HI friends,
Obtain is a general magazine that i have done for my project, i could know about the efforts taken by a designer when i went through my training. I share this blog with an idea of giving how a magazine is produced, i hope this will be useful for you...
MAGAZINE PRODUCTION
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials
are publications that
are printed with ink on paper, generally published on a regular schedule and
contain a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three, the library technical
sense a "magazine" paginates with each issue starting at page one.
Academic or professional publications that are not peer-reviewed are generally professional magazines.
Magazines
can be distributed through the mail; through sales by newsstands, bookstores or
other vendors; or through free distribution at selected pick-up locations.
Sales models for distribution fall into three main categories.
Paid circulation
Paid circulation
In
this model, the magazine is sold to readers for a price, either on a per-issue
basis or by subscription, where an annual fee or monthly price is paid and
issues are sent by post to readers. Examples from the UK include Private
Eye and PC Pro.
Non-Paid
Circulation
This
means that there is no cover price and issues are given away, for example in
street dispensers, airline in-flight magazines or included with other products
or publications. An example from the UK and Australia is TNT
Magazine.
Controlled
circulation
This is the model used by "insider
magazines" or industry-based publications distributed only to qualifying
readers, often for free and determined by some form of survey. This latter
model was widely used before the rise of the World Wide Web and
is still employed by some titles. For example, in the United Kingdom, a
number of computer-industry magazines, including:
Types
of Magazines:
TYPES
OF MAGAZINE ARTICLES:
Any attempt to classify
all of the forms of magazine articles would probably
prove to be inadequate. However, certain
characteristics do tend to identify seven general categories. These categories
frequently overlap, and the dividing lines that separate them often become
blurred. Even so, this classification serves as a starting point for learning
to recognize the various types of magazine articles.
This knowledge is necessary before you can
even consider writing for the magazine industry. For our purposes, there are
seven basic types of magazine articles. They are as follows: Personality sketch
Personal experience Confession Narrative Utility Interview Feature Personality
Sketch the personality sketch is a short biography that includes an
individual’s achievements. The “purpose of an article of this type,
whether a success article or a profile, is to portray the intimate details of
character and personality of someone. The person may be widely known,
one who has achieved some form of greatness or someone whose life is in some way interesting or
remarkable. The individual does not have to be a famous show business or
political personality; this type of story could just as well be written about a
Navy person. A Navy jet pilot who adopted an entire orphanage of Japanese
children was the subject of an article of this kind. Another dealt with a
sailor aboard a destroyer who spent his reenlistment bonus on football
equipment so his shipmates could compete against the crewmembers of larger Navy
ships. Still other sketches have been written about Navy
scientists, combat heroes, chaplains, test pilots and athletes. Personal
Experience Unusual adventures, unique accomplishments, rare travel experiences
and countless other personal experiences lend themselves to treatment in this
type of article. “My 60 Days under the Sea in an Atomic Submarine,”
“I fly With the Blue Angels” and “I Walked on the Moon” is typical titles
of personal experience articles. Thousands of Navy men and women
have had exciting personal experiences they
might have developed into good magazine articles. Quite often,
however, they do not have the ability, the time or the inclination
to write these experiences
on paper. Nevertheless, they usually will
talk about their experiences, which can
provide a good story opportunist y for a journalist in search of ideas. When
you write this type of article, use the “as told to...” byline. You should also
use caution when writing in the first person. The frequent use of “I” can
become, or appear, egotistical. Confession The confession article is not
necessarily a “shocker” or scandal story. Instead, it is an “inside
story” of conditions or problems normally
unfamiliar to the average
reader. The confession article often involves handicaps or
disadvantages that are overcome by determination and common sense. Incidents
related in confession articles are often typical of everyday life. A
spoiled, rich kid learns discipline and responsibility aboard a Navy destroyer.
A midshipman’s determination to overcome a
speech defect saves his Navy career. A young man cures a
morbid fear of water by joining the Navy. Subjects like these have been used in
confession articles. The most noticeable characteristic of the confession story
is the intimate, confidential tone in which the writer seems to be personally
revealing a secret to the reader. Although the subject matter is personal, it
must evoke an emphatic response from the reader. Humor should not be overlooked
in this type of article. An individual’s willingness to tell the story
shows that he or she is not ashamed. If humor can be injected into
the account, it indicates
an objective approach. Some subjects are
best when given a humorous treatment. Many interesting
articles about common phobias, such as a
visit to the dentist, have been written that way. This approach often helps
readers to see that most of the fear is unfounded. If the humor is skillfully
handled, the readers will probably be amused.
Keep
in mind, though, that humor must fit the situation. Flippant
treatment of serious or distressful subjects will likely alienate your
readers. Narrative The narrative is especially suitable for writing about Navy
subjects. Sharp characterization, vivid description, dialogue, action and
suspense are skillfully woven into the framework of a narrative article to
dramatize the facts. However, the facts must be adapted to this
type of treatment. The writer does not invent them, exaggerate
them or embellish them in any way. The story must be authentic even in the
smallest detail. The real life exploits and adventures of sailors the world
over are told in magazine articles using the narrative approach. A heroic
rescue, an epic battle, a dramatic struggle against the elements, a display
of bravery and determination in the face of overwhelming difficulties are all
subjects that maybe developed into narrative articles. Careful research
is important in writing
the narrative article. This is especially true if it is about an
event in which many of the magazine’s readers may have
participated. An important error or omission will immediately be noted by these
people, and they will then be skeptical of the entire article. Also, the
writing should be colorful and fast-paced. Otherwise it may sound like a
chapter out of a history textbook. Utility any process, product, method or idea
that will help the reader becomes wiser, healthier, wealthier or happier is
a subject for the utility
article. Also called the
“how-to-do-it” article, the utility article is generally shorter than most
other articles and the writing is usually expository or explanatory. The Navy offers
a wealth of ideas for the utility article. At one time or
another, practically everyone has devised a scheme to improve a job, working
conditions or equipment. These ideas are especially valuable if they can be tailored
for a specific magazine. There are thousands of trade
and employee magazines constantly looking for material of this type.
Editors of Popular Science and Popular Mechanics
build their entire magazines around this
type of article. The utility article can be compared to
a set of instructions presented in an interesting and lively
manner. Writers should ask themselves the
questions they feel readers are most likely
to ask, then answer them clearly and simply. Even
though some readers may be experts, writers must assume that every reader is
unfamiliar with the information and provide complete details. A routine set of
instructions for building a simple cabinet can be interesting if it is
presented properly. You can use the first, second or third
person in writing this article. The personal experience approach can be very effective in the utility article.
The third person style should be used only if the idea presented
involves dramatic or entertaining situations. The most common
approach is to use
the second person, Interview imperative voice
(You fit the wrench ...). Interview articles
present questions and answers that offer a
subject’s views on a given topic.
Little background information is given in the
article if the subject is widely known to the readers and the
emphasis is on the topic of discussion. The
interview requires much advance planning, however, and the writer
should research the subject thoroughly before conducting the interview. Each
edition of Play boy presents an excellent example of the interview article. The
featurette is probably the most popular
and best-selling short article found in
magazines today. It is short and simple, and it contains the
element of oddity or humor, and sometimes both. The purpose of the
featurette is to entertain. “Humor in Uniform” and
“Life in These United States,” regular sections in
Reader’s Digest, are good examples of the
featurette. Nearly every magazine carries at least one
anecdote as filler material in each issue.
STAGES
OF MAGAZINE PRODUCTION
The purpose of this section is to create a
birds-eye view of the different stages of print production. Someone could, as
part of their job, be involved in one or more of these stages. And of course,
the person who oversees or in some way coordinates these various stages of the
“print job” are often called “print production managers.” Other terms which have been used synonymously
to describe the job of “print production” are “graphic production,” “direct
mail manager,” “print buyer,” and “printing coordinator.” Therefore,
in the print production realm you’ll often see many similar phrasings to
describe what “print production” functions are usually. This is useful to
realize when you’re dealing with print production personnel in different
companies A print production job generally begins with
the client – or customer. This “client” can be a book or magazine publisher or
simply a businessperson needing to have brochures designed and printed. When a
client or customer wants something printed is when it all begins.
Planning and Preparing Content
The process often begins with the end. The editor and the
publisher determine a date that a magazine will reach the reader, and the
printer and the circulation department provide deadlines that must be met to
accomplish this. Once these dates are established, the scheduling and planning
of the magazine can proceed. With most magazines, the stories for each issue are
planned several months, even one year, in advance. An idea for a story can come
from several sources: the editor, the staff, queries from free-lance writers,
and, occasionally, unsolicited manuscripts. The content of each issue is
ultimately the responsibility of magazine editors. The staff is typically
expected to submit ideas to the editor. They are often the best source of story
ideas because they have a more developed understanding of the focus of a magazine.
Client
specifications
At the other extreme in client size, a
customer might be a person who designed a color brochure on their personal
computer. If they took a copy of their file to a local printing company and
placed an order for 5,000 copies, for example, they would also become a client.
Graphic
Design
Graphic design is defined in “Getting it
Printed”, by Kenly and Beach, as the “arrangement of type and visual elements
along with specifications for paper, ink colors, and printing processes that,
when combined, convey a visual message.” And unless they are working on their
own project, they will receive clear specifications from their client of what
the end product should look like. The graphic art stage of print production may
be handled by a single graphic designer working alone or as part of a graphic
design or advertising firm. It could also be managed by a separate graphic
design department within their own company. Some of the work done in the graphic design
stage might include page layout, typography, illustration, photography, color
decisions, and producing a final computer file which would be given to a
printing company. During the graphic design stage the client would generally
review the artwork and approve the final art before it is considered complete
and ready to be handed over to the printing company.
Prepress
Prepress commonly refers to all the print
production functions that take place from the time the printing company
receives the artwork — from a graphic designer or customer — up until the
actual printing takes place on the printing press. These functions normally
include at least some of the following: receiving media files or downloading
them from the web; creating a “proof” for client approval; making any changes
requested by the client; creating negatives; and finally making the plates that
will be used on the press.
The following items have each been considered part of
prepress at one time or another
1. Typesetting involves the
presentation of textual material in graphic form on paper or some other medium.
Before the advent of desktop publishing, typesetting of printed material was
produced in print shops by compositors or typesetters working by hand, and
later with machines.
2. Copy-editing, is the work
that an editor does to improve the formatting, style, and accuracy of a
manuscript.[1][2] Copy-editing
is done prior to the work of proofreaders, who handle documents before final
publication.
3. Markup is an artificial language using a set of annotations to
text that give instructions regarding the structure of text or how it is to be
displayed. Markup languages have been in use for centuries, and in recent years
have also been used in computer typesetting and word-processing systems.
4. Proofing involves creating an accurate facsimile of the artwork
before beginning production runs. This serves as a bond between the printer and
their customer that the final product meets an agreed upon standard. Proofs in
general can be done for all parts (images, illustrations, texts and colors) of
print product. In this part, three types of proofing should be checked and
printed out: the print-ready PDF files, the printer's proof and the imposition
proof. Print-ready PDF files should be made after the layout using preflight at
the printing house. The printer's proof should be printed out in
high-resolution and checked by the customer. The imposition proof, which is
usually done by the printers, should also be printed out to check and adjust
the printing press.
5. Proofreading traditionally
means reading a proof copy of a text in order to detect and correct any errors. Modern proofreading
often requires reading copy at earlier stages as well.
8. Separation, or specifying images or text to be
put on plates applying individual printing media (inks, varnishes, etc.) to a
common print.
9. Manufacturing
of plates the usage of different materials of plates should meet the needs of
printing method. Usually rubber, plastic, aluminum is used for plates as well
as film which is the photomechanical exposure and processing of light sensitive
emulsion on a printing plate. Manufacturing of plates should be well planned
and delivered beforehand. Also, the cost should be calculated as well.
10.
Manufacturing of a high-quality print (PDF) file, this is
used for the final printing.
11.
Paper select, choosing a proper paper is also a very
important step in prepress.
In most modern publishing environments, the tasks related
to content generation and refinement are carried out separately from other
prepress tasks, and are commonly characterized as part of graphic
design. Some companies combine the roles of graphic design and prepress
production into desktop publishing usually called DTP.
The set of procedures used in any particular
prepress environment is known as a workflow. Workflows
vary, depending on the printing process (e.g., letterpress, offset, digital printing, screen printing), the final product (books, newspapers, product
packaging), and the implementation of specific prepress technologies. For
example, it is not uncommon to use a computer and image-setter to generate film
which is then stripped and used to expose the plate in a vacuum frame; this
workflow is hybrid because separation and halftoning are carried
out via digital processes while the exposure of the plate is an analog one.
That demonstrates that the borders around the prepress are very fluid.
Furthermore – depending on the printing method and the print product – the
elements of the prepress of a graphic print production can differ from case to
case. This circumstance requires a management of the workflow. It is necessary
to manage the responsibility for each part of the workflow. That can mean that
employees, who are actually responsible for other parts of the production (e.g.
Layout), have to attend to parts of the prepress.
Production
When most of the articles have been written, the editorial staff and/ordedicated· Layout staff typeset or lay out the pages using Quark XPress, Pagemaker or InDesign. Often the layout team, under the direction of the art director, focus on setting advert pages while the editorial team, under the direction of the editor, layout the article pages. This saves time because the writers of the articles don’t have to spend time passing their text on to someone else to do the layout. Difficult or complex articles to layout are usually given to the art director to arrange a suitable layout treatment.
Proof
Reading
As laid out pages are completed, members of
the editorial department will print them off and give them to the other members
for proof reading. Next, they will mark up all the corrections onto one consolidated
sheet and take in corrections on the DTP file. Once the corrections are taken
in, an article will be printed out again for a second round of proof reading by
the editorial department and any corrections previously missed will be
incorporated into the publication. Once a section of pages is complete and has
been checked for errors it is sent via ISDN (high-speed leased
telecommunications line) or e-mailed across a broadband internet connection to
the printers. If these facilities are not available it is copied onto CD,
Syquest disk or Zip disk and biked to the print company producing the magazine.
If there are photographs that the print company needs to scan these are normally
sent in advance and marked with the crop and size required and where in the
publication they are to be featured. Checking
Printers’ Proofs When a section is sent to the printers they will
generate and send back a printers’ proof of the pages to the editor (and art
director) for checking. Some editors prefer to see the films rather than a
printers’ proof for checking. Quite often mistakes will be allowed to go
through unless they are truly horrendous because of the tight deadlines
involved in magazine production.
Printing
Printing
with regard to “print production” is the mechanical process of applying ink
topaper using a printing press. The printing press is the most cost effective
way of producing large volumes of printed materials due to its speed and the
lower cost of paper. With the rapid improvement of office printing and high
speed photocopying technology many companies will refer to the in-house
production of large quantities of color copies or large-format prints as their
“print production.
Bindery
After
a job is printed it always goes to a bindery stage, sometimes called
“finishing.” This stage can include one or many steps depending on the end
product: cutting (also called “trimming,”) folding, laminating, scoring,
perforating, stitching (with wires or staples for magazines,) perfect binding
(for paperback books,) spiral or plastic comb binding, and hardback
bookbinding. The final step in the bindery stage includes packaging for
delivery. A small job might be shrink wrapped; stacks of magazines are often
strapped together so an entire stack can be picked up easily; and larger jobs
can be boxed or crated, generally requiring a forklift to move them from the
delivery truck.
Delivery
Here
again we have a number of extremes. Some jobs will either be picked up by
the customer or delivered by the printer. In other cases, such as periodicals,
they may be delivered to a specialized mailing facility, with some larger
printers also having their own in-house mailing services. In this stage the
addressee labels are applied or computer-imprinted from the customer’s mailing
list database. For sophisticated direct mail packages, the computer imprinting
can also include the recipient’s name as part of the letter to give it a
personalized touch, using a mail-merge software program.
The
final destination for direct mail projects would be the post office. In the
case of letters, the mailing service would have prepared pre-sorted (by zip
code) bundles and counts of letters; periodicals generally have 2nd-class
indicia imprinted and are pre-sorted and weighed. The total postage is paid and
from there on the postal service takes over until the materials are delivered.
Receiving
and reviewing client specifications is the beginning of a print production job.
The term “client specifications” refers to a wide range of so-called “clients.”
In the case of a magazine publisher, for example, the publisher itself could be
called the client with the goal of producing a specified quantity of magazine.
Since most magazines have their own graphic design department, they would give
that department the specifications and that department would begin the graphic
design phase.
So
what do these “print production” people do? You could say that their primary
job function is usually managing “print jobs,” which also means they are
managing all the stages required to produce a large volume of printed material.
And depending on the type of printed material desired, these stages can include
handling a number of different functions: graphic design, prepress operations,
printing, bindery, packaging, or mailing.
