Last Updated on July 18, 2018 by Carlos Alonso
Despite what many people are claiming, print media is still a mainstay in today’s society. We may have heard of some publishing companies and magazines that are getting bankrupt and are switching to the online platform, but don’t fret, there are still newspapers and magazines that are standing strong despite today’s economy. Print media has existed for centuries, with it taking a large leap in the 13-1400s, with the invention of the printing press in Europe. The invention allowed the printing of books on a mass scale, as the books in the past were manuscripts (books that were written by hand) that not only had words, but also fancy artwork and stylish texts that took too long to write and were not really mass produced. The method of the printing press was simple; take a metal block of letters with ink, place firmly them on a tablet, then stick the block on the paper and you have a printed page. The way they designed printed material in the past was pretty simple, and we still make use of it today, just take a quick look on one of the books on your study table in order to find out. Designing printed material is now a major, multi-million business, with tons of competitors popping out in the past decades. Books and one page pamphlets were the only printed material centuries ago, but now, we have not only newspapers and magazines, but also large scale format prints like billboards, banners and signage. Smaller ones include brochures, leaflets and newsletters. The material in which they are printed has also changed, from fragile paper and expensive parchment; large format prints have effectively made use of fabrics and tarpaulins. There may be a lot of ways of designing these materials, but here are some useful tips and tricks on easily getting your message across.
In designing small formats, go with what is proven effective. Small format prints are just usually bite-sized pieces of paper with text or graphics printed on them. These include brochures and leaflets. These are mainly utilized as small advertising tools that are being handed out to potential customers – usually people who are passing by. The best way to design these materials is by implementing a straightforward design. An image and a bunch of text clumped together would do wonders. Immediately state your intentions, the product you are promoting and where you can avail it.
Newspapers and Magazines. Mass produced newspapers and magazines are the first forms of mass media in the world, followed by the radio five centuries later. In designing these materials, of course, you should go by the rules and these are mostly journalistic concepts and rules. These usually need the help of a professional journalism layout artist, so be sure to avail of that service.
Large scale prints. These take the form of banners, billboards and signage. Creating, designing and printing large scale graphics takes a lot time and brain power, since you have to create a lot of new branding and advertising strategies. In designing these materials, be sure to be able to emphasize the product along with logo along with the brand name. Also remember that you are not printing on a paper-like material, you are going to place the content on a fabric or a tarp.
