TAKEAWAY: Finally, the new Dubai Metro premiered today. The Gulf News has the new, shiny train running right through every page of its edition today. Take a look. ALSO: Lots of Color in our Pure Design download
In Dubai: all aboard the new Metro
The Dream Train snakes through the pages of today’s Gulf News, one page at a time
The mega graphic by Seyyed de la Llata, Gulf News artist, explains how the new transportation system works. See also Jacob Hernandez’ interactive graphic:
It took four years to build, and I sort of watched the construction progress as I travelled to and from Dubai. One could gaze at the hundreds of cranes above the rapidly changing Dubai skyline, then look at the white snake forming little by little on the side of the city’s main road. Tonight, there will be fireworks visible over most of Dubai to celebrate the historic event.
Remembering that the Metro would premiere today, a symbolic 9-9-09 date, I asked Miguel Gomez, art director of the Gulf News, to send me whatever the newspaper team had planned for this special day in the life of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. What a surprise to see that the Gulf News had not just provided us with a smashing front page about the Dream Train, but that they had the clever idea to let the new Metro train run through every page of the newspaper. I give you a glimpse of those pages here.
For those who like statistics:
It took some 30000 worders, five big contractors and 150 [other] contractors to complete and make it possible to launch the approximately $8 billion project on schedule.
For all you want to know about the Dubai Metro, go here:
www.gulfnews.com
Pure Design: color is the word
Three Indian newspapers, three different color palettes: The Hindu (classic), Hindustantimes (contemporary), Saatschi (bright)
A majority of newspaper readers don’t recall their newspaper without color. We know through research that color, indeed, sells when it comes to attracting people to pick up a copy of a newspaper. Color sells on the newsstand, but it also sells on the coffee table. It creates an attraction, a connection. I don’t think any editor or designer even questions the impact of color anymore. It is taken for granted, but it should not.
Having sat through hundreds of focus groups worldwide, I can testify for the significance of color, and how readers prefer it to pages that are in black and white.
Today, color is perhaps even more important than ever before. For readers/users who are constantly bombarded by messages and visual information, color can make the difference.
I stand by the guidelines of color use of 2002 and before:
1. Use color wisely. Attach it a meaning. Don’t use it as a decorative tool.
2. Once you have a good photo or illustration with vibrant colors on the page, avoid overdoing use of gratuitous color elsewhere on the page. You don’t need to “paint” the page or screen.
3. Color can be a highly efficient tool to indicate a new section begins. Color coding has never been more important. Use wisely.
4. Use a color palette that is appropriate for the content/audience.
5. Color backbgrounds: think twice before overdoing in this department.
The Pure Design “fable” below, titled, Lots of Color, still holds today!
The Impact of the Compact
Pure Design: Download entire section: Type
Download entire first section of Pure Design: Words
Now that I have fully presented the first of six sections of Pure Design on TheMarioBlog, I am offering the entire initial section, “Words,” available for download—all 33 pages of it. This may be useful for those of you saving or printing out Pure Design and will be done following each of the remaining sections. At the end of our journey through words, type, layout, color, pictures, and process, I will publish the entirety of Pure Design in one file.
Who is Jacky?
Jacky belongs to Frank Deville. The Luxembourg-based pooch is an “avid reader” of the German newspaper, Bild Am Sonntag. Every Sunday Jacky picks stories and interesting graphics in Bild Am Sonntag , the German newspaper.
WAN’s World Trends 2009 Report
The 2009 edition of World Press Trends from WAN/IFRA is now available. I always like to review this report for its complete information on global circulation, advertising and online trends in our industry. All countries in the world where daily newspapers are published are covered in the publication.
This year the WAN/IFRA folks have decided to publish a print version but only make the book available on pdf.
Those interested go:
http://www.wan-press.org/forms/wpt2009.html
Follow me at www.twitter.com/tweetsbydesign
Follow the Marios
Two Marios. Two Views.
Follow Mario Jr. and his blog about media analysis, web design and assorted topics related to the current state of our industry.
http://garciainteractive.com/
Visit Mario Sr. daily here, or through TweetsByDesign (www.twitter.com/tweetsbydesign)
In Spanish daily: The Rodrigo Fino blog
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To read TheRodrigoFino blog, in Spanish, go:
https://garciamedia.com/latinamerica/blog/
TheMarioBlog posting #360