What is an Editorial Spread?
An editorial spread is a layout that includes text, graphics, and images. It is used in publications such as magazines to break up long articles and present the content in a visually appealing way.
Editorials take a lot of prep work and require someone (usually an art director or photographer) to come up with the concept, scout a location, cast models, decide on looks, source the shoot team and produce moodboards.
Themes
An editorial spread is a great way to display text and images in a magazine, newspaper or online. It can feature a single image or several smaller ones surrounded by text, depending on the story and content of the publication. It can also be used to display quotes or information about a particular subject.
Editorial themes are often based on values and concepts. They can be as simple as honesty, peace or courage, or they can be broader, like contrast, saturation or truth. The key is to make sure that the theme is clearly evident in every piece of content, whether it’s a single article or an entire issue of your publication.
Choosing the right theme for your publication is important, because it will help you create a sense of cohesion and unity throughout the entire publication. It can also make certain creative elements, such as color palette and cover design, easier to implement.
If your publication is centered around a single topic or theme, it will be more likely to be recognized by your audience and will lead to higher read times. This is especially true if you’re using an editorial theme that’s tied to a current event or something that’s happening in the world at large.
The most common editorial themes are designed to share news, articles, tips, advice, ideas and gossip with the audience. They usually have multiple menus to make it easy for visitors to find what they need. They also feature a trending now news ticker and a mega menu that rotates through important content.
A good editorial theme should be easy to maintain as you continue to write and post new content. It’s also a good idea to choose a style that can easily adapt to different device sizes, screen resolutions and browsers.
There are many premium WordPress theme available that can make it easier to create a website that displays all your latest news, magazine and blog articles. Some of these themes include built-in reviews and ratings, e-commerce support (you can use WooCommerce to sell products you review or recommend), flexible blog posts and lots of other great features.
Color
The color of a spread can be just as important as the actual content itself, especially when it comes to grabbing the attention of readers. A good editorial spread should be visually appealing and be able to convey the story without the need for heavy handed text or jargon.
The best color schemes use colors that complement each other, like the green stems and the bright blooms of flowering plants or the azure skies and white clouds that you see outside. It’s also a good idea to think about what mood you’re trying to set for your project. If passion and energy are your priorities, go with bolder hues such as red or bright yellows, while if you’re looking to achieve peace and tranquility with your design, a softer palette of blues and greens will do the trick.
One of the most popular and fun color schemes to use is the color wheel, a collection of the most commonly used primary and secondary colors. You can also use a monochromatic color scheme, which is simply a color scheme that uses a single color as its base hue. It’s a great choice for any project that requires a minimal number of colors but a lot of style. In addition to the obvious hues, you can incorporate a mix of tints, tones, and shades to create a wider array of color options. It’s a great way to show off your creativity and get your designs to stand out from the crowd.
Text
An editorial spread is usually a collection of images that may or may not have text overlaid on them. The most successful spreads are those that have a cohesive story arc with the main focus being on the subject of the photograph. Typically, the most effective design uses a modular grid to organize and control elements while also ensuring they stand out on the page. The best spreads also contain the right amount of color and contrast to accentuate each image while keeping the reader engaged with the content.
The most important aspect of a good spread is the selection and placement of the appropriate images and text, which can be accomplished with the help of a solid layout plan and a few keystrokes. This includes the use of a suitable typeface and a good image management tool to keep the flow going as well as a decent set of color palettes to pull the whole thing together.
Layout
Editorial spreads are an excellent place to showcase your design flair. It’s a rare opportunity to truly shape a piece of communication – and totally affect an audience, too.
An editorial spread typically combines text, images, and icons into one visually appealing and engaging page that tells a story. These pages are often used for long articles, but they can be used for shorter pieces of content as well.
A good layout will balance information across a page, and it should establish hierarchy by placing the most important content first. This makes it easier for readers to find what they need when reading a page or article.
For example, a headline that’s set off by an eye-catching image will have a stronger impact than a title that doesn’t match the rest of the text. This is because the eye will automatically focus on the picture.
Alternatively, illustration can bring a dry or business-focused article to life in a way that photography cannot. It can also give the same article a more playful, lighthearted edge.
There are many different types of illustration you can use in an editorial spread, and they can range from simple shapes, to more complex illustrations that communicate relatively convoluted ideas through visual metaphor. Whether you’re creating an infographic or a more straightforward illustration, it’s always a good idea to think about how the image will fit in with other elements on the page.
The grid is an important foundation for all areas of graphic design, but it’s especially key in editorial layout. It allows you to organize various elements on a page, make graphic and text blocks proportional, and control margins.
Once you’ve created your layout, you can start adding content. To begin, add guides to frame where the design content will go. Choose Layout > Margins And Columns and then adjust the margin guides to your desired distance from the page edges.
Next, create frames for your design elements using the Rectangle tool. These will snap to the guides, making it easy to align and position your images or text frames.
