White Space Tips for Magazine Layout Design (in InDesign) 😍

This video is one of 3 videos in our podcast series for magazine layout design mistakes. In this video, we discuss the use of white space in editorial design within the InDesign tool. We discuss micro and macro spacing, give actionable tips on improving your magazine layouts using the right amount of white space. We hope you enjoy the white space tips!

White Space Tips & Insights in this Interview

• The wrong typeface for display purposes
• White space misuse from sheer inexperience
• Consider the uses of space in interior design as a guide to understanding white space
• The elements of white space magazine layout choices
  • Filling space is an excuse to create clutter
  • Leading is the space between lines
  • Letter spacing
  • Gutters (space between columns)
  • Text indents
  • Space margins (between paragraphs)
  • Space between rows
  • Text wraps (distance between image and surrounding text)

• Micro-spacing 101

  • Auto-leading is often preset and may not fit your customizations
    • Too tight or too loose can damage the impression and sense of naturalness and readability
    • Medium spacing here is advisable
  • Font selection guide:
    • Comparison
      • Arial font vs. Minion Pro
  • Impact of grid layout over body copy in white space magazine layout
    • Leading should be synchronized with baseline page
    • Synchronize body copy with the baseline grid
  • Keeping a relational perspective
    • Ex: Leading relates to gutter space and choices that vary related elements
  • Element spacing as reader cues on content and idea relations
  • Typography spacing
    • Spacing standards set between letters and between words shouldn’t vary too much
    • Be consistent with established layout spacing standards once established
    • Some fonts may often require custom spacing when characters per line differ
      • This is one reason to review your layout by the instance, not gloss over the spacing issue
    • Spotlight: H&J violations view
  • Creating white space rules in InDesign
    • Ex: Creating hyphenation rules
      • Column width impact on spacing
  • The best way to separate paragraphs
    • Use the first line indent to set the standard

• Macro-spacing 101

  • Margin spacing
    • Not always symmetrical
    • Can accommodate many elements (like photos that would look nice to extend out to the edge of the bleed)
  • Spreads
    • Allowing the reader to compose the image in their own perception
  • Column spacing for functional layout purposes
  • Graphic-spacing
    • Text wraps is same size as leading value normally

“Master the white space and you’ll master everything. This is my belief.”

Enjoy this white space tips magazine layout design video tutorial? We hope so!

Download a white space magazine layout cheat-sheet with all the right numbers and specifications to improve your magazine layout design. Steal it here: https://goo.gl/nfZWRT

Download the white space tips magazine layout design presentation slides
https://goo.gl/nfZWRT

Guest:
Eugen Coman
https://www.instagram.com/typography_resource/

Host:
Vee Banionis
https://www.flip180media.com