Publication Design
This is the Publication Design class hub containing the course glossary, links, and misc. resources. Updates will be made throughout the semester and communicated in class as well as via Blackboard.
Last updated 02.04.2025
Corcoran School of the Arts & Design
CGD 3010
Special Topics in Design:
Publication Design
Spring 2025
Tuesday 1–5:30 p.m.
Flagg 157
Sections: Course Description | Anatomy | Key Terms & Formats | Sources
Course Description
In this course, students will be introduced to historical and contemporary practices related to publication design. Through a mix of lectures, demos, readings, and hands-on making, students will engage the structure, design, and content of publication formats such as magazines, newspapers, books, zines, bound (and unbound) documents, and digital platforms. Over the course of the semester, utilizing various printing and production methods, students will create self- and collaboratively-published works and develop a final publication that can be shared with the public.
Anatomy
Art
Within the design of a publication, art serves as an expression of the publication’s ethos as well as an extension of the text itself. The art, which includes illustrations, photos, infographics, and any other visual expression, communicates and amplifies content, themes, and concepts. Art is typically commissioned by creative teams and created by professional illustrators, artists, photographers, or designers. In-house teams (or individuals) can also create art for publications. Cover art, feature art, photos, and spot illustrations are typical examples of art found in publications.
Examples
Binding
The act of containing the pages of a publication such as a book, magazine, or other multi-page document. To “bind” means to join the pages of a book together and enclose them in a cover. Printed Matter’s Printing and Binding Glossary and Resources are helpful sources. Types of binding include, but are not limited to:
Saddle-Sticth (staples): example
Pamphlet Stitch (thread): instructions
Wire-O (metal): example | video
Spiral Coil (plastic): example
Spiral Coil (metal): example
2-Prong Fastener: example
Cover Design
The first and most important part of any publication on which to stamp the brand and its values is the cover. This is the part of the printed magazine that will work tirelessly for the publisher, both on the newsstand, where it must get its feel across and stand out from the competition and where, after purchase, it will continue to sell the brand values on a more intimate scale to both the owner and other readers. The cover has to be striking and stand out from the crowd and should express the publication’s character as well as its content.
Examples
Cover Lines
Cover lines help readers decide if a particular issue of a publication includes content they are interested in reading. Newsstand titles will usually display a mass of these in a bid to show they have more and better content than the competition. The largest cover line, if the publication is using size to distinguish order of ‘importance’, is nearly always related to the cover image. The look and tone of the cover lines—their color, how they stand out against competitors and each other, what their number, length and words say about the magazine and its personality—are very much the responsibility of the designer.
Newspaper Cover (aka Front Page)
The front page of a print newspaper relies on eye-catching images and gut-clenching headlines. However, the modern newspaper selling on the newsstand has to show a spread of its stories so as to attract attention. The cover should highlight the day’s most important and newsworthy stories while also broadcasting the value and quality of a publication’s breadth of content and depth of reporting. Unlike a publication’s homepage, which can be updated by the minute, the front page (and contents) of a print newspaper serves as a physical artifact from a specific date in time.
Examples
Masthead (aka Publication Title)
A masthead is intended to capture and impart the publication’s character, subject, stance, and attitude to its intended readership, often in a subliminal way. While its primary function is to appear on the cover of the publication, it also needs to work on all of the brand's representations, across branding, marketing, and digital spaces.
Spine
Often overlooked, spines can contain more information about a publication than just the title and issue number or publication date. Spines, depending on a publication’s binding treatment, can serve as an extension of the ethos of the contents within. The spine can build up arresting narratives that make readers feel they are buying part of a series and not just a single issue, thereby encouraging loyalty and the desire to build up a whole set. When displayed in a bookcase, the spine of a publication is what readers may be drawn to first.
Contents Page / Table of Contents (TOC)
Contemporary readers use the contents page in a number of different ways: to find the cover story, browse the entire content of the publication, find favorite sections, or find a story they vaguely remember reading years earlier. The contents page remains very important because, after the cover, it is the only device that can literally guide the reader deeper into the publication and signpost a way through and around its content. Because of this status, contents pages are often located on the right-hand side, since this is the page most easily read.
Feature Well
Features, typically promoted on a cover, are the most important textual element of a magazine’s branding. Many publications use a standardized house style or ‘look’ for features, and employ design to distinguish them from other editorial content through elements such as wider columns, more white space, different typefaces, larger headlines, and specially art-directed photography or illustrations.
Examples
Section Openers
Section openers are often an indulgence in a periodical publication, but a welcome one for the reader. In content terms, they are generally unnecessary spreads with an eye-catching image and a minimal amount of text, but they do allow breathing space and, if used as a spread, offer a rare opportunity for a landscape, image-led layout. Because they generally stand out in a memorable way, such openers can act as a useful ‘marker’ for the reader looking for an article in a particular section. If this is their primary use, it can be helpful to create a distinct format that the regular reader can recognize and use to navigate the publication.
Headline
The headline is almost always the largest element presented on an article page. For print publications, headlines are often written to predetermined lengths dictated by the design, while online, headlines are carefully crafted so that they can be found when readers search for particular content. A headline creates a strong bond between the publication and the reader; it says, We know you, we’re like you, and we share the same sense of humor/interests/cultural references. Appropriate size, positioning, and typographic treatment are vital.
Subheads (aka Dek)
A subhead can be a phrase below a headline, a few sentences, or even a question. Its purpose is to clarify and contextualize the headline so that the reader knows whether to invest in the body of the article or move on. Subheads are usually less prominent than headlines but significantly prioritized over body copy. Subheads can break up dense columns of copy and are most usefully employed in lengthy news items, where continuous copy can be off-putting or a reader may be looking for a particular aspect of a story. Subheads are also useful for denoting a new section, chapter subdivision or a subject change, and they will help readers find their place if not reading the article in one sitting.
Lede
The lead-in or lede introduces a story to further entice the reader to commit to reading the article. While strong writing is the best way to distinguish a lede, a visual boost is helpful, in part because short sets of sentences are often read without implied commitment. The lede is part of the body text and should be obvious as such. If it ends up looking like another subhead, a reader may skip it and be puzzled by an article that seems to start in the middle of a thought. A common phrase in journalism is:
“Don’t bury the lede.”
Bylines and Credits
The byline indicates who wrote the story, and where photographs are significant, it will indicate the photographer as well. For some publications, columns, or articles, the authors or photographers are a bigger draw thar the subject, which may not be very distinct. In other cases, the authorship is secondary, and may not even be listed, or it may be shared. The treatment and positioning of bylines and credits should be determined largely by the publication and the importance of these elements to it. These are usually the smallest elements on a page, and are often set in all caps or even sideways (alongside the image or in the gutter) to distinguish from other short pieces of text. In some cases, it makes more sense visually for the credit to follow the caption instead of creating an additional style.
Body Copy
Once reading is under way, the task of the designer is to make reading as comfortable as possible, stopping and punctuating at appropriate points. The designer must deal with the body copy’s main requirements and characteristics, using column and font selection to reflect and deliver the brand and the individual content of the story to the reader. Typographically, the body copy should be readable and work to move the reader effortlessly through a text.
Captions
Captions are an important design element, as they serve as a bridge between text and image. Like more visible elements on a page, captions also require a well-thought-out design solution. When used well, captions either illuminate something not obvious in an image or present commentary that echoes sentiments in the article body. Captions need to be clearly connected to the images they are associated with, which can be a challenge to differentiate with other short pieces of copy, such as credits or similarly sized pull quotes.
Pull Quotes
When done well, pull quotes can be a very useful tool to both draw a reader into an article and punctuate the reader’s rhythm, highlighting key points. Pull quotes are often several times larger than body copy, offering visual hierarchy on continuing pages without titles and subheads. When overused, however, they can clutter or disjoint the reading experience. While they are a textual element, pull quotes can function as images, punctuating layouts with visual interest.
Folios
Consisting of a page number, the publication’s title and, in some cases, a section or chapter title, folios are an indispensable part of the page furniture, helping to orientate the reader in the publication and strengthening the structure of the format and therefore the brand. The purpose of a folio is to allow a reader to find an article referenced in a table of contents or a citation in another publication. Folios do not need to appear on every page, but when they are applied inconsistently, the reader may potentially become lost in the text. Publications whose readers are visually literate will use fonts, weights and positioning to make folios stand out as design elements in their own right.
Kicker
A kicker is a short tag that helps the reader understand the context of what will follow. It usually indicates either a subject category (such as “arts” or “politics”) or type of writing (such as “opinion” or “interview”). For a habitual reader, kickers also link articles that would otherwise have no obvious connection through either headlines or photographs.
Publication Date
The publication date is the date when a book, magazine, or newspaper is published. Its inclusion within the contents is important as it establishes context and recency. For serial publications, the date allows readers to know when an issue was published in relation to the present day.
Footnotes
Footnotes are traditionally printed at the bottom of a page, as the name suggests, if they are essential to the understanding of the text. They can also be printed alongside body copy, at the end of a chapter or section, or at the end of a publication, especially if they are simply further references or supply bibliographic details. In addition to providing references, footnotes can supply pertinent secondary information or insight on a writer’s research process.
Running Header (or Footer)
A running header is an abbreviated headline that may appear on further pages of an article, especially if the article continues over several pages, thus reminding readers which story they are reading. These give structure to the various sections of a publication, identifying or emphasizing what that subject matter, section, or feature is about. Using a running footer instead of a running header allows for an extra text line while preserving the feeling of a traditional larger bottom margin. In less conventional treatments, the information typically found in a running header or footer can be designed along the outer, or even inner, margins of a publication’s layout.
Colophon
A colophon typically contains the details of the title, printer, publisher, typography, and publication date and is usually found at the back of a publication. Unlike the publisher’s colophon, which appears on the title page and spine of a book and on all publicity matter, a printer’s colophon is likely to appear on private press books and other art books, and is often printed on the last page of the book.
Key Terms & Formats
Publication
A book, newspaper, or magazine which can be sold
A document which is given out to provide information
The act of printing and distributing a book, newspaper, or magazine
Publishing
Both an industry and a process, Publishing is the collaborative activity surrounding the production of content in printed or electronic form for distribution to the public.
Newspaper
A print format that contains written, photographic, and infographic content related to news journalism, editorial content, and other factual or opinion-based stories in the service of informing the public. A well-designed, strategic combination of text and visuals is essential for reading and navigating. Usually, newspapers are printed daily, but weekly or biweekly publications exist as well.
Some Newspapers
El Espectador (Colombia)
El País (Spain)
La Prensa (Mexico)
Le Monde (France)
Nigerian Tribune (Nigeria)
Süddeutsche Zeitung (Germany)
The Guardian (UK)
The New York Times (US)
The People’s Daily (China)
The Times of India (India)
The Washington Post (US)
Yomiuri Shimbun (Japan)
Traditional Formats
Broadsheet (aka Nordic/Nordisch)
Approximately 56 x 43.2 cm. (22 x 17 in.)Berliner (aka Midi)
Approximately 47 x 31.5 cm. (18.5 x 12.5 in.)Tabloid (aka Half Nordic or Compact)
Approximately 35.5 x 25.5–30 cm. (14 x 10–12 in.)
Examples
Magazine
A serial print format that has a focused, editorial point of view and specific audience. These mainstream, consumer titles are typically organized around a subject—food, music, fashion, art, travel, culture, etc.—but can contain various sections, each requiring different design considerations. Creative direction, design, typography, and visual content such as photography and illustration, are essential to making a magazine memorable and engaging.
Mainstream Publishers
Condé Nast Publications
Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, Wired, GlamourHearst Magazines
Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Elle, Esquire, Car and DriverDotdash Meredith
Food & Wine, Time, Better Homes & Gardens, Sports IllustratedPenske Media Corporation
Rolling Stone, Art in America, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard
Examples
Supplement
Typically designed with a distinct identity, supplements are magazine inserts that are published by newspapers. Published weekly (ie: Sunday magazines), monthly, or quarterly, supplements offer long- form articles, editorials, and often focus on a special topic. The creative direction and design of supplements often push the boundaries of what is acceptable within the traditional newspaper formats that they are published alongside.
Examples
Volkskrant Magazine (de Volkskrant; Netherlands)
T Magazine (The New York Times; US)
The California Sunday Magazine (LA Times; US / no longer in print)
The New York Times Magazine (The New York Times; US)
The Telegraph Magazine (The Telegraph; UK)
WSJ Magazine (The Wall Street Journal; US)
Journal
A scholarly publication that contains articles written by experts within particular fields of study, such as medicine, public policy, or science. Journals are typically read by educators, students, or researchers and are generally published by research institutions or professional organizations. Content differs from “popular” magazine content in that it is peer reviewed before being published.
Digital Publication
Different from a 1:1 translation of a print publication, a digital format has the ability to communicate news, stories, and complex information to readers through their computers, tablets, and mobile devices. Within this context, the design of the user interface must be flexible and able to adapt to content that is constantly changing. The interactive nature of this format requires a user experience that takes into account individual readers’ interests and level of engagement.
Examples
Book
A collection of pages containing text and sometimes pictures, bound together inside a cover. Books vary in format, page count, circulation, and ratio of text to image. Because of their ability to contain a wide range of content, as well as their typically transportable physical form, books have historically served as repositories for the collection and dissemination of knowledge and ideas through text and image.
Examples
Zine
Self-published and more independent in nature than commercial magazines, zines are comprised of miscellaneous publications that are issued at irregular intervals and appeal to a niche readership. Because of their potentially low-cost design and production, zines are popular within independent or alternative presses. Zines can provide content and perspectives missing from newsstands and can be experimental in both form and content.
Artists’ Book
Publications that utilize the book format (pages, text, image, sequence, reading, container, etc.) as a vehicle for communicating an idea or concept. Artists’ Books are not books about artists, artworks, or art subjects—they are themselves works of art (or design). Limitless in form, content, or circulation, the book form can be a powerful, expressive form that exists at the intersection of art, design, publishing, and social engagement.
Some Collections
On-Demand Printing/Publishing
On-demand refers to the practice of publishing work in small quantities and based on demand. As demand rises, more editions of a publication can be printed. This system works well, particularly with online print resources allowing for print run flexibility. Example online, on-demand printers include:
Sources
This page includes and summarizes select information from the following sources:
Designing the Editorial Experience: A Primer for Print, Web, and Mobile. Sue Apfelbaum and Juliette Cezzar. Rockport Publishers, 2014.
Dictionary of Publishing and Printing. The Guardian. A & C Black Publishers Ltd. 2006.
Editorial Design: Digital and Print. Cath Caldwell and Yolanda Zappaterra. Laurence King Publishing, 2014.