Magazine / Book / Catalog Layout + Print Design
I was commissioned by the Western Growers Association to redesign and develop a new layout for their bi-monthly magazine. This project was inherited from the previous in-house designer. Using the existing working files, I refined the layout to uphold the brand’s established look and feel while also creating a new template that streamlined future issues for easier updates.
Client - Western Growers Association | Sr. Communications Manager - Michelle Rivera | Director, Marketing and Communications - Ann Donahue | Designer - Michael Escañuelas
For this project, I had a few major goals in mind. I needed to create a style that felt modern and fresh while maintaining the magazine’s core look and feel. I also aimed to make significant improvements to the layout of certain sections and enhance the overall flow of the magazine.
Goals and Challenges
One major example of this style change was updating the section dividers.
The previous dividers were bulky and took up too much space on the page. I refined these elements by creating a more streamlined design and adjusting the layout. This new approach allowed for more text on the page and introduced additional white space, improving readability.
Another key objective of this revision was to create a structured working file that I could easily return to for future issues. To achieve this, I leveraged InDesign’s paragraph, character, and object styles, ensuring a more efficient and organized workflow. Cleaning up and streamlining these guides was essential for maintaining consistency and simplifying future production.
Building on some of the previous designer’s style sheets, I reorganized and refined the style guide to align with the new layout and workflow.
As a freelancer, this project required extensive collaboration with the editor and marketing director. After several rounds of revisions, we successfully implemented a fresh update to the magazine. Additionally, the structural changes I introduced provided more flexibility for future improvements.
At the time of writing this, I have completed three full issues of the magazine. With each issue, I continue to refine the layout and working files, further improving both the production process and the magazine’s overall visual appeal.
Book Cover + Layout
Basic Needs by Doriean Stevenson
Illustrator, Designer - Michael Escañuelas
For this project, I was responsible for both the illustration and overall book layout. The cover artwork was created in Procreate, while the interior layout was designed using InDesign.
For the interior, I created illustrations for each section and hand wrote the sectional text.
Additional Print Catalog Work
For Alfred Music, I was tasked with creating the look and feel for the 2016 songbook catalogs and a new dealer kit used for sales. These printed materials were distributed to thousands of dealers affiliated with the company.
The catalogs were 20- to 40-page booklets that listed all the songbooks available for order from Alfred Music.
I developed the concept and designed each catalog cover, creating every element from scratch.
Designer - Michael Escañuelas