Final final final final final tweeks..

Front Cover - I have added a few random words to make the page look more appealing and more like a magazine.

Hooray for Carbuncles spread - I have changed the style of the running head on all three articles to give it a more dynamic look. 

Articles spread - Here I have added some more images and changed some of the typefaces from Arvo to Avantgarde. I think it looks much more attractive and appealing to the target audience.

And these are the final items :).

Letterforms..

Just some of many :)

More.. Whatt??!! Yeeaah, there's more..

I just discovered the "Gradient Feather Tool" and it's one of the best tools (i think). Anyhow, heres a totally different front cover for the Arkitekt Zine. I have used a completely new image of the Art Gallery which I think works really well with the overall design. Also I have kept the header the same concept as on the DPS's.  

Comments I had received in the previous crit were to lessen the amount of concepts I was using. I have formatted all the text into 9/10pt with the highlighted text in the same colour, font across the double-page. I have also changed the font for the 'HOORAY' as now it is a slab-serif it appears as part of all 3 items as a set. 

Well this was a big improvement. I have totally changed the left hand page, I have added a 'large' image running down the page and slightly across the right hand page. The right hand page, I have kept the same groupings but experimented with space and position.

Oh yeah, the page size has now increased to 240mm x 340mm

Final Movements :)

This is a COMPLETE changeover compared to the previous design shown below. I have been more "experimental" with the ways in which I could have the text as readable and flows smoothly. Now it's just the wait for the comments on Monday :).

The issue with the previous was the bottom of the right-hand page. Is it any better? I think it is space wise and is more clear to read as it less squashed. I have also added captions to images and made some changes to the Wolverhampton's Parks article.

I have improved both spreads by fixing a colour scheme as colours were everywhere previously. Note: these are not actual size. They have been printed on A4 and are 93% of the actual size so they aren't that far off. 

But which set do i choose? (ignore colours)

Further Development..

This is the second and improved design of the Architecture News DPS. 

Previous design.

Onto the Mac...

I did not have much to show come this week until I thought maybe I could start to design the final DPS on InDesign.. and here it is...

In the end, I decided to use a 7 column grid each page. The first paragraph of text runs across 4 columns and is split into 2 columns (the gutter of these 2 columns matches up to the 3mm gutter of the grid. However, the second piece of text is also split into 2 columns but the gutter for these 2 columns runs halfway through the second column.  

This is the completed Double Page Spread.

As mentioned in today's crit, I found it difficult to insert a bigger semi-circle as planned in the layouts. After experimenting through a range of ideas, I finally got the above idea of having 6 circles of different images. 

Sticking with the circles, initially it was also a semi-circle planned here. But again, this did look a part of the above article, using circles like this allowed the two architecture articles to be linked and look as part of a set. Also, in order to make the circles fit, I text wrapped the 3rd circle with the text. Looks good :)

The left side page of the DPS is split into 3 articles, 1 runs across 3 columns and the other 2 run across 2 columns each. During today's crit, this was discussed and not being as successful as it can be. Also, the centre column "Wolverhampton Parks" does not look like a separate article like the other two. These problems are being addressed :).

Here is a close-up of the start of the 3 articles. The center column can be seen as a problem here. Also, whilst researching current magazines, I noticed how quotes were being designed. I used a similar approach, with this quote I experimented with kerning, leading and inner-character spacing. I did try to wrap this shape with the text in the centre article but just did not work. Also, the running head can be seen here too. 

This screen shot shows two more quotes from the final two articles. The first quote, I have manually condensed the font (vertically) and has been skewed. The second quote has been more vertically condensed and the inner-character spacing has been tightened.

Text has been wrapped around the 3rd circle.

Tom Dyckhoff's quote. 

Quotes of 2 news articles.

Final DPS.

5 Articles DPS x5

Well, this week we had to had to had to visualise 5 A3 sheets of ideas/research/blahh and here are mine:

Well this is the work I have to present in this weeks crit. We shall see how it goes. :)

So, the third layout I did was quite different to layouts 1 + 2. This is because I adapted and changed ideas from other zine's to collate and generate new ideas. I did this with the final 2 layouts too. 

Also, I was a bit confuzzled between what to portray images as. Mostly, I have used scribbles (don't know if this was a good thing to do) or use crossed rectangles like an image placeholder. But, to be honest, I did prefer the scribbles as it gave a more arty feel to the layout. 

To me, the best layout is the last one which has the circles etc. I like this because it mixes a range of shapes and images together, such as the first image which appears on the DPS is for "Victorian Architecture: A primer". For this, I drew around CD to get a rounded image. There are a range of different ideas on all layouts. I'll just have to wait and see the comments I receive. 

And, I also took my own pictures using my phone and then printed and stuck them down to label what they were and whether they are Victorian, Georgian or Modern.  

Week 17.. 6/2/12

Following on from previous research, I now go on to start on some visual layouts. It was advised to start with the most difficult first so the 5 Articles DPS was the one I started with. 

 
Above are the 2 visual layouts I have done this week for the 5 article DPS. The first one I have already spoken about in the previous post. However, the second one, I started off by setting out a grid (I used 4 columns with gutters). The image above on the left shows 1 of the 2 pages. I have showed the different levels of hierarchy by emboldening and highlighting text. Also where there is a quote, I have enlarged this text and made it so that it is Vertical. I found the second DPS a bit more challenging than the second due to the adhering of the grid.Front Cover Layouts.I also made a start on the front cover layouts which I found much easier. I did this to relax my brain from the intense work on the article layouts. (phewww).

I found it much easier to do these layouts. First of all, I looked at some potential typefaces and styles I could use on the front cover. I took into consideration the target audience and how the style I use is linked to the target audience for the 'Arkitekt' zine. 

The first design on the left contains a broken up image which has been split into 5 columns and also adhering to the final column is vertical text displaying the Name of the magazine. 


The second design, I much more like. It is because of the style and layout that I am more fond of this one rather than the first. I like the idea of having the image running off the page leaving some white at the top for the Magazine Title. 


I have added a barcode, price, 'featuring:' and price to both designs. 

5 Article DPS = Tricky!

Now I'm going to admit that this was 'tricky'. Maybe I should've thought about page size and columns before I had started making marks. However, I am quite happy with this visual layout, but due to the page size, the DPS look rather busy. But there's more to come. :)

Type Research

First Post of Twenty Twelve :D... and it's type!

Thought I'd just start off by doing a bit of research of Architectural buildings. Images have been taken from a secondary source also known as google :). I shall add my own images in the free spaces I have purposely left ;). Shall now get started on the hand-generated visuals :). P.S I don't think i'l be able to add anymore to the Victorian layout. lol.