What are the various stages of the traditional advertising layout?

Answer 1

Layout Stages

The stages in the normal development of a print ad may vary from agency to agency or from client to client. The six-stage development of an Orly nail polish ad that agency Wiley & Associates created. This ad went through thumbnail sketches, which are quick, miniature preliminary sketches; rough layouts, which show where design elements go; semi comps, and comprehensives, which are drawn to size and used for presentation either inside or to the client; and mechanicals, which assemble the elements in their final position for reproduction. The final product is a high resolution computer file used for the actual production of the ad.

Thumbnail Sketches

Thumbnail sketches are simple idea sketches which will help the designer to obtain an attractive and acceptable final result. The client can see the ideas and then choose the layout which he or she prefers.

Thumbnail sketches serve these three primary purposes; they:

1. Graphically preserve ideas;
2. Visually portray ideas; and
3. Compare two or more ideas visually.

Preparation of these sketches should begin immediately after the desired product has been selected and after completion of the pre-layout planning sheet. Copy selection precedes thumbnails; therefore, one of the responsibilities of the designer is to obtain all the copy that will appear on the final product. The originator of the planned printed product should have this information readily available.

Rough Layout

The second major step in any layout procedure involves the preparation of a rough layout. This layout is an improvement or refinement of a thumbnail sketch, or even a combination of two or more of these.

The purposes of a rough layout are:

1. Force a selection of one of the several sketched ideas;
2. Begin refining a specific idea; and
3. Provide a tangible item that can be studied and changed.

Actually, a rough layout can be considered a pre-final product. Therefore, in many cases, it can be used as the basis for the final product without the need to produce a comprehensive layout. In many instances it will be necessary to produce at least two rough layouts, for client approval and comparison.

Comprehensive Layout

The comprehensive layout is the most important step in the production of a printed work. It is the master plan or blue-print of the finished product, and therefore its value cannot be over-emphasized. It allows the designer and the client to see the finished product and to make changes if necessary.

After the designer and the client have made all the necessary decisions, the comprehensive layout will contain all of the information needed to guide specialists who will produce the final product.