Importance of Copy

     Winter break has ended and we're back at school! When we got back, we did a group activity on copy (text used in a publication). Each group was given a picture book and was told to analyze it twice, once with copy and once without. My group was given "The Bear Ate Your Sandwich." This activity taught me just how important copy was. Without the text, there were cases where our group didn't understand the meaning of the pictures. An example of this was when the bear was dancing but without the text, it looked like a family of bears having fun instead of just one.

    We were then given a discussion question on why copy was important. Here's what I said:

Designing The Table of Contents

    After completing my layout and cover, the final piece I needed was a table of contents. I had to choose between a weekly or a monthly magazine so I knew how much information needed to be on this page. I ended up choosing a weekly. In my table of contents, I needed to include the following:

• Title of Magazine
• Date of Issue
• Volume/Number of Issue
• Folio
• An "On the Cover"
• A "Today's Weekly"

     Designing this layout was my favorite part of this project so far and I am very happy with the results!

   

Designing A Cover

    Now that I had my layout complete, I needed to make my cover. I learned that a cover must include the following items:

• Dominant Photo
• Headline
• Title
• Secondary Photos
• Secondary Headlines
• Barcode
• Address Label
• Publishing Date
• Price

    I knew that I still needed to use the elements of the design that I learned in my cover. This was probably the easiest part of my magazine to create. 

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Designing The Layout

      Now that I knew how to work StudioWorks, it was time to begin creating my layout. For my magazine, I will be making a two-page spread (one entire topic that covers two pages across from each other). I began learning different elements of design including the use of dominant pictures, secondary coverage, margins, captions, and white space. I was also taught how to use micro, conventional, and macro spacing.

    Soon after, I studied different fonts and coverages. I completed assignments that allowed me to choose which coverages and fonts I would like to incorporate into my magazine. I used the visual/verbal connection tactics I learned in class. The example I came up with was the words "unsolved secrets" with a photograph of a crime scene and confused policemen.