Though this is not the greatest magazine layout in the world, I chose to include this one because it is a good example of my ability to typeset. Again, it's not my greatest example of that either, but I really like the way the elements work together in this piece. This is the first layout that I used the color sample tool to create a color scheme among the image and the other elements throughout the piece. The reason I used that particular image besides the fact that it's hilarious, is because the color of his shirt is typically associated as a calming color. I could have gone completely nuts with colors that relate to stress and tension, like bright, obnoxious reds and yellows, but the whole point of good design is to lure the viewer, in this case, the reader in to get the information the writer intended to put forth in the article. My thought system dealt with drawing the viewer in with simple, eye pleasing design, a comical image that they could possibly relate to and efficient typesetting so the reader obtains the entire message from the article. I believe, from personal experience, that if a reader's eyes hurt while reading a magazine spread, then they're more likely to stop reading and flip to the next page.

As far as design elements go, I used some tools in the software that I never have before, which made the layout more interesting. The drop shadow that the header sports is something I was just messing around with and thought it added some visual depth to the composition. And the white squiggly lines add a bit of Indie style that an older reader could actually appreciate. This layout took four hours total to put together. The grid I used was a four column on each page. Even though I call this layout simple, it is still pretty busy and there is little air. This is something I definitely worked on while designing future magazine spreads. This layout was the one that made the lightbulb go on and after, I was better at keeping tabs on all of the details to make a successful magazine spread.