Project Summary

This extra credit project is a full studio challenge that pushes you back into real design workflow mode. You will bring in a physical magazine, choose one article, and then recreate the magazine cover and a two page interior article spread completely from scratch. No copying files. No screenshots. No shortcuts. You will have to create everything from scratch, from the cover photo to the text and effects.

This is how designers actually learn layout, typography, photography, and production discipline. Magazines are brutal in the best way. They demand precision, consistency, and attention to detail. This project rewards students who slow down, observe closely, and rebuild something professionally instead of rushing through it.

Yes, this will likely require Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Yes, you will probably need to use a camera. That is the point.

Creative Focus

Magazine design sits at the intersection of photography, typography, branding, and layout systems. Every page is intentional. Spacing, margins, column grids, image treatment, and hierarchy all work together to guide the reader.

By recreating an existing magazine layout from scratch, you train your eye to notice things you normally ignore. Type scale relationships. Leading. Kerning. Image crops. Caption placement. This project mirrors real editorial design work done by designers working in publishing, content marketing, fashion, sports, music, and lifestyle brands.

You are not redesigning. You are reverse engineering. The closer your recreation is, the more your design instincts sharpen.

School-Appropriate Content Requirement

The magazine and article you choose must be school appropriate. If the imagery, headlines, or subject matter would not be appropriate to display in a classroom or school website, choose a different magazine. This project focuses on design execution, not edgy content.

---

Project Requirements

• Final Deliverable:
  • One recreated magazine cover
  • One recreated two page article spread
  • All content recreated from scratch
  • Required software:
    • Adobe InDesign for layout
    • Adobe Photoshop for photo editing
    • Adobe Illustrator for vector elements if needed
• Process Requirements:
  • Use your own photography where possible (studio & cameras encouraged)
  • All images must be Original photos
  • Properly recreated using staged photography
  • Typography can make use of placeholder text (ipsum lorem, or bacon ipsum if you are feeling spicy)
• WordPress Portfolio Requirements:
  • A unique project title, a brief introduction, at least 1 Project Type, 5-10 Tags and a custom Featured Image.
  • Embed:
    • Final recreated magazine cover
    • Final recreated two page article spread0–400 words) that covers:
  • Write a project explanation (250–350 words) explaining:
    • Which magazine and article you chose
    • How you recreated the layout and typography
    • Tools used across Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign
    • Photography challenges and solutions
    • What this project taught you about editorial design

Project Grading Rubric

Criteria	Description	Points
WordPress Portfolio Post	Intro, title, tags, featured image, and final images embedded cleanly	20 pts
Layout Accuracy	Recreation closely matches original layout, spacing, and structure	20 pts
Typography & Hierarchy	Strong control of fonts, styles, spacing, and readability	20 pts
Design Principles	Strong evidence of CRAP principles across the full presentation.	15 pts
Image Quality & Photography	Clean, intentional photography and image treatment	15 pts
Effort & Execution	Demonstrates patience, precision, and attention to detail	10 pts
Total		100 pts

---

OCP & Standard Alignments

05.04 – Create formal or informal design layouts using guidelines, colors, fonts, graphics, and logos, because magazine layouts rely on structured grids and hierarchy.
08.05 – Design and develop a print and/or digital portfolio, because editorial layouts are core portfolio assets.
09.04 – Demonstrate use of drawing tools to create and edit shapes, because vector elements may be required for graphic accents.
10.0 – Demonstrate proficiency in using design layout software, because InDesign is essential for professional editorial production.
03.02 – Demonstrate knowledge of digital photography composition, because original images must be captured intentionally for print layouts.