Editorial Design and Production Course

Lesson 1 • Core Principles of Visual Communication

Introduces hierarchy, contrast, balance, and rhythm as applied to editorial layouts. These principles underpin every design decision covered throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Anatomy of a Publication

Breaks down the structural components of magazines, newspapers, and books. Students learn standard terminology used across editorial production workflows.

Lesson 3 • Understanding the Editorial Workflow

Maps the end-to-end production process from editorial brief to final output. Students identify each stakeholder role and handoff point in a typical publication cycle.

Lesson 1 • Type Classification and Selection

Covers serif, sans-serif, slab, and display categories and their editorial applications. Students match typeface personality to publication voice and audience.

Lesson 2 • Typographic Systems Across Formats

Applies consistent typographic rules across print, tablet, and mobile editorial products. Students create a type style sheet that scales across multiple publication formats.

Lesson 3 • Building a Typographic Hierarchy

Teaches headline, deck, byline, body, and caption relationships using size, weight, and style. Hierarchy directs reader attention and organizes editorial content clearly.

Lesson 1 • Designing Flexible Editorial Grids

Teaches construction of multi-column grids adaptable to text-heavy and image-rich spreads. Students build grids that accommodate diverse content without losing structural integrity.

Lesson 2 • Applying Grids to Spreads

Demonstrates how to place text, images, and white space within a grid on facing pages. Students produce balanced spreads that respect the grid while allowing creative variation.

Lesson 3 • Responsive Grids for Digital Publications

Adapts print grid logic to fluid and fixed digital layouts for tablets and mobile devices. Students configure responsive grids that reflow content across screen sizes.

Lesson 1 • Building a Publication Color System

Guides students in creating primary, secondary, and accent palettes for a publication. The system ensures visual consistency across covers, sections, and digital editions.

Lesson 2 • Color Theory Essentials

Covers hue, saturation, value, and color relationships as applied to editorial contexts. Students use color wheels and harmony models to make informed palette decisions.

Lesson 3 • Color Modes and Print Specifications

Distinguishes RGB, CMYK, and spot-color modes and their impact on print reproduction. Students prepare color files that meet professional print production standards.

Lesson 1 • Cropping, Scaling, and Image Placement

Teaches compositional cropping, resolution requirements, and image scaling for print and digital. Students place images within layouts to maximize visual impact and narrative clarity.

Lesson 2 • Image Retouching and Color Correction

Covers non-destructive retouching, exposure correction, and color grading for editorial images. Students apply consistent image treatment that supports the publication's visual identity.

Lesson 3 • Editorial Image Selection Criteria

Defines standards for choosing images based on relevance, quality, and editorial tone. Students evaluate image libraries and commission photography with clear creative briefs.

Lesson 1 • Integrating Image and Vector Software

Covers the workflow between raster image editors, vector tools, and layout applications. Students place, link, and update assets efficiently within multi-page documents.

Lesson 2 • File Naming, Versioning, and Archiving

Establishes professional conventions for naming, versioning, and archiving editorial files. Students implement a folder structure and version-control system for team-based projects.

Lesson 3 • Long-Document and Book File Management

Teaches book file features, chapter linking, and synchronized styles for long publications. Students manage multi-chapter documents with consistent formatting and numbering.

Lesson 1 • Prepress Preparation and Preflight

Teaches preflight checks, font embedding, image resolution, and color profile verification. Students use preflight tools to identify and resolve file errors before submission.

Lesson 2 • Understanding Print Specifications

Covers paper stock, binding methods, trim sizes, and bleed requirements for editorial print. Students read and interpret printer specification sheets accurately.

Lesson 3 • PDF Export for Print

Guides students through PDF export settings for offset, digital, and large-format printing. Students produce press-ready PDFs that comply with industry print standards.

Lesson 1 • Interactive Elements and Animation

Introduces hyperlinks, slideshows, video embeds, and micro-animations in digital editorial design. Students add interactive layers that enhance storytelling without distracting from content.

Lesson 2 • Designing for Screen Readability

Adapts print editorial principles to screen environments, addressing contrast, type size, and spacing. Students optimize layouts for comfortable reading across device types and lighting conditions.

Lesson 3 • Digital Publication Formats and Platforms

Surveys PDF, EPUB, web article, and app-based publication formats and their design constraints. Students select the appropriate format based on audience, content, and distribution channel.