Research- Technical Elements
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Hi Blog, today in class, we were assigned to research the technical elements of a magazine. Today, I will be focusing on the two main elements: the table of contents and feature articles. Technical elements are extremely important for magazines; they bridge the gap between content and audience, creating a professional and enjoyable experience for the reader. These elements also serve for functional and aesthetic purposes.
Table of Contents
By definition, a table of contents is a clearly defined section with names, article headlines, and page numbers. It acts as a 'roadmap' by providing readers with a quick overview, allowing them to easily find chapters and topics. For starters, the table of contents should match the overall aesthetic and theme of the magazine. This is mainly for continuity purposes. It creates cohesion and boosts readers' engagement.
Table of Contents- Clear Organization
Using clear and clean categories creates professionalism. A clean table of contents shows that the team has discipline; it is generally the first thing you see after the cover, in other words, it is your second chance to make a first impression. All Table of Contents have a visual hierarchy, which prioritizes the issues most engaging stories. Like I wrote about in my last blog post, typography and fonts play a role in the overall organization. The correct use of the theme's visual elements will help the reader to avoid the feeling of 'information overload'.
Table of Contents- Essential Metadata
Usually, when creating a magazine, there is an additional creation of a style guide. A style guide sets your magazine up for success; it sets up the design rules and ensures consistency. First, the reader should be able to clearly see what page the specific article is on; it needs to be in a bolder font with easy readability. Next, the table of contents always includes photos, which makes the section more appealing to readers. It is usually composed of higher-quality used as an eye catcher, then eventually seeing the table of content. Lastly, because magazines are published so frequently, all TOCs must prominently date and issue number to help readers easily identify the edition.
Feature Articles
The feature article does not just tell a story; it creates an experience. It uses sensory detail to pull the reader into the scene. There are commonly four main categories that are used for feature articles; the first one I am going to research is the profile. This is an in-depth look at a celebrity, local hero, or athlete. It goes beneath the surface and shows the subject in a vulnerable state. Next, we have the human interest category, which focuses on emotional journeys like overcoming trauma or having an amazing success story. Then another commonly used feature article is the 'How To' service piece, this is usually a longer article and its main in fouces is how it can help to benefit the reader and how they can grow from the article. Lastly, the trend story is an investigation into culture, new fashion trends, and new technology.
Feature Articles- Layouts
In magazines, the feature articles are where we see editorial creativity shine and often 'break the rules'. This article is meant to be immersive and cinematic; it is supposed to stop the readers in their tracks. About 99% of the time, designers choose to use a full-bleed photo that stretches across the gutter. Next the designer will use a big, bold headline with unique typography to create the mood of the story. Lastly, feature articles use negative whitespace to give the headline room to breathe, ensuring that the page feels genuine and not cluttered.
Feature Articles- Design Elements
Feature articles are extremely fun to work with; they give you an excessive amount of creative freedom to work with. One common design element that designers use at the beginning of feature magazines is drop caps. This is when the first letter of the article is enlarged and sometimes in a different font to act as "start here" for readers. Pull quotes are a great way to break up text; this draws readers' eyes and encourages them to keep reading. The quote chosen is usually the overall message of their article or an inspirational quote. Lastly, Feature magazine does not follow its layouts using the grid; instead, it often has overlapping photos and extends photos to the edge of the paper.
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