & tastiness after enjoying the pizza to readers. Secondly, a big & different typeface was used for the title, yet there is still room for improvements here: if I'm the editor, I will change the color of the Heading to white letters with black lines inside instead of the black fonts used above, so as to emphasize the youthful and minimal vibe of the whole page. Besides that, the chosen black Typeface fits perfectly with the general outlook & it's distinctive on the white theme color of this article. The heading "Pizza We Love" is catchy, short & informative enough to grab the readers' attention. Thirdly, the red kicker (introduction sentence) below is highly contrasted with the black title. The subheading "Ten slices you gotta try" & the other 7 subheadings are smaller than the title and bigger than the body; consequently, they create a strong link between the headline and the body. Moreover, I'm also amazed by how well-organized the structure is, this page is vertically-structured to carefully guide the viewers' eyes. The main content is equally divided into 7 sections to show consistency throughout the whole article, excluding the first section-which is horizontally displayed. There are 6 columns, which present 6 different types of pizza that are highly recommended for pizza lovers with distinguishable illustrations below, each section is separated from others by many thin lines. Additionally, it's mandatory that the authors of any articles & the photographers are giving credits to their works; the authors' names are mentioned under the main content on this page. Last but not least, the header & footer of this article are clearly stated with horizontal lines on the top and page numbers, issue's details are at the bottom of the page. Overall, the layout is simple but easy to read and accumulate information with not too many words, putting the readers' minds at ease.
The second sample is from a traveling magazine called HAJI but I assume that this page is specialized in Asian cuisine, about a Japanese dish: Ramen noodles. While the first sample is vertically displayed, this sample follows a horizontal direction with the content spreading out on a large page. In comparison with the first sample, this one has a traditional layout with fewer images but more details; especially includes only one bold Subheading written in italics, wrapping up the whole key point of the article. Even though this page does not have any center photos to catch my attention right away but there are 2 close-ups pictures of Ramen with smaller lines of Subtitles around, which are quite fascinating to see. The main colors are 2 contrasted ones: Black & White, in balancing with some brighter colors of the Ramen's ingredients from the pictures. In addition, there are 2 content columns, which are divided into small paragraphs. The way that the last passage is presented following the circular border of the second image is quite remarkable to me since it shows the creativity of the editor. The line spacing and margins were adjusted reasonably, as long as they serve the audiences well; lead to a comfortable reading experience. The editor utilized white spaces wisely, intentionally left this page with enough blanks to "breathe"; so as to draw the readers' eyes to the point of focus as well as improve readability. Noticeably, a pull quote is cited on the top right of the page to strongly astonish its readers about the Popularity & Importance of Ramen-a Japanese specialty in local culture. Personally, I still prefer reading the first sample since it's more creative and pleasing to the eyes.
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