A designer’s work involves more than using type, images, and color to produce an attractive magazine. In the process of producing those good-looking and effective issues, there are dozens of organizational details to which a designer must attend. In this unit you will find practical techniques for organizing the essential information for any given issue of your magazine. A well-organized design studio frees the designer to be creative, instead of wasting energy tracking down loose details and errant bits of information.
The following are various forms used by some of the designers at Christianity Today, International, to help organize the myriad details that go into designing an issue. Not every magazine will want to use the same forms. However, every magazine needs some forms to streamline the design process and organize information.
Article tracking form (Click here to see this sample in PDF format.)
This sheet is attached to laser proofs as they are routed for proofreading. The form begins with the editing process and ends with the proof of the final design. You will want to customize this sheet to fit your needs. A routing sheet may include the following elements:
- The name of the article, author, issue date, originating editor.
- The names of those who will proof the article. The names should be listed in order of the routing sequence. There should be a space beside each name to check when the task has been completed, or to indicate a date. This list should appear on the sheet three times to correspond to each of the passes. However, the list may change with each pass, since at each stage you may need fewer people checking the copy.
- A checklist for the final pass so that the last proofreader can check the list for all typographic details such as folios, art credits, date of issue, end boxes, spelling of authors’ and artists’ names, etc.
This is the issue plan at a glance; an overview of the entire magazine. The blank template (pre-dummy thumbnail) goes to the editor, who then fills in names of the articles and indicates ad placement. The marked up “Final Dummy Thumbnail” shows one in use.
It’s best to see the entire issue on one sheet of paper. That way it’s easy to get a feel for the whole package and to make clear judgments with regard to pacing and visual treatments. Develop a marking system to keep track of articles that have been designed and are being routed and those that have been completed and are ready to go to the printer. You might choose to use a color system in which you mark with a yellow marker articles that have been designed and have begun to route for proofing. Then use another color to indicate those articles that have completed the routing process and are ready for the printer.
Image request form (Click here to see this sample in PDF format.)
A written agreement should always be sent to the person you ask to produce an illustration or photograph. The discipline of composing your request in writing (usually after a personal meeting or telephone call) will help assure that you communicate clearly and accurately. It will also clarify responsibility in a situation in which the request was not properly completed. Both artist and art director will have a document to which they can refer. An art request form should include the following:
- Date of the assignment and artist contact information: name, address, phone number, fax number, e-mail address.
- The name of the designer commissioning the visual.
- The issue for which the work is being assigned.
- The title of article.
- The image request, including assignment details.
- The photo concept stated briefly. Information should include the type of models needed for the photograph: age, number, gender, build, context (for example, student, mom, worker, etc.); location of shoot (for example, studio, outdoors, at a park, in a church, etc.); photo format (vertical, horizontal, square, 35mm, 2-1/4 format); important details such as color, black and white, motion blur, see faces, warm light, dramatic lighting, technique.
- Deadline for film to be in the designer’s hands.
- Agreed fee for completed work.
- Information as to how the designer commissioning the work may be contacted: name, address, phone number, fax number; e-mail address.
- Rights & Terms: Details limits of usage, and clarifies and protects the agreement between magazine and artist.
This form clarifies and protects the agreement among model, photographer, and the magazine.
Image budget (Click here to see this sample in PDF format.)
This form is used to keep track of images ordered, listing the article for which the image was ordered, who did the work, what price was originally agreed upon, and the amount actually billed.
Artwork return log (Click here to see this sample in PDF format.)
Include artist’s name, description of art, date received, date sent back, and method of delivery. This is simply a way of keeping track of art that has been returned to the artist after use.
Printer form
This may be a simple sheet of paper you attach to the composite and separation printout of each article in preparation for the printer. It should include:
- Name of magazine
- Date
- Issue date
- File name
- Special instructions