Layouts: Essential Information and Work To Do

By the end of the week you are expected to have completed your flat plan drawings for your double page spread. A succesful flat plan will be based around the basics (and not so basics) of 'page harmony'. Harmony is essential if your work is going to look 'real', to help you achieve a 'real' looking product follow the steps below to create a template which will push you towards the top band.

Tick off the success criteria as you complete them

Success criteria:

• A3 landscape created
• Page numbers placed on both pages
• Magazine name placed on both pages
• Drop capital used to start article
• Minimum of two photo’s on double page spread
• Basic page layout followed
• Basic page layout improved using intermediary page layout

STEP 1 - Basic page layout

Before embarking on your design get a feel for sketching by trying to copy some of the designs above onto A3 (you can squeeze at least 3x3 onto A3) and then upload an image of these to your blog.

STEP 2 - Intermediate page layout (aka how to draw rectangles)

Minimum – 2 columns per page within rectangle.

Article within rectangle

CVI of image within rectangle

How to draw rectangles harmoniously (if aiming for a band 4 you MUST ensure ALL designs have these template lines visible)

Using these 'guide' lines try and ensure all of your flat plan 'design' fits within these areas

If you'd like a more thorough explanation then visit the excellent memonic page

http://www.memonic.com/user/2ni/id/1bZXr

Alternative page layout The Grid System

The grid system is an elegant yet simple way of designing your page. It too builds on the Fibonacci sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 etc

Try dividing your page into columns as seen here, then you can decide how many columns will suit  your page

This site has a very simple explanation: http://www.magicwan.com/portfolio/project/grid