Kent State University • Graphic Design I
Editorial Layout—Magazine Spread with Supporting Infographics.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
This assignment introduced editorial design principles through the development of a magazine feature spread supported by original information graphics. Students selected a single article from a defined set of topic categories (business, technology, U.S. news, finance, science, environment, education, lifestyle, health, or food). Students then conducted a close reading to identify key claims, themes, and data points appropriate for visual translation.
This assignment introduced editorial design principles through the development of a magazine feature spread supported by original information graphics. Students selected a single article from a defined set of topic categories (business, technology, U.S. news, finance, science, environment, education, lifestyle, health, or food). Students then conducted a close reading to identify key claims, themes, and data points appropriate for visual translation.
METHOD / PROCESS
Following analysis, students extracted quantitative and/or comparative information from the article and developed infographic concepts through exploratory sketching. The resulting information graphics were refined for clarity, hierarchy, and consistency, and then integrated into a cohesive editorial layout that prioritized readability, typographic structure, and visual continuity across the spread.
Following analysis, students extracted quantitative and/or comparative information from the article and developed infographic concepts through exploratory sketching. The resulting information graphics were refined for clarity, hierarchy, and consistency, and then integrated into a cohesive editorial layout that prioritized readability, typographic structure, and visual continuity across the spread.
Magazine spread mockup: Feature spread using a bold typographic hierarchy and warm color blocking to unify photography and editorial content across the gutter.
Infographic sketch (portion control hand): Early concept sketch establishing a central visual metaphor (hand-as-measure) with callouts and icon clusters to map information hierarchy.
Infographic sketch (exercise/stress diagram): Narrative infographic sketch exploring directional flow, cause-and-effect cues, and symbolic illustration to communicate stress reduction over time.
Infographic sketch (brain icons sequence): Iteration study focused on simplifying forms and building a repeatable icon system for consistent visual language.
Refined editorial spread feature opener: Final opener spread balancing large-format imagery with a modular grid, pull-quote emphasis, and clean column structure for readability.
Refined infographic spread “Healthy Choices”: Full-page infographic built on a structured layout system, with a primary focal illustration and secondary icon nodes to support scanning and information grouping.
Refined article page “A Change For The Better”: Text-forward layout using strong headline/subhead contrast, disciplined margins, and a photo sidebar to anchor the page and guide the reading path.
