Whether you be completely new to the field of editorial designing or might have worked in some related design fields if you want to learn some basics of editorial design, this article would help you with the basics.
So, let’s better understand what it is and how it is relevant to you and your readers.
What is Editorial Design?
Editorial design refers to designing the layout for the content that will be published in various formats such as newspapers, magazines, and even digital mediums. It, therefore, gives form to the content that will be published, whether that content is a story, an essay, an informative piece, or something else. It is a part of graphic design and requires designing and editing skills.
Creativity and Form: Depending on what that content is, an editorial designer makes the decision regarding the form in which that information will be presented. One thing you need to keep in mind as an editorial designer is that there is no set pattern that you have to follow. This gives the designer the creative freedom to make his own decision when presenting the information.
Consistency: However, having creative freedom doesn’t mean that you can be inconsistent with the layout. If you’re not being consistent in the way you graphically categorize and present the information in a visually appealing and easy-to-grasp manner, you would end up confusing and tiring your reader. Also, this form has to be consistent with the voice of your brand’s identity and should be easily understood by the brand’s target audience.
Attention-grabbing: It is an important aspect of an editorial designer’s job to ensure that the content is organized and presented in an appealing manner that grabs the attention of the reader and makes them turn to it again and again. For instance, if one page of a magazine you’re designing is content-heavy, you can include an illustration or a photograph on the next page to make sure that the reader has some time to pause and reflect on the information before moving on.
Style: It doesn’t have to resonate with everyone but it has to be consistent and have a distinct style. To set this style, the designer needs to have his set of rules that he follows throughout the project. This style should magnify the appeal of content to the readers. For instance, if it’s a poem, the style should allow the reader to feel the emotion behind it and therefore, aesthetic images and photographs can be used. But if it’s a news story, the style should direct the readers attention to the important points.
This style can change depending on the types of projects that the editorial designer undertakes and the style and purpose of the content they are working with.
