Tips to consider

when designing

print media

The use of Silhouettes are often used to make up for the lack of high quality images that are often unattainable to students with time restraints.

Silhouettes can also be filled with images/layers of locations or scenes to help project the narrative content to the target audience.

The use of still life can also be an innovative way to promote a narrative and assist in the feasibility of the process.

Connotations and considered iconography is essential. Alongside that difficult task of minimalist and careful composition.

Shallow depth of field is useful when capturing images. Cameras such as a Canon 5D with Apertures of F1.4 will help blur the background helping text to be more legible

If photographs are to be used they must be striking and catch the audiences eye, alongside giving clear indication of narrative themes. Print Media prime purpose is to promote and attract.

How do you make an image not look amateur?

Using, directing and manipulating light. High contrast and hard light is a common strategy to add a cinematic style.

Image and background tend to blend together rather than one simply stop and the other begin.

More than one image can be used but it must “blend” or fit together in terms of the design/theme and lighting. Images can be separated by use of text or purposely placed lines.

The colour palette must also be considered so images and text belong together rather than look out of place, unless intentionally and consciously designed to do so.

The use of font and its connotations must allow the audience to understand the narrative and theme of the text.

Colour of images, choice of locations and style of dress will also help to do this.

Subjects in images must be directed in terms of body language and facial expressions to help gain the desired look.

Consider what is in the background of a photograph when capturing a subject. This will leave room for text. Unusual vantage points could help to do this.

The rule of thirds

In terms of composition we as an audience enjoy to look at design split into 3 sections. Here is an obvious example, but you could consider your placement of text to meet this rule.

Print Media such as Film posters and CD covers should contain a credit block, details of production companies which relate to the genre and a caption containing an enigma code. Promotional reviews or award logos could also help promote. Again this must be appropriate to your text.

Variety of font is often needed. Print Media will rarely ever only contain one type of style, colour or size of font.

For magazine covers do not forget the conventions such as bar code, price, issue number and date if appropriate to the genre.

Websites tend to contain dates on articles.

Don’t forget the genre and target audience you are designing for. Remember to apply a typical mode of address in order to satisfy their needs. This could be in terms of genre conventions, types of stories, busyness, colour, price, content and location.

White backgrounds are not as common as many people think in design. They tend to be chosen to accommodate busy print with lots of text. The main image must be strong enough to carry the piece of print if a white background is used. White backgrounds are rarely from photoshop cut out and more commonly shot in a studio with soft lighting.

The Rom-Com back to back lean for example;

Or the minimalism of high brow;

Frame, circles and banners can be a good method of design for text and images to coexist successfully.

Age of subject within images is crucial to making the text genre specific. For example having a teenager in a suit holding a gun for a action film or a 16 year old “rock star” is going to scream amateur. In this case you might want to return to a innovative method such as a silhouette to help solve any feasibility issues you may have.