Let’s have a little bit of a closer look at the internal chaos it takes to create an issue of Comics and Gaming Magazine!
This will be a reoccurring segment showing a behind-the-scenes look at what the process of brainstorming, creating, and implementing a design for the magazine looks like.
Here we have what will (eventually) become a spread for the next issue of CGM! We know, we know – you just got your hands on the latest Tomb Raider issue; but we’re already hard at work coming up with the next issue.
This article will be written by CGM’s Reid McCarter and (not to spoil too much) will deal with what we’re getting into for Next Gen. When it comes to Next Gen visuals – there isn’t a whole lot that nails what we’re in for in terms of Next Gen graphics and experiences more than Watch Dogs, so that’s what we’ve chosen to go with. We’re going to lead with a strong image of the titular ‘watch dog’ on the right as he watches a well orchestrated car accident, with a subtle desaturation from right to left! Black and white really is an underused tool in creating and designing dynamic visuals, don’t ya think? You can’t get much more contrast than white to black – so why use a photo full of all sorts of shades of muddied colours when you can make it really pop with something as simple as greyscale? It’s pretty simple, feels nice, and the picture also works well with having a lot of the foreground focus not being behind text. All eyes are on that shadowy figure with the cellphone, am I right?
Finish it off with some poignant sage words from our own Mr. McCarter in the middle column on the left (gasp! three columns!), and bam. We’re well on our way to having another interesting and engaging page that gives you the best of both words and art.
Also pictured are a sample mock-up where the article was originally sketched out, and the PhotoShop workspace where the background graphic of the page was designed.
Thanks guys, and keep reading!