DVB201 Typographic Design │ Assessment 2 │ April Ra │ N10045112
Week 9 - Task 3
Magazine Critique & Redesign
1. What is the structure of the content (main titles, subtitles, times/dates, menu, contact information, news text, body text, etc)?
For this task I selected the interview article. This magazine spread is from the January issued ‘Design Intelligence’ that profiles design leaders and innovators and the unique contributions they make to our world. The ‘Design intelligence’ aim to recharge our creativity through the cross-pollination of ideas in art, fashion, furniture, architecture and design, tells us how each discipline informs the other and shaping how we live today. This particular magazine spread is a short interview transcript with architect, Jessam Al-Jawad and Dean Pike, on the 43rd issue of the Est magazine. In this particular spread, the first page features a full-page photo of the architecture work by Al-Jawad Pike.
On the second page, it features a portrait image of architect, a large vertical direction text headline which indicate architecture firm name, and subhead appear next informing name of the architects and their location, and lastly the interview article as a body text in a smaller text. The sans-serif type were used on the this spread with the variation of point, tracking, spacing and the font style. The slug is located on the top of the left page using smallest text, and the credit is located on the bottom of the left page using small text.
2. What resources did the designer use to visually represent the structure of the content, to create a visual hierarchy on the page (typeface, position, scale/size, weight, colour, contrast, orientation)?
The visual representation of this spread is effective because of its hierarchy. Typeface size is the primary visual representation of hierarchy in this spread. The designer used a very large size, eye-catching, vertical direction headline which stands out to the reader immediately. Next in type size hierarchy comes the subhead, and then the body text. The designer also used variation of weight to differentiate the text information. The shuffled left alignment were used for the subhead and the body text. Loose line spacing were used on the body text, and normal line spacing were used on the subhead. Loose tracking were used for the headline. Multi column grid and horizontal anchor were used to place the text and the image.
3. What do you think works? What doesn't and why?
I like the aesthetic of large typeface hierarchy, and the wide, open space beside the main headline. I think it lends itself well to the modern and professional work of architecture project, and this headline style catches the eye immediately and effectively informing who is the architect of this architecture project. I also believe that the use of sans-serif typeface for the all of the text is effective enough to express its modernity which is put together with the modern, simple, and bold style of architecture photo. Also, the main use of black colored typeface and partial use of the white and grey colored type matches well with the photo images, and it is visually effective in making the spread look flow and cohesive as the color was pulled from the image.
However, I don’t think the spacing is working well between the subhead and body text. There is very tight spacing between the portrait image, subhead and body text which looks very odd. Also, the use of loose spacing on the body text to classify the question and answer looks too much. The wrong spacing of this subhead and body text ruins the overall design structure and make it hard to discriminate the information.
Image reference
East Magazine. (2022). Design Intelligence. https://issuu.com/estemag/docs/est-issue-_43
Redesign
In my redesign of the magazine spread, though I have changed several things, there are several aspects I chose to keep. First, I decided not to change the colour scheme of the page, as I believe the simple black and white layout lends itself best to the architecture work image and portrait photo that are displayed on the page. I have also used the typeface for subhead to the original as I could find as its sleek and simple, san-serif style accompanied the subject matter of modern design very well. The closest typeface that I could find was the 'Futura', So I decided to use this type to the subhead but I changed the weight to bold. I also have used this typeface to main headline but used the extra bold type, in order to make the headline to stand out more and to capture the eye first. I have expanded the tracking of headline text to create more airy and open field type.
For the body text, I have changed its typeface to the serif type. The typeface I chose was ‘Sabon'. This change made the outcome to be look more polished and professional. Using serif type on body text and san-serif type on the rest of the text create the contrast which stimulates the eye and this boorish serif type makes it easier to read, while sans serif type still add a more modern, sophisticated flourish, and making this paring type functional and stylish. I especially like how, the lower-case 'a' in Sabon play off the even and parallel x-heights of Futura. In addition, I have changed the spacing between the portrait image, subhead, and body text. I expanded the spacing and outcome created more airy layout and easier to catch the information. I have kept the multi column grid but change the overall margins sizes in order to make layout looks more airy. Moreover, I changed the alignment of body text to justified last line with left alignment. This change made layout to be more polished and neat. Lastly, I relocated the credit and slug according to adjusted grid. As a result, I am happy with the outcome of this magazine spread because of its enhanced hierarchy.
