Textual ElementsDMET 255

Elements of a pageLook familiar?• Similar layout to

Newsletter• Project 1: Newsletter will

focus on organization in both design, layout, and organization.

Headlines!!!!• Most important TEXTUAL element on a page• #1-layout/image, #2-headline• The reader might be attracted to the layout/image, but they won’t read

the article if they don’t find the Heading interesting…they will just move on

• Headlines can vary in size-depending on the importance of the article• Headings should always be bigger than the other elements on the page

Kicker (intro, stand-first, deck) *many names• Acts as a bridge between headline and body copy• Sets tone of article-what to expect in the article/summary-

basically it’s like a good 1st paragraph of the article• Smaller font size than headline-bigger than body copy• If headline is sans serif-make kicker serif• It’s not a required element-(sometimes image/header is

enough)

Body Copy• Designing the body copy is the first thing you should

do when you are designing templates.• Setting the correct margins, columns, and size of the

body copy affects readability and usability.• As a designer use column and type choice to reflect the

identity of the brand and to present the story in a way that suits the content.

Pull Quotes• Attractive design element that can break up big

blocks of body copy.• Use them in conjunction with the image to tell a

story.• Set font size big enough to pull the reader’s

attention, but shouldn’t be as big as the headline.• It’s not always a “quote”.

Subhead• Used to break up body copy and give clever insight into the next

paragraphs.• Readers are put off by long blocks of text!• Can be larger than body copy or same size (but bolded)• Do not place subheads: below images, in the last 3 rows at the

bottom of the column, in the first 3 rows at the top of a column, top of a column, or below a pull quote.

• Subheads should not get cluttered up with other design elements

Image Captions• Must work as a unit with the image• Do not place caption above image!!• Place caption below or on the image.• No hyphenation!• Type size should be as big as the body copy (or

smaller)• Sans-serif type

Bylines and Credits• Depends on the importance of authors/photographers.• For stock images & outsourced writing, place credits

vertically near the gutter (a few pts. smaller than body copy).

• If it’s written by famous journalist/photographer place bylines just below headline or intro text.

• Same size as body text (or a few points larger).

Running head (section head)• Navigation elements that guide the reader.• Reflect the tone of the newsletter• Should be done in the beginning of newsletter

creation.• Don’t over do it-they shouldn’t dominate the page.

Folio• Consists of many elements. Mandatory-page number• Optional: publication logo, date, month, section title, web page.• Typically the same on every page, but you can switch it up in

non-traditional magazines (ex. larger on section starter pgs.)• If you choose to put it on one page in a spread-choose the right

hand side.• It’s up to the designer to determine whether the pg. # should go

over an image.

Folio• Consists of many elements. Mandatory-page number• Optional: publication logo, date, month, title, web page.• Typically the same on every page• If you choose to put it on one page in a spread-choose the

right hand side.• It’s up to the designer to determine whether the pg. #

should go over an image.

Sources• http://www.magazinedesigning.com/magazine-flatplan/

• http://www.magazinedesigning.com/magazine-spreads-good-bad-practices/

• http://www.magazinedesigning.com/structure-of-the-magazine/

• http://www.magazinedesigning.com/magazine-page-elements/

• http://www.magazinedesigning.com/magazine-columns/

• http://www.magazinedesigning.com/magazine-masthead-creation/