FOLIO: Section Blogs by Design and Production

Digitally-Altered W Cover of Demi Moore Draws Fire

Vanessa Voltolina — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:59:13 -0500

The number of outrageously poor digital alterations on magazine covers just grew by one.

The latest: Demi Moore on W’s December cover. As Boing Boing reported earlier this week, Moore's left hip was cropped in order to make it appear thinner, which had potential to be a deft move had the bottom half of her leg not remained the original size. Moore’s one thin hip makes the rest of her leg bulge below the sarong.

But it appears to go beyond the hip snafu. Look at Moore on the cover [pictured]. She looks like a starving actress—like she hasn’t eaten in weeks.

As if Moore wasn’t thin enough, naturally.

Moore, however, fired back via her Twitter feed, claiming the photo was not enhanced ("my hips were not touched don't let these people bullshit you!"). She also linked to what she said is the original photo.

Then there's Anthony Citrano, the L.A.-based photographer who took the original photo of Moore. He told Boing Boing: “When I look at it I can't appreciate it because I feel like there's a piece of dirt stuck in my eyeball. A neon arrow pointing at the screw up. When I see images like this I:

1. feel bad for the photographer;
2. feel bad for the subject;
3. feel like someone, somewhere, is a dumbass.

Doesn't anyone look at these pictures before they go to press?”

If this is in fact a “Photoshopping” flub, it is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to magazines over the last several months. The most egregious, in my opinion, was a city travel guide published by Toronto, Canada for which the face of an African-Canadian man was digitally imposed onto the face of the man in the original photo. (See a comparison here.) Other bright spots include missing appendages on cover models on recent covers of Marie Claire and OK!.

Mistakes happen, but why are goofs this bad still happening—especially at such big name titles? Maybe as an early New Year’s resolution, magazine staffs should try to get at least one more pair of eyes on the final cover before it goes to print.

Folio RSS: Feed sponsored exclusively by NXTbook Media - offering RSS feeds for Digital Editions Call 866-268-1219 for more information.

November Cover Model: The Turkey

Jason Fell — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:11:56 -0400

It’s that time of year again. That’s right—turkey time.

I sat down at my desk this afternoon and began opening the stacks of magazines that are delivered here to the FOLIO: office daily. First on the pile was Condé Nast’s Bon Appetit, with a delicious-looking turkey resting gently in a roasting pan on the cover. Next came the herb-crusted masterpiece on the cover of American Express Publishing’s Food & Wine. Then I unwrapped the new issue of Martha Stewart Living, with its “simple and sensational” bird with glazed carrots and roasted vegetables, accompanied by a sweet potato casserole.

OK, I can’t go on. I’m starting to salivate.

Newsstands this time every year are overflowing with magazine covers featuring this succulent bird. But the cover that takes the cake (and the cranberry sauce, and the stuffing) this year is Hearst’s Food Network Magazine. The November issue features what the publisher says is the “first” triple cover in the U.S. (go on, share my hunger pangs—see the covers below). The first cover features the turkey dinner while cover two shows side dishes and the third follows up with dessert. The entire cover package was sponsored by Cargill's Truvia, a natural sweetener.

If that wasn’t already too much, the issue has nearly 140 recipes for creating more than 288,000 variations of the culinary wonder known as Thanksgiving dinner.

Have these covers triggered your taste buds? Not to worry. Turkey day is only a little over a month away.

Folio RSS: Feed sponsored exclusively by NXTbook Media - offering RSS feeds for Digital Editions Call 866-268-1219 for more information.

Three’s a Crowd on Women’s Service Covers

Vanessa Voltolina — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:06:35 -0400

For its October issue, Self is doing something that it hasn’t attempted in over a decade, and Shape and Good Housekeeping are of the few to recently execute it: putting multiple models on a single cover.
Shooting two or more models for a cover is hardly a “radical” move when you consider the new publishing, mobile and Web technologies launching every day; however, it presents challenges when it comes to good use of cover real estate.
Despite a long history of executing “triples”—covers with three models—at Mademoiselle, “It’s never easy,” Self creative director Cindy Searight told FOLIO:.
Of course, “There needs to be a good reason for having multiple cover models in the first place,” she added. Self’s October issue, which will execute a triple, will feature actresses Kristin Davis, Kristen Bell and Malin Ackerman from the upcoming movie “Couples Retreat” (the October issue will hit newsstands on September 22).
After a quick Google search, I found only Shape’s July issue cover on “Country’s Angels,” featuring the trifecta of ballad-singing celebrities LeAnn Rimes, Martina McBride and Julianne Hough, and Good Housekeeping's September issue cover story, "This is What Happy Looks Like!" with Jada Pinkett Smith, Trisha Yearwood and Meredith Vieira, to fit the bill. While there may be a few other stray triple covers out there, the concept remains in the design minority for many service titles.
It’s possible that the opportunities for using multiple models may be limited. But as far as budget concerns, “Production costs are about the same [as a single model cover],” said Searight. “It [triple model cover] only adds nominally to costs, especially since the actresses are all local to LA." A large part of a magazine's hesitation is likely due to the daunting task of creating an emotional synergy between the cover subjects, a huge amount of logistical pre-planning, and fitting copious service coverlines, a large logo, and multiple bodies on a 10.5” by 8” space.
“Self’s logo takes up almost 50 percent of our cover's top horizontal real estate,” said Searight. Opting for a triple necessitated that Searight scale down the size of the October issue’s coverlines slightly more than with past issues.
Most daunting is probably the prep work involved. Searight pre-requested the measurements (height and size) of each actress/cover model ahead of time. She then recruited three of Conde Nast’s female employees of similar scale to test out the physical logistics of various poses.
“I blocked it out in the hallway with a digital camera, especially since all three actresses have very different heights,” said Searight. “I did a mock up, and then a sketch from the mock up so that when I went to the studio, I could show the actresses how I envisioned them sitting or standing.” While shooting each actress separately and working design magic later isn’t out of the question, for Self’s cover Searight said that editorially she wanted the actresses to project “an emotional attachment.”
Art directors aspiring to execute a triple should consider a monotone color palette, said Searight, and avoid contrasting clothing and background colors. Self’s October cover was shot with two different background colors, blue and raspberry. The blue “blended well with the models’ blue jeans, providing enough space for coverlines to read well,” she said. While the raspberry never made it as the cover drop, the shots were used within the magazine’s pages.
Folio RSS: Feed sponsored exclusively by NXTbook Media - offering RSS feeds for Digital Editions Call 866-268-1219 for more information.

What's Your Cover Strategy?

Jason Fell — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:11:34 -0400

Building a great magazine involves a lot of processes, players, deadlines and content. It’s a relationship that is not easy. Successfully marrying good ideas with quality execution takes planning and patience, especially when creating the cover of the magazine.

We consider the cover to be one of the most critical areas requiring strategy in your magazine, second only to your magazine’s content strategy. It is important to think about possible cover solutions early in the process that reflect the plan.

What is your magazine's cover strategy? Keep in mind that this goes beyond the logo, coverlines and color palette. It’s about defining what will be on each cover—the quality and commonality of the images, as well as the overall tone from issue to issue.

More Than Just the Cover Story

Many magazines’ cover strategy is defined as whatever the team can get that relates to the main feature story. This approach can be a start but it’s not the end. You need to define and set the reader’s expectation for quality and tone of image.

Some magazines jump back and forth between photography and illustration. It can work, but only a few magazines have done it well. The covers of Wired magazine are great examples of this approach. They may have a conceptual photo, an interesting portrait shot, or a creative illustration in any given month. The commonality between them is the high level of quality and the presence of a great idea driving the image. If you lay six different issues of Wired side by side, the covers are all clear expressions of the same brand but are still individually engaging. They compel you to pick them up.

Many association or b-to-b magazines struggle with this each issue. Most are challenged by budget restrictions and finding the right image to tell the story. Most also shy away from taking risks and tend to use very literal imagery as a result. Going the “safe” route every time, however, soon becomes stale and often employs less unique imagery that might be seen elsewhere. Stock images can be a useful resource, but custom visuals will always make a stronger impact.

Thinking Differently

Start thinking differently about your covers. Set aside some time to brainstorm and create a plan. Get it down on paper, then measure each cover concept to the strategy. Be innovative wherever possible. Try taking a less literal approach. Remember, we have to engage the reader very quickly; it is the cover’s job to pique their interest and capture their attention. Your magazine is on the reader’s table with a pile of other things. Make the strongest impression. Be the must-read!

Here are some questions to consider during your cover strategy work session:
1. Which editorial content drives the cover image? Does it have to be a feature article or is there another opportunity to create a dynamic cover? 2. Does the cover lead the reader inside? 3. Are your covers clearly and creatively tailored to your target reader?
4. Does your cover have substance or is it just “wallpaper”?
5. Are your cover images crisp and high-quality with a clear focus?
6. Where do the images come from?
7. What are the struggles you encounter in getting a great cover image each issue?
8. How can you overcome that challenge with your new cover strategy?
9. Can you increase the budget for your cover by lowering costs elsewhere?
10. If you need to use a stock image on the cover, would your budget and circulation allow for the use of a unique rights-managed image as opposed to a more common royalty-free image?
11. Can you create a strategy that will allow multiple issues’ cover images to be photographed or created at the same time to save money?
12. Who determines the concept for the cover image—editorial or creative? Should this change or be a collaborative decision?
13. How important are your coverlines? Should there be more or less?
14. Does your cover template need a redesign to be ready for great images?
Additional questions are sure to come up along the way, but hopefully these will get you started. Chances are, stronger solutions are out there for your cover if you have the desire to strive for improvement. Try not to be discouraged by today’s tough times. If budgets are tight, don’t be afraid to negotiate with photographers and illustrators to get a better rate. They just might need the work or be open to a new opportunity. Get creative when seeking out images, and be persistent. Consider non-traditional resources. Art schools or journalism schools may have excellent senior-level students who would love the opportunity to do real-world work to build a portfolio.

I challenge you to think differently about your approach and document a thought-out strategy to create better magazine covers. It will all be worth it when you see your readership make a lasting commitment to your publication.
Folio RSS: Feed sponsored exclusively by NXTbook Media - offering RSS feeds for Digital Editions Call 866-268-1219 for more information.

Five Steps to ‘Greening’ Your Magazine

Jason Fell — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:05:43 -0400

The current economic downturn may have changed the way some companies do business. For example, many publishers are scaling back on production or finding more economic ways to deliver services.

But with printed materials, including magazines, the push for more environmental and sustainable ways to green print production supply chains continues to garner strong attention. In the past, environmental concerns were pushed aside due to cost concerns however, now, customers are leading the green movement and advertisers are taking notice.

Overall, the process of publishing magazines still compares favorably in the green arena. From the ‘cradle to cradle’ approach—the period from how something is created, then recycled for a new life—magazines are truly sustaining momentum. In addition, a recent Magazine Publishers of America study found that the average weekly magazine issue emits about the same amount of carbon for an entire year as two days use of a car; a little less than a home’s two days use of electricity; and three-quarters of one year’s use of a gasoline powered lawn mower.

There are a number of actions publishers can take to make their magazines greener. One of the keys places to start is to review the entire design, production and distribution supply chain—not only an isolated element such as paper.

Here are some key areas—some obvious, others not as tried-and-true—that can help green your magazine supply chain:
• Inks and Coatings. Using Low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) inks are better than before. Going lighter on ink coverage also helps, and aqueous coatings will protect your magazines with minimal environmental impact.

• Paper. This is a huge and highly visible area with lots of nuances beyond the use of recycled paper. Papers certified under one of the main Sustainable Forestry Management Programs, such as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) ensure that the paper has been manufactured using environmentally responsible forestry and manufacturing processes.

• Retail Distribution. Use store-level sales data to optimize print orders. Work with distributors and wholesalers to adjust order levels. Don’t try to send copies over the requested amount unless you have compelling support data.

• Mailing Lists/Co-mailing. Update your mailing lists and use good list hygiene practices. There are horror stories from the postal line about associations and other publishers not updating their membership lists and having huge numbers of undeliverable magazines. If you rent lists for subscriber solicitation, rent from companies that also employ good list practices. Undeliverable mail is pure waste that negatively impacts the environment and your budget. In regard to co-mailing, it’s a process that that combines multiple titles into a single mailstream, gets magazines deeper into the postal system with greater efficiency. Programs are more flexible than ever, with magazine mailings ranging from 5,000 to 200,000 now able to benefit from offline co-mailing systems.

• Digital Workflow. Going 100 percent digital eliminates film, chemicals and proofing materials as well as the fuel used to transport proofs back and forth.
Most importantly, self promote. As some advertisers are now insisting on reviewing a magazine’s sustainability initiatives when considering ad placements, having your readers understand what steps you have taken to green production and distribution will have an impact on ad sales.
Folio RSS: Feed sponsored exclusively by NXTbook Media - offering RSS feeds for Digital Editions Call 866-268-1219 for more information.

Black Man’s Head Photoshopped onto City Guide’s Cover

Jason Fell — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:23:34 -0400

We don’t write about city travel guides very often. In this case, though, I couldn’t resist.

The Canadian city of Toronto recently debuted its Spring/Summer 2009 “Fun Guide” featuring a smiling, ethnically diverse family on the cover. The problem? The face of the African-Canadian father was digitally imposed onto the face of the man in the original photo.

[Click here to see the comparison.]

A city of Toronto spokesperson told Canada’s National Post the original photo was doctored to better “depict the diversity of Toronto and its residents.”

I’m all for representing a city’s diversity, but imposing the head of a man of one race onto the shoulders of another man, is unacceptable. Not to mention this cover looks like a gag.

“Is that a joke?” asked one creative director I shared this story with. “That’s just horrible.”

And, the best part: the original photo is a stock image. The family is “not known” to be Toronto residents.
[Editor's note: This post reminds me of an old Onion headline—"Black Guy Photoshopped In"—but, unfortunately for the city of Toronto, this time it's not a joke.]
Folio RSS: Feed sponsored exclusively by NXTbook Media - offering RSS feeds for Digital Editions Call 866-268-1219 for more information.

GQ Censored by Hudson News—Again

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:55:33 -0400

Hudson News is at it again.
The company, which operates more than 500 newsstands in major cities, airports and train stations—including New York’s Grand Central Terminal—is treating GQ’s July issue, which features a nude Sacha Baron Cohen (as his flamboyantly gay Brüno character) on its cover “like pornography,” according to the New York Times’ Media Decoder blog.
The newsstand took the liberty of covering up the bottom half of the July cover with a black “blinder.”
While it might seem somewhat surprising, given the influx of nudity on covers recently (see Samir Husni’s helpful roundup), it really shouldn’t be. Hudson News, a notoriously conservative chain, has done this sort of thing before—and often.
Last December, GQ’s much talked-about January 2009 cover—featuring Jennifer Aniston wearing nothing more than a tie and a smile—was covered up by Hudson News in Grand Central. (The newsstand placed a piece of paper across the issue in its window display, but copies inside remained uncovered.)
In June 2006, Hudson News censored the first of five consecutive issues of FHM, including a cover featuring Brooke Hogan—Hulk Hogan’s then underage daughter—which prompted liquor advertisers to pull out of the magazine.
If the retailer was hoping to draw attention away from magazines baring all on covers (and putting it in the window isn't exactly a sign they want to), censoring them, as one might expect, tends to have the opposite effect. The first FHM cover covered up by Hudson News sold over 400,000 copies on newsstands, well above its 350,000 average. And GQ's Aniston cover sold some 370,000 copies—up 90 percent over its January 2008 cover, making it the single best-selling GQ issue in over 10 years.
Folio RSS: Feed sponsored exclusively by NXTbook Media - offering RSS feeds for Digital Editions Call 866-268-1219 for more information.

Why Everyone Should Look at the Cover Before it Goes to Print

Vanessa Voltolina — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:38:48 -0400

Sloppy use of Photoshop continues to wreak havoc on magazine covers.

Take Marie Claire’s June 2009 cover. As the Quality in Print blog pointed out, cover girl Beyonce Knowles was handed a Photoshop-induced finger deformity.

A typical Photoshop flub? In my opinion, no—it was a combination of lighting and reflective chunky jewelry gone awry. But regardless, it’s an odd distraction that someone should have picked up on.

But Beyonce’s mutant hand is child’s play compared to some of the more recent, blatant mistakes, like OK!’s April 20th issue, which showed before and after photos of a “Biggest Loser” reality TV star. The kicker (sorry): the cover’s “after” photo was missing a leg.

Of course, these mistakes aren’t limited to magazine covers, as seen on Photoshopmistakes.com, “the best photoshop mistakes and disasters from around the world.” But inconsistencies—the displaced shadows on Time’s November 3, 2008 cover, for instance—are a common occurrence.

So what do all of these snafus add up to? It’s the best reason I can think of to make all staffers, bloggers, interns—or even a random guy off of the street—give an issue’s cover the once-over before shipping.
Folio RSS: Feed sponsored exclusively by NXTbook Media - offering RSS feeds for Digital Editions Call 866-268-1219 for more information.

New Publisher Takes Criticism of Cover to Heart

Vanessa Voltolina — Thu, 07 May 2009 11:03:47 -0400

Criticism, particularly the “constructive” kind, can be brutal. But one publisher swallowed his pride to produce a better cover.

With an eccentric self-portrait of CEO William Tincup, Strategy, a bimonthly startup targeted at 25-45 year-old “Type A” MBAs, was featured in FOLIO:’s November Face Up, a monthly profile of magazine covers, which includes a panel of judges who offer criticism.

Strategy was trying to find its niche as a “360-degree on business,” said publisher Matt Pettoni. Strategy's design team took the critiques seriously and retooled the cover for its subsequent issues.

“The biggest thing distracting me is the masthead and the tagline above it,” Brian Taylor, design director at National Defense Magazine, said of Strategy. “It’s all very crowded and the two trademark symbols just aren’t needed.” In response, Strategy decided to remove this tagline (something that the staff had been considering) and use the space above the logo for its strongest coverlines. “That’s valuable real estate on the newsstand,” Pettoni said.

The two trademark logos next to the tagline and coverline have also been eliminated. “We now just put a registered symbol next to the magazine title and since tag is gone,” he said.

Like many magazines, Strategy struggles with the decision between producing “people” covers or “concept” covers.

“This is the magazine’s first year,” launched two weeks before the economy plummeted, Pettoni noted. “It was really a test year.”
Folio RSS: Feed sponsored exclusively by NXTbook Media - offering RSS feeds for Digital Editions Call 866-268-1219 for more information.

The Influx—And Economics—Of All-Type Covers

Vanessa Voltolina — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:27:45 -0400

All-type covers are everywhere. Thinking of producing one?

Pros: No photoshoots and the costs associated with them.

Cons: They may not be as easy as they look.

With publishers scurrying to cut costs wherever they can, it’s no surprise that the art departments have felt the strain of cutting back on photoshoots and finding creative, low-cost solutions to effective cover art. Increasingly, magazines across the newsstand spectrum—Scientific American, New York, Money, Communication Arts, Strategy and Business, Consumer Reports, Real Simple, Foreign Affairs and Forbes—have gone the all-type route [view a sampling here]. And let’s not forget Wired, which wins the award for most type-plus-stock art covers in 2008 and 2009.

The cost savings are clear, with a publication saving thousands of dollars per issue or more, depending on the scope of the celebrity personality or photographer/stylist/handler fees.

I asked FOLIO:’s own art director, Dan Trombetto, to weigh in. He warns: “It's more important than usual that you work with the editor in coming up with the exact cover lines that lend themselves well to an all-type cover.” Translation: while slapping some text and stock images on a cover may save you money, it isn’t a guaranteed home run when it comes to design and message.

“I'm sure a lot of people think ‘oh, this will be an easy cover—I'll just pick a cool font, choose a nice color, and drop my cover line on and I'm done,’” he added. “You can get away with less than perfect typography if there is a really amazing photo on the cover—but with an all-type cover, the photo crutch is not there. All the focus is on that type.”

And one successful all-type cover doesn’t necessarily lead to another. Trombetto considers “The End of Excess” [above] effective, but he “doesn't care for the type used in ‘The List Issue.’ The cover is way too hectic and cluttered.” In general, good keywords “that you can focus on” are increasingly important, particularly in choosing a provocative statement, like Esquire’s 1966 cover, he said.
Folio RSS: Feed sponsored exclusively by NXTbook Media - offering RSS feeds for Digital Editions Call 866-268-1219 for more information.

My Review of Time Inc.'s Mine

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:52:23 -0400

I received my first edition of "mine" yesterday. It's a print and digital customized magazine concept being tested by Time Inc. I went for the print edition because, logistically, I was more curious how that would pan out. Plus, Time Inc. said they were only going to print 31,000 copies—I wanted in on the print action.

Keeping in mind this is a test project, I still couldn't help feeling constrained by the selection, especially when they say each issue will "include stories tailored specifically to [my] interests." Magazine choices include Travel + Leisure, Golf, In Style, Money, Real Simple, Sports Illustrated, Time, and Food & Wine.

I picked Real Simple, Food & Wine, In Style, Sports Illustrated, and Golf. My "mine" had 1-4 features from each magazine for a total of 36 pages including covers.

Content is pulled from 2007 to 2009—a range that could prove tricky if time-sensitive material is featured. An article about soccer from my SI selection has a "breaking news" infographic that points readers to Euro 2008 online coverage. And a profile of LPGA golfer Natalie Gulbis is a follow-on from her 2007 Evian Masters win.

This might be asking too much: I like sports, yet if I pick Sports Illustrated, I can't then request specific topics from within that brand. Same goes for the rest. The editors from each publication are apparently doing that for me based on their own vetting process. Given the breadth of coverage of these publications offer within their mass-market verticals, the content selection process is still casting a pretty wide net.

The entire issue is sponsored by Lexus and playing into the whole custom thing, ad copy is tailored to where I live—New Haven, Connecticut—and to the content I chose: "We know how much you love sports, and with our available voice-activated Navigation System, it's easy to locate the best memorabilia dealers near New Haven."

The custom copy in the ads is a tinted version of the standard copy. So, in the line above, "sports," "memorabilia dealers," and "New Haven" are a different shade. Reading the ad copy is like listening to a pre-recorded audio message that changes tone slightly when new options are offered.

Here's a look:

Folio RSS: Feed sponsored exclusively by NXTbook Media - offering RSS feeds for Digital Editions Call 866-268-1219 for more information.

Did Another Magazine ‘Lighten’ a Dark Woman?

Vanessa Voltolina — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:00:30 -0400

What do Beyonce, Michelle Obama, and Kim Kardashian have in common? They’ve all gone under a magazine’s Photoshop knife and come out looking lighter.

Most recently, Complex mistakenly released a pre-retouched image of socialite-model-actress Kim Kardashian on its Web site with (gasp!) cellulite on her thighs. The photo was only up for a few hours, and quickly taken down when the mistake was realized.

The cellulite, however, was less disturbing than the fact that the photo’s background—and Kardashian—got visibly lighter from pre-touch to retouch.

In 2005, Radar claimed that Vanity Fair lightened singer Beyonce’s skin color for its cover. And in the past few weeks, Michelle Obama’s airbrushed makeover on New York’s cover received its share of criticism. (Not as much as her husband’s Rolling Stone cover, which some alleged made the then-president-to-be look “whiter” and downright angelic.)

While some, like Fox News’ Megyn Kelly, believe that “any respectable magazine should be doing a little retouching,” how far is too far?

Folio RSS: Feed sponsored exclusively by NXTbook Media - offering RSS feeds for Digital Editions Call 866-268-1219 for more information.

Five Fresh Design Ideas that Don't Cost a Thing

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:48:28 -0400

The current economy is not a fun topic, especially if you're in publishing. Every day, it seems, publications are being shut down and people are being laid off. If you're lucky enough to still have a job, you're probably struggling with a slashed budget. But there is a positive in all of this—getting back to your creative roots. Below are some simple things you can do to shake up your designs that won't take a cent out of your budget.
1. Design and Edit
There is nothing as powerful as a layout that has a well-conceived connection between edit and art. Work closely with your editors to connect the story to the design. An evocative headline and descriptive deck should capture the reader and round out the visual elements.
2. Typography
Explore typographic solutions to a design. Look at pushing the limits of your type palette—roman, bold, italic, all caps, all lowercase, large, small, serif and sans serif combined. Play around. And if you're looking for a unique headline font, there are hundreds of beautiful, well-designed fonts to choose from. Two of our favorite foundries are Font Bureau and Hoefler & Frère-Jones.
3. Design Basics
Scale. Cropping. Negative space. You may not have used these terms since college, but getting back to basics can bring new life to your designs.
4. Imagery
Rules, boxes, dingbats, and graphic forms can illustrate concepts and help create dynamic designs. And while you don't want to replace professional-quality photography completely, there are some budget-conscious ways to add imagery to your layouts: Consider creating your own images. Combine a selection of photos to make an energetic collage (check out New York magazine's Party Lines section as an example). If your department has a good digital camera, you can shoot still-life photographs to act as backdrops for your designs. Placing items directly on your scanner can lead to interesting results as well.
5. Color
Last but not least, color can add richness and meaning to a design. Expand the application of your publication's color palette to keep the pages fresh and inviting. Look at working with colors that have a similar value range so the design doesn't become like a rainbow. Stay away from introducing new colors, or you will end up expanding your palette too much and watering down your publication's brand.
Check out more at 2communique.com ...
Folio RSS: Feed sponsored exclusively by NXTbook Media - offering RSS feeds for Digital Editions Call 866-268-1219 for more information.

Good's Incredible Shrinking Magazine

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 10:58:22 -0400

Here’s one way to use the recession to your relative advantage.

Good—the for-profit magazine with a non-profit ethos—has published a “recession” issue that is 80 percent smaller than its other issues.

The 5-by-7 inch April issue (regular size: 8-3/8"x10-7/8") is just 8 pages, compared to its usual folio of 116 pages, and carries just one ad—a “coupon” created by Aveda just for the magazine.

This is a magazine that is known for doing things a little differently—like allowing subscribers to “name their own price” for a subscription to the magazine, and donates 100 percent of its subscription revenue to non-profits. Since launching two years ago, Good has donated more than $850,000.

Casey Caplowe, Good’s co-founder and creative director, said the magazine saved roughly 75 percent on production costs for the recession issue.

Good for them.
[image via Consumerist]
Folio RSS: Feed sponsored exclusively by NXTbook Media - offering RSS feeds for Digital Editions Call 866-268-1219 for more information.

Are You Using an Ad Portal? And If Not, Why Not?

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:51:52 -0500

In an era where every penny of incremental revenue counts—and the time to find it—it surprises me that only 22 percent of respondents to a FOLIO: survey last year said they use ad portals.
It's doubly surprising because often printers provide portals to their customers, making the process almost completely decision-free.

Ad portals automate the process of shipping both editorial and advertising files to the printer. They rely on a Web interface that tracks when a file is received by the printer, and they allow magazine production staffs to approve pages after a review of the page online.

With virtual proofing becoming the norm—and color-management no longer a major concern because of digital processes—ad portals represent a logical progression.

So why are so many companies still doing things either the old way—uploading files via FTP—or the really old way: shipping files via FedEx?

Think about it: Wouldn't you want a real-time process where you can sell an ad in the morning, get it from the advertiser in the afternoon, upload it and before 5 p.m. have the software tell you instantaneously whether the ad meets the printer's production requirements?

Given that e-media sales require a lot more project management and hand-holding than print, isn't it valuable to automate the print advertising process in any way possible?

Well, it may be that both small and large publishers are catching on to the value of portals. Just last week, Meredith Corp. signed on with a portal provider. And earlier this month, both Condé Nast and regional magazine Connecticut Cottages & Gardens said they, too, are now using portals.
Folio RSS: Feed sponsored exclusively by NXTbook Media - offering RSS feeds for Digital Editions Call 866-268-1219 for more information.