Magazine Project | Assignment | PDF

DETAILS
Design a four-page (two spread) magazine layout and cover with words, pictures, display type and any graphic elements for a layout from one of the following ideas:

1. For a story you’ve written which lends itself to art direction
2. Select a story that you’d like to art direct; it can be from a writer, a friend or an actual published story.

  • You must include the actual text, but you don’t have to retype it. It can be on any topic, so choose a topic of interest to you. You can copy/paste the text and then style it in InDesign.
  • The story should be a feature. It does not have to be told in a traditional prose form. You may read magazines that choose to tell stories in non-traditional formats.
  • The layout must include one real alternative copy feature (a sidebar, etc.) which can take any form, but for which you must generate actual text. You can get the spread text from any text file. You will style the text using formatting in InDesign.
  • Design your layout as though it will be used in a saddle stitched or perfect bound magazine. Consider the size of your gutter margins. Follow the guidelines on the next sheet for layout. Establish margins and column grids.
  • Determine first how this story should be told. How can you create a strong visual/verbal connection. Search first for visuals to use in your layout. Visuals can come from any resource including Internet resources, but make sure the quality is high enough to display well when printed. You can also scan images to use in your layout.
  • Type: You must write an actual headline and an actual deck head.Write actual captions for any images you choose. You must include page folios, unless you choose to bleed a picture off the page, in which case you do not have to print a folio on top of the picture.
  • You can not use already published headlines

DOWNLOADS AND LINKS

PROFESSOR
Ken Harper
Newhouse I RM 500
kharpe01[at]syr.edu
315.443.6131
Office Hours: Mon-Thurs 1-2
Also available by appointment on
tungle.me/kenharper

LECTURE IA
GRA217.2 T/Th
Ashley Christiano
adchrist[at]syr.edu
Office Hours: Wednesday 3-4
Thursday 4-5, NH 1 RM 119

GRA217.5 M/W
Tim Olsen
trolsen[at]syr.edu
Office House: Monday & Wednesday 2-3:45
NH 1 RM 119

REQUIRED TEXT
Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton

RECOMMENDED LAB TEXT
Visual Quickstart Guide, InDesign CS4
Graphic Design Basics by Amy Arnston
Lynda.com ($25 a month)

SOUL FOOD
“The Journey is the Destination:
The Journals of Dan Eldon”

CLASS FILE SERVERS AND SITES

Class Server:
GalaxyNH: You are required to submit electronic files for all major projects to this server.

Class Blog:
Assignment sheets, course documents and other topics will be posted on the class blog site at: establishareconnect.com/gra217/ You can register at establishareconnect.com/gra217/wp

SUPPLIES
Please purchase these supplies:

  • Sketchbook, (9×12)
  • Large Envelopes for Projects
  • A few magazines & newspapers

COMPUTER LAB
You’ll need to save projects you work on in the labs, buy a thumb drive, CDs or external hard drive. You are strongly encouraged to back-up all your work and to save copies of it often. Many of you will lose projects, BACK UP!

CLASS RULES
There will be no use of cell phones during class, turn them off. Leaving in the middle of lecture is disruptive to your fellow students and to me. If you foresee a need to leaving early please let me know before class starts.

ATTENDANCE
Having more than three unexcused classes will result in a grade reduction. You are expected to attend all lectures and labs. If you can’t, let me know. Also notify your lab instructor if you cannot make a class. If you don’t show up you won’t succeed in this course.

Acceptable reasons for missing a class include personal emergencies and sickness, though I reserve the right to require verification of your illness or emergency.

Showing up late to class is a bad idea. Please speak with your lecture TA if you arrive late so you are not incorrectly marked absent. If your name is not on the attendance sheet you will be marked not present!

SAVE YOUR WORK

  • Save and save often.
  • The computers are machines and will inevitably have a problem when it is least convenient to you.
  • Save you work often (again), multiple versions to multiple thumbdrives or email yourself a copy as a backup.

You will hand in electronic files for all projects along with final printed versions. The printers can be a bit fussy but I expect a reasonably nice print version of your project. However, your grade will be based on the electronic files you save to the GalaxyNH server.
HOW TO TURN THINGS IN

Server Turn-in
Projects folders should include the followin:

  • Packaged InDesign (marked as final)
  • PDF (of final Indesign file)
  • Drafts/sketches (Indesign files/sketches)

Project folders need to be named as follows:

  • lastname-firstname-projectname (i.e – harper-ken-resume-final)

All Project files need to be named as follows:

  • lastname-firstname-projectname (i.e – harper-ken-resume-final.ind)

Blog Turn-in as follows:

  • Rationale
  • .jpg image of your final (960 x whatever, 12 quality)
  • Link to PDF download

CRITIQUES & DISCUSSION
These will be a vital part of each class. No person is an island unto themselves, in the classroom we have a wealth of diverse ideas and experiences and we’ll be tapping into that strength during class as each of you share your work. Critiques will occur in class and online for each project, be prepared.

This is a subjective world and a subjective medium and this is also a class. Liking or not liking something is ok, but I expect you to use the vocabulary you are learning in our discussions.

Do not disrespect your fellow students in your discussions. You will find that any attempts to belittle, or humiliate another person will not be tolerated.

The fundamental thing to keep in mind is that the suggestions of others and those you make should be meant to show another side to an existing thought. Suggestions to make improvements to a design are encouraged and will help your fellow students a great deal.