The are many different facets to graphic design as any graphic designer could tell you... some more interesting than others, some more challenging and some more creative. Over the years, first through education and then through experience, I have developed skills in all areas of graphic design from print jobs to web design. Throughout all these years of working on everything from logo design to procedural manuals (which is as dull as it sounds in case you were wondering), to brochures and packaging to web design, for me there is nothing better than a layout project. By that I mean laying out images and text within multi-paged spreads. I love it.
When Krista and I were dreaming up the Fernie Fix, I knew that this was the ultimate job. Complete creative freedom, assembling a product filled with great content and then distributing it for free to a community. It doesn't get much better than this.
With each issue, while Krista is getting an early start on sales, gathering content, writing and interviewing, I am working away on my trusty Mac in order to get other design projects completed or underway before crunch time with the Fix. After sales close, I then start designing ads (about 75% of the magazine's ads). While doing this, I also take images to accompany Krista's articles and meticulously file away content that Krista sends my way so that when it comes time to do the layout, everything is right where it should be. Did you know that a common attribute of graphic designers is our uncanny knack for sarcasm?
The part that I look forward to the most is when it comes time to assemble the magazine. This, so far happens the day before we go to press after Krista and Taina have spent days editing, proofing, arranging, rearranging and re-editing all the articles. I then receive the final files and I proceed to layout all the articles, the images that go with them and most importantly (at least to our advertisers) I place all the ads. This phase of the project takes roughly 10-12 hours and results in a very long night with lots of tea, good music and a few Tylenol to help ease the pain of the pinched nerve in my back.
The results are enormously rewarding and although there is a small sigh of relief when the magazine goes to print, I can't wait for the next one.