Conduct visual research (text, Graphic Design Thinking, p. 38) of your magazine and mark where you see recurring elements, patterns, formats, cues, etc. Use this information to create a graphic standards guide that outlines the magazine's brand language (text, Graphic Design Thinking, p. 132). Identify design elements, such as color, shape, image, typography, texture, pattern, and materials, all of which should convey the publication's values to a particular audience.
Your graphics guide should include the following (at minimum):
- Structure: grid, page specifications, such as margins, gutters, column width, page trim/live area, etc.
- Typography: include what fonts are used for headlines, decks, subtitles, captions, drop caps, body copy, bylines, etc.
- Colors: define the color builds for the color palette used in the publication (scan and use the color picker in Photoshop)
- Patterns + Visual Elements: document the recurring patterns or visual elements (individually or used as a system) that are used throughout the publication (icons, symbols, rules, etc.)
- Magazine Overview + Audience Demographics: include some basic information about what the publication is about, who it is for, what is their brand promise, etc.
- 5 Professional Engagement: class discussion and participation, and professionalism of content delivered
- 10 Execution: inclusion of required visual content, plus any extra and appropriate visual content that furthers your research; quality of content; organization and presentation of information; overall layout and visual analysis
Goals
- to conduct visual research
- to learn about and create a graphic standards guide
- to see/identify visual and brand patterns, systems, and language
