The Future of Editorial Design
Define Editorial design
What makes you want to pick up a magazine and read it? Is it simply the masthead that you recognise and automatically connect with content that interests you? The articles listed on the front cover? The photograph or illustration used? Chances are, it is a combination of these elements and their layout that creates a visual impact that resonates with you, the reader.
Proportion, hierarchy, balance, colour, contrast, typography selection and grids are the tools that editorial designers use so well to inspire a person in their target audience to first pick up a publication for a closer look and ultimately go on to buy or read it, whether it be a magazine or newspaper (digital or print), book, brochure, greeting card, website or information leaflet. Good editorial design strikes a balance between guiding and navigating the reader through a document, providing character and variation to attract and engage the reader, encouraging them to continue exploring the many parts of a publication (Leslie 2014).
The field of editorial design is one of the largest employers of graphic designers in the world and it is one that continues to thrive in many ways (Flask 2009). Try making it through an average day without noticing some form of publication that an editorial designer has had a hand in. It has become so ubiquitous it would be hard to imagine our everyday lives without the presence of editorial design.
Current trends
Editorial design is ever-evolving, both within and across mediums. Design trends come and go, however the celebration of words and the inviting nature of a beautiful layout that perfectly complements the content, is a problem that the editorial designer is tasked with solving, regardless of the context or viewing platform.
There is no doubt that the internet has had a significant effect on the business of publishing (and therefore the craft of editorial design) since its inception (Salkowitz 2014). What it hasn't changed is the necessary involvement of authors, editors, designers, publishers, distributors and readers.
Figures from the Enhanced Media Metrics Australia (EMMA) survey showed overall readership for 13 key newspaper mastheads increased by 2.4 percent between March 2013 and February 2014 (Heffernan 2014). "Digital content is the key driver of growth, with total digital audiences jumping by 13.5 percent over the same period while the print audience declined by 5.2 percent", industry body The Newspapers Works said.
Overall circulation of magazines in Australia in the six months to December 2013 showed a decline of 11.5 percent compared to the same period in 2012, with digital sales (for tablet magazine editions) still far from replacing the revenue of lost print sales (Jackson 2014).
The context for creativity might be changing, however designers are still able to apply the same thought process they've always used to deliver design solutions in this changing landscape (Braggins et al. 2014). This is evident in the number of print publications that have taken the opportunity to increase their readership by providing an online version of their work.
Other businesses are embracing the growth of the internet and using it as free marketing to promote their product. For example, some start-up publishers are taking advantage of social networks to find their ideal audience, then sending out beautiful print products as enticement to purchase either publications or services (Newman and Jacobs 2014). Whatever the context or viewing platform, the principles of good design remain constant and readers continue to appreciate layouts that make their reading experience more enjoyable.
Future forecasts
Print is far from dead, and just as the introduction of photography didn't spell the end for painters, I don't believe electronic publications will completely rule out the need for print; but that doesn't mean editorial designers should just carry on with business as usual. The digital age is well and truly underway and I believe that editorial designers need to make the most of the opportunities that this may provide.
The introduction of online magazines/newspapers, whilst exciting and enticing at first, has now (for some publications) become no more than a digital showroom for replicas of their printed counterparts, lacking the rich textural multi-sensory interactive experience the digital platform has the capacity to provide. Perhaps for this reason, readers have failed to embrace new magazine apps in large (or even medium) numbers (Newman and Jacobs 2014).
Digital subscriptions of magazines make up only three percent of total subscriptions (Newman and Jacobs 2014). For newspapers, online operations typically account for fifteen percent or less of total revenues (Grabowicz 2014). These numbers suggest that print publications are still very much the preferred medium for many readers.
So why has print revenue been on the decline? Braggins (2014) suggests that advertising (or lack thereof) is the key. The internet has not only affected the way in which people view the work of editorial designers, but also the way in which we see and buy other products. Advertisers are taking full advantage of social media (as well as other online strategies) as a method of free or cheaper advertising, therefore reducing their need to spend money on advertising space in magazines and other print-based publications. This leaves many smaller print publications struggling for a consistent income.
The challenge for editorial designers, as set by Jeremy Leslie (2014), (creative director of magCulture) is to create a separation in presentation between online and print versions of the same publication. For digital subscribers to remain interested, there needs to be more than just a photo gallery of pages from a print magazine with the occasional widget or animation thrown in (Newman and Jacobs 2014). For print publications it is becoming popular to create apps that can link their paper based issues to online content by simply scanning a barcode with a smartphone, thereby providing a multi-platform experience for print readers.
We live in a visual age where images and other visual content carries 40-60 times the impact of text in terms of its ability to draw attention (Salkowitz 2014). Print publications take advantage of this through creative imagery and typography within visually pleasing layouts. A book or magazine offers the reader a physical entity with none of the perceived transience of the electronic page, allowing a tactile, well established emotional connection with the reader (Bailey 2014). With increasing use of iPads, Kindles and Tablets, the next generation of readers may not have the same opportunity to develop that emotional connection with printed materials, instead expecting every story to offer a kaleidoscopic, immersive, cross-platform, cross-media experience (Salkowitz 2014).
The overlap between the print and digital reader experience is being further explored with the development of Google glasses and similar inventions, allowing readers to overlay, highlight and annotate text in the digital space just as it's possible to do on paper (Salkowitz 2014). Bookstores are also looking at keeping up with the digital "download it now" attitude by offering their customers print-on-demand books, allowing the same (or even an extended) catalogue to choose from but lowering their costs by way of reducing excess inventory (Salkowitz 2014).
All of these innovations are working towards keeping the reader/target audience interested, and the editorial designer has an essential role to play in the delivery of information that is not just well-written and up-to-date, but also visually attractive.
Up-skilling
Now, more than ever, editorial designers need to be adaptable and take the opportunity to expand their skills through taking on new design projects (Braggins et al. 2014). It may not be possible to be a specialist in both print and digital editorial design, however building networks with other designers is a great way to fill knowledge gaps whilst working on improving one's own design skills (Braggins et al. 2014).
The internet, whilst being the main cause of editorial designers needing to up-skill, also offers some great solutions, making it easier to find and complete short (or long) educational courses on everything from coding to rocket building and much, much more. Also, new software such as Adobe Muse is making it easier for editorial designers with no coding skills to apply their design knowledge to the world of digital publications (Braggins et al. 2014).
Conclusion
Braggins (2014) observes that due to the depth of critical abilities built up over a career, an editorial designer can easily translate their skills into other areas of design, and talented people will persist in contributing to compelling and successful (i.e. sought after) content.
Just as the print era went through enormous change with the advances of printing techniques, enabling more freedom with layouts, colour, photography and reduced printing time and costs, a similar revolution is happening in the digital realm. The available tools for digital authorship and the tastes of digital readers are maturing, meaning that online articles (and by extension, editorial design) are becoming more sophisticated (Braggins et al. 2014).
Editorial designers are in a great position to capitalise on the exciting changes that are occurring within their field. Whether readers continue to buy print publications or look more to digital platforms as their preferred information source, good design will always be essential for creating a reading experience that is both highly legible and visually appealing.
For a full reference list please contact the author.
What makes you want to pick up a magazine and read it? Is it simply the masthead that you recognise and automatically connect with content that interests you? The articles listed on the front cover? The photograph or illustration used? Chances are, it is a combination of these elements and their layout that creates a visual impact that resonates with you, the reader.
Proportion, hierarchy, balance, colour, contrast, typography selection and grids are the tools that editorial designers use so well to inspire a person in their target audience to first pick up a publication for a closer look and ultimately go on to buy or read it, whether it be a magazine or newspaper (digital or print), book, brochure, greeting card, website or information leaflet. Good editorial design strikes a balance between guiding and navigating the reader through a document, providing character and variation to attract and engage the reader, encouraging them to continue exploring the many parts of a publication (Leslie 2014).
The field of editorial design is one of the largest employers of graphic designers in the world and it is one that continues to thrive in many ways (Flask 2009). Try making it through an average day without noticing some form of publication that an editorial designer has had a hand in. It has become so ubiquitous it would be hard to imagine our everyday lives without the presence of editorial design.
Current trends
Editorial design is ever-evolving, both within and across mediums. Design trends come and go, however the celebration of words and the inviting nature of a beautiful layout that perfectly complements the content, is a problem that the editorial designer is tasked with solving, regardless of the context or viewing platform.
There is no doubt that the internet has had a significant effect on the business of publishing (and therefore the craft of editorial design) since its inception (Salkowitz 2014). What it hasn't changed is the necessary involvement of authors, editors, designers, publishers, distributors and readers.
Figures from the Enhanced Media Metrics Australia (EMMA) survey showed overall readership for 13 key newspaper mastheads increased by 2.4 percent between March 2013 and February 2014 (Heffernan 2014). "Digital content is the key driver of growth, with total digital audiences jumping by 13.5 percent over the same period while the print audience declined by 5.2 percent", industry body The Newspapers Works said.
Overall circulation of magazines in Australia in the six months to December 2013 showed a decline of 11.5 percent compared to the same period in 2012, with digital sales (for tablet magazine editions) still far from replacing the revenue of lost print sales (Jackson 2014).
The context for creativity might be changing, however designers are still able to apply the same thought process they've always used to deliver design solutions in this changing landscape (Braggins et al. 2014). This is evident in the number of print publications that have taken the opportunity to increase their readership by providing an online version of their work.
Other businesses are embracing the growth of the internet and using it as free marketing to promote their product. For example, some start-up publishers are taking advantage of social networks to find their ideal audience, then sending out beautiful print products as enticement to purchase either publications or services (Newman and Jacobs 2014). Whatever the context or viewing platform, the principles of good design remain constant and readers continue to appreciate layouts that make their reading experience more enjoyable.
Future forecasts
Print is far from dead, and just as the introduction of photography didn't spell the end for painters, I don't believe electronic publications will completely rule out the need for print; but that doesn't mean editorial designers should just carry on with business as usual. The digital age is well and truly underway and I believe that editorial designers need to make the most of the opportunities that this may provide.
The introduction of online magazines/newspapers, whilst exciting and enticing at first, has now (for some publications) become no more than a digital showroom for replicas of their printed counterparts, lacking the rich textural multi-sensory interactive experience the digital platform has the capacity to provide. Perhaps for this reason, readers have failed to embrace new magazine apps in large (or even medium) numbers (Newman and Jacobs 2014).
Digital subscriptions of magazines make up only three percent of total subscriptions (Newman and Jacobs 2014). For newspapers, online operations typically account for fifteen percent or less of total revenues (Grabowicz 2014). These numbers suggest that print publications are still very much the preferred medium for many readers.
So why has print revenue been on the decline? Braggins (2014) suggests that advertising (or lack thereof) is the key. The internet has not only affected the way in which people view the work of editorial designers, but also the way in which we see and buy other products. Advertisers are taking full advantage of social media (as well as other online strategies) as a method of free or cheaper advertising, therefore reducing their need to spend money on advertising space in magazines and other print-based publications. This leaves many smaller print publications struggling for a consistent income.
The challenge for editorial designers, as set by Jeremy Leslie (2014), (creative director of magCulture) is to create a separation in presentation between online and print versions of the same publication. For digital subscribers to remain interested, there needs to be more than just a photo gallery of pages from a print magazine with the occasional widget or animation thrown in (Newman and Jacobs 2014). For print publications it is becoming popular to create apps that can link their paper based issues to online content by simply scanning a barcode with a smartphone, thereby providing a multi-platform experience for print readers.
We live in a visual age where images and other visual content carries 40-60 times the impact of text in terms of its ability to draw attention (Salkowitz 2014). Print publications take advantage of this through creative imagery and typography within visually pleasing layouts. A book or magazine offers the reader a physical entity with none of the perceived transience of the electronic page, allowing a tactile, well established emotional connection with the reader (Bailey 2014). With increasing use of iPads, Kindles and Tablets, the next generation of readers may not have the same opportunity to develop that emotional connection with printed materials, instead expecting every story to offer a kaleidoscopic, immersive, cross-platform, cross-media experience (Salkowitz 2014).
The overlap between the print and digital reader experience is being further explored with the development of Google glasses and similar inventions, allowing readers to overlay, highlight and annotate text in the digital space just as it's possible to do on paper (Salkowitz 2014). Bookstores are also looking at keeping up with the digital "download it now" attitude by offering their customers print-on-demand books, allowing the same (or even an extended) catalogue to choose from but lowering their costs by way of reducing excess inventory (Salkowitz 2014).
All of these innovations are working towards keeping the reader/target audience interested, and the editorial designer has an essential role to play in the delivery of information that is not just well-written and up-to-date, but also visually attractive.
Up-skilling
Now, more than ever, editorial designers need to be adaptable and take the opportunity to expand their skills through taking on new design projects (Braggins et al. 2014). It may not be possible to be a specialist in both print and digital editorial design, however building networks with other designers is a great way to fill knowledge gaps whilst working on improving one's own design skills (Braggins et al. 2014).
The internet, whilst being the main cause of editorial designers needing to up-skill, also offers some great solutions, making it easier to find and complete short (or long) educational courses on everything from coding to rocket building and much, much more. Also, new software such as Adobe Muse is making it easier for editorial designers with no coding skills to apply their design knowledge to the world of digital publications (Braggins et al. 2014).
Conclusion
Braggins (2014) observes that due to the depth of critical abilities built up over a career, an editorial designer can easily translate their skills into other areas of design, and talented people will persist in contributing to compelling and successful (i.e. sought after) content.
Just as the print era went through enormous change with the advances of printing techniques, enabling more freedom with layouts, colour, photography and reduced printing time and costs, a similar revolution is happening in the digital realm. The available tools for digital authorship and the tastes of digital readers are maturing, meaning that online articles (and by extension, editorial design) are becoming more sophisticated (Braggins et al. 2014).
Editorial designers are in a great position to capitalise on the exciting changes that are occurring within their field. Whether readers continue to buy print publications or look more to digital platforms as their preferred information source, good design will always be essential for creating a reading experience that is both highly legible and visually appealing.
For a full reference list please contact the author.
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