[Andy]

Yo,
Starting designing a uni magazine tomorrow, basically the whole thing and i've never EVER done it before... but you gotta start somewhere.

Things I need to know really are the basic do's and donts,

for example are there any fonts i should or shouldnt use?
or regulation size of type for content/headers etc...?
Colours that are difficult to print?

Would appreciate some help pleeeease

Thanks x

[sub]

Andy, I replied to this last night but for some reason the post is gone.
(probably used the word cunt too many times)

Can't be arsed to re-type it all but the long and the short of it was, unless the Uni has a style guide to work to it would seem you have a completely blank canvas and free to use whatever typography you seem fit. You could look into Congress sans.

Also, if you're unsure of colours you are welcome to borrow my Pantone (solid to process) book.

Nick

[cocknose]

remember hierachy!!...
in headlines.. as in lead story largest head, secondary smaller and sidebars/colomns smallest... try choosing two typefaces for heads and deks and one for body text!!! maybe...
remember use LIBRARIES and STYLE SHEETS to make your jobs easier... if you have pullouts/boxes use different typeface than in the body..
erm...
TRAPPING!!!!.... important!!!... fucks you up if you forget or rely on the defaults...
choose fonts with paper stock in mind.... if your using newsprint then maybe use a good contrasting serif for body text, something with thin to thick terminals, short stubby serif...
if your stock is cleaner less fibreous then sans is fine...

think about your style before choosing anything, even the stock..

need some info on what its actually gonna be printed on and style before i can give anymore advice..

[d*d]

beware the gutter, the most common mistake a person makes with thier first print peice is not allowing for the bend in the paper at the bind,

get to know your printers and talk to them about practical considerations, paper, binding etc they will give you invaluable advice.

make sure everything is CMYK before it goes to print - printers will print stuff no matter how obviously wrong things look.

Check, double check and triple check for splling mistakes.

[cocknose]

Originally Posted by d*d

Check, double check and triple check for spelling mistakes.

THEN GET SOMEONE ELSE TO DOUBLE CHECK...

and then some little bastard typo will always get through... C^$T

[sub]

Also, get your master pages set-up - keep things simple and consistent.
This is a sample of a 5 column layout (A3+ newsletter)...

[Dusteh]

Easiest thing to do is go out and buy a few magazines/papers that are the same format/size you are aiming for - then study the way they use space, columns, font size and so on. Amazing what you can quickly learn just by looking at other publications properly for the first time.

[cocknose]

oh yeah.... consistancy!!! keep consistant!
and use coloumns within text boxes not separate text boxes for coloumns... i know it sounds like a dumb thing to say but i know people who have done that!!!... i think i even have done that at some point!
..... but i really am dumb!....

[Andy]

jeeez, thanks guys.
me and my brother are gonna have a muck around for a few days and i'll probably be back complaining i did something wrong etc.

thanks alot, great help

[sub]

Don't forget to post what you come up with

[Mr Fred]

nice that subcircle.

[stylin328]

I agree with the above. Great advice... goodluck and post whatever you guys finish with

[Andy]

yo, i'm back.

do you take the spine into account for the size of the front and back cover?
or is that done later on?

aaah

[Dusteh]

depends on how its being bound. Ask the printer, thats their job to make sure you get that right.

[Andy]

okay thaaankyou x