TAKEAWAY: This is part 2 of our blog post on what I call the Arab Spring of newspaper design in the Middle East region. Today: highlighting Oman’s Times of Oman, Lebanon’s An Nahar, and Dubai’s Kaleej Times.
As someone who has been visiting this part of the world for at least 14 years, I do remember the days when, if you took a look at copies of the area’s newspapers all placed side by side, it was difficult to find one that would stand out for its design and overall visual presentation. Even today, some of the newspapers, in both English and Arabic language,seem to belong in another era., especially the ones in Arabic. Yesterday’s blog post was part one of this report, highlighting this Arab Spring of design.
But, things have changed dramatically for the better, and now many of the newspapers in this region are among the best designed in the world——-and have the design awards to prove it.
One such case is the Times of Oman and its sister newspaper, Al Shabiba (in Arabic). Its innovative and talented design director is Adonis Durado, and, he, too, has seen the dramatic transformation that has taken place, as more publishers and editors begin to take a look at Design with a capital D.
“There’s an Arab Spring of creativity in the Gulf as more Arab newspapers are seeing the value of aesthetics and content together. And the Arab culture is also changing as ultra-modern state cities are springing in the region—the likes of Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi—and with this comes the idea that everything must be modern and look good aesthetically.”
Recent Times of Oman pages
Front page, Times of Oman/
Designed by Greg Fernandez/ Times of Oman design team
Designed by Lucille Umali/ Times of Oman design team
Designed by Waleed Rabin/ Times of Oman design team
Designed by Winie Ariany/ Times of Oman design team
An Nahar, Lebanon
An Nahar design director, Ziad Kassis, sends us these recent pages. As readers of this blog know, we at Garcia Media were involved in the total rethinking and redesign of An Nahar earlier this year. See links for case study below.
“It has been an interesting and challenging time, and we have learned a lot, but we enjoy producing these pages each day,” Ziad writes me.
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Kaleej Times, Dubai
The following pages are from the Kaleej Times, published in Dubai, and recently redesigned by its art director, Roberto Canseco.
Previous blog posts about design in the Middle East:
Times of Oman: the design awards just keep coming in
https://garciamedia.com/blog/articles/at_the_times_of_oman_the_design_awards_just_keep_pouring_in
In Oman: the two little desert trains that could
https://garciamedia.com/blog/articles/in_o/
Times of Oman goes for total rethinking, redesign
https://garciamedia.com/blog/articles/times_of_oman_goes_for_total_rethinking_redesign
Basic ingredients for iPad design stay close to the basics, plus more Times of Oman
https://garciamedia.com/blog/articles/basic_ingredients_for_ipad_design_stay_close_to_the_basics_plus_more_times_
About Times of Oman redesign
https://garciamedia.com/blog/articles/moschino_it_is_the_best_youngest_logo_for_al_shabiba_wins
Our work with Al Shabiba logo continues
https://garciamedia.com/blog/articles/sunday_updates_our_work_with_al_shabiba_logo_continues/
An interview with Arabic type designer Nadine Chahine
https://garciamedia.com/blog/articles/my_ipad_review_its_an_a_nadine_chahine_interview_and_more
Designing with Arabic calligraphy: the joy and the challenge—participate in it!
https://garciamedia.com/blog/articles/desig/
Design of An Nahar: Lebanon
An Nahar: one week later follow up
https://garciamedia.com/blog/articles/an_nahar_one_week_later_follow_up/
Related:
https://garciamedia.com/blog/articles/an_nahar_and_hindustan_one_day_after_launch_of_new_look
https://garciamedia.com/blog/articles/two_garcia_media_projects_launch_tuesday_an_nahar_lebanon_hindustan_india
http://www.creativematch.com/news/customized-typeface-for-lebanon-s/100106/