Bright Ideas For Effective Online Magazine Printing
When it comes to designing a magazine, there is a lot more involved than initially meets the eye. Whether creating a fashion, fitness or food magazine, we’ve pulled together a list of bright ideas to help get your juices flowing to create something truly effective and enticing.
Magazines are judged by their cover
If you want to get your magazine noticed, you have to be bold with your cover. There’s no point getting the inside right if the outside doesn’t grab people’s attention straight away. Be mindful of how bold you want to be though, as you don’t want to come off as tacky either. There is a fine balance when it comes to looking over-loaded, outdated and cheap. Ensure you have strong headers, clear sub-headings, simple graphics and a bold image to draw in the right kind of attention.
Thematic design is the hallmark of professionalism
Any well-designed magazine has a theme. There will be certain design elements that are chosen and used from start to finish. Without a theme, a magazine can get lost or feel segmented. Choosing a theme to tie everything together shows you have given careful consideration to your magazine and will no doubt put you in good stead for the future. Consider your colours, your shapes, and your type wisely.
Bursts of colour, speak volumes
Colour is sure to make any magazine stand out, if used correctly, As above, you don’t want to overdo it – it needs to be bold yet classy, daring yet subtle, simple yet effective. Opting for a single strong colour, used sparingly throughout. Something that is black-and-white on the whole, is bound to enhance sections and give your magazine an edge.
Photography is key
Most people buy magazines for their photos, with the text as a secondary thought. So, if you have some stunning images to show off, make sure you do! A lot of the time a page can be filled with one single image, with type in and around it. Give thought to how your magazine is going to be printed and whether this will affect the sharpness and final look of the photography. Most magazines are gloss-coated so the colour of the image will remain bright and vibrant. However, if you opt for a matte-coated paper, the ink will sink into the paper more giving a duller look. Both have their pluses, so make sure you understand, and are clear on what your finished imagery will look like.
Consider illustrated graphics for something different
When you look through magazines, you will notice that most opt for photographs and imagery for their main medium. So, why not choose something a little bit different to stand out from the crowd? Illustrative graphics can be a great choice for more technical, art or design magazines, and are ideal for special editions or collectors’ issues. Graphics can also lend a sense of consistency throughout your design and help to develop a brand style that is unique to you and your business.
Minimal layouts are so on trend
In particular with lifestyle and fashion magazines, less is most definitely more. Minimal layout designs allow the products to do the talking, as you can fill a larger area with one item rather than trying to cram more in. This allows more freedom to experiment with image position and copy. Team similar images together for a more unified look and create something fresh and stylish.
Choose your typography wisely
While images and graphics have more flexibility to change and adapt from issue to issue, your chosen typeface should be consistent throughout your issues. The typography will determine your personality and feel of the magazine, so give serious thought to how you want yours to look. People have been conditioned to think of certain type styles with specific genres so be sure to do your research and see what other magazines in your genre are doing as this will help you to decide what style is right for you.
View your magazine as spreads, not pages
Magazines are viewed as double-page-spreads, not individual pages. You reader will be looking at the magazine is two’s not in one’s so make sure your design marries this. Don’t be afraid to take content across the centre of the magazine, just make sure when you do, you’ve giving yourself allowances for the perfect bound spine.
Greenhouse Graphics – printing responsibly since 1993
Producing an effective magazine is a no easy feat. If you have a magazine to print or are looking for a reliable and experienced magazine printing company, consider Greenhouse Graphics for your next project. We are an award winning, sustainable graphic communications company based in Hampshire, specialising in design, commercial printing, digital services and signage display systems. We can offer our expertise on online magazine printing and are widely recognised for our sustainable printing to reduce carbon footprint.
If you would like to discuss a project, require a quote, or have any questions please get in touch! Call us on 01256 880770 or email us today at info@greenhousegraphics.co.uk