Publication Design
Publication Design: a guide to page layout, typography, format and style is an almost square book (55p6 by 50p6) designed by Allen Hurlburt, typeset by Cooper and Beatty, Limited, Toronto and printed and bound by Halliday Lithograph Corporation. The specific typeface used is not mentioned, and is not in the type catalogue but can be classified as grotesque sans or neo-grotesque sans set at 9/12.
Published in 1976, this book was written to inform and inspire people interested in magazine layout, as well as for advertisers, magazine editors and designers. It âbrings to the broad field of publishing an up-to-date review of the development of the modern magazineâ.
The margins are set at 4p at the gutter, 13p6 at the top, 4p6 at the outer margin, and 6p6 at the bottom.
This book has a multiple (possibly 6-8) column spread with a 2 text block layout that includes one main block on the right side of each page that is 27p by 36p and a secondary column on the left side of each page that is 13p by 36p.
The layout of this book is simple, clean, and you can clearly see the grid the designer used in designing the pages. Images sometimes span both columns, but there is a clear block where text is placed. Almost all the text is set to FLRR with the occasional caption set to FRRL. Headings are also set to FLRR lining up with the text in the main text block, appearing to be almost centered in the page. The page numbers are also set at the bottom left corner of the main text block, also lining up with the text.
This kind of layout reflects the modern grids we are learning about in class and is very easily noticed. This keeps for a coherent design and layout and unifies the pages even when the images have nothing in common pictured or are different sized. It also makes reading the page easier for the reader as there is not too much text in one page. The typeface picked reinforces this idea of a simple layout and a more geometric feel, like the grid, whereas a serif typeface would not match the tone of the layout. The box is printed in black and white which helps the reader focus not of the images, but on the text and the layout of the page. The read can more easily learn and be inspired when they are not distracted by the images.
Something I learned from this book was how to use a multiple column spread with a limited number of text blocks but still manage to keep the pages interesting, similar and coherent, but have elements placed in different places that add an interest factor to the design while still sticking to the grid. I would really like to implement this idea into my future designs because I believe sometimes small details like this could be unexpected and still subtle.
