Get the look and hook the readers

SCHOOLMAG GUIDE 5: DESIGN:Good design and layout is essential if you want to get people to pick up your schoolmag and read it. Louise Holdenon the principles of design

GOOD DESIGN is as much a part of storytelling as words and pictures. A well laid-out page should not only attract the reader, but help him or her to find information and to enjoy the process of navigating your magazine. There are some basic rules to good page design that you should bear in mind.

1 Build hierarchyIf the reader is bombarded by text and images covering different topics on one page, he or she may not be bothered to try and figure out what to focus on. Choose a main story/picture and make that the centrepiece of the page. Then arrange the other stories in a way that guides the reader smoothly to the other parts of the page.

2 Keep readers' needs in mindOrganise information on the page so that readers know where to look for what they want. For example, if you have written an article about students' favourite music, break it up – put "top tens" in panels or use design to answer the readers' questions.

3 Find the balance between consistency and monotonyA consistent look and feel throughout will make your magazine look sophisticated and professional. However, if every story runs vertically, every headline is the same size and every story the same length, your readers will be not be visually stimulated. Vary the sizes and shapes to keep it interesting, but don't lose the consistency.

4 Use colour logicallyDon't throw in a rainbow of fonts and shaded areas just because you can. Is the colour part of an overall design strategy? Does it help to inform the reader? Exercise restraint.

5 Too many fonts spoil the lookThe more typefaces you use, the more chaotic your page will look. Choose a small number of typefaces for the various elements in your magazine (headlines, subheads, standfirsts, main copy, panels) and stick with them.

Remember, one of the main goals with design is to get readers to read the articles. Find the most exciting aspects of the article and use your design to bring them out. There are simple ways of doing this, such as pulling out key quotes and enlarging them on the page (“pull quotes”). You may also draw attention to an article’s best features by using panels, images, illustrations or colour.

The design process will be much simpler if you decide on a basic template, or grid, that will guide each page. If you want to deviate from the grid to surprise the reader or emphasise a particular section, go for it. Design decisions should reflect the mood of the story and the philosophy of the publication.

For more hints and tips visit www.irishtimesschoolmag.ie

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