This blog will be updated throughout Wednesday as various editors and art directors contribute samples of their good work
TAKEAWAY: It is very satisfying to see the excitement about visual thinking and design for newspapers in this region of the world. With newspapers still enjoying success both with readers and advertisers, design thrives, new art directors get hired, and space is given to designers to expose their creativity.
Pages from Oman’s Al Shabiba—-design director, Osama Aljawish—-a Garcia Media project
Front page of the newly redesigned Kaleej Times, published in Dubai—design director Roberto Canseco
Front page of The National, published in Abu Dhabi—-original design concept by Lucie Lacava
Front page of Gulf News, published in Dubai—-design director, Miguel Gomez—a Garcia Media project
Double page spread from the entertainment section of Gulf News, Tabloid; notice how much space is still available for this type of stories here
Front page of An Nahar, published in Lebanon—design director Ziad Kassis—-a Garcia Media project
Just like there is the so called Arab Spring to refer to those uprisings that are changing the political landscape in so many Arab countries, there seems to be an upbeat sense of discovery, renewal and visual awakening in the Middle East. I am in Dubai this week and, as someone who comes here several times a year to work with the team of the Gulf News, already an award winning newspaper for its visual thinking, I am becoming aware of the changes taking place with several other titles.
For this visit my discovery was to see that the Kaleej Times, one of the English language dailies in the United Arab Emirates, has streamlined its design, adopted a narrower page format, and totally clean its design, creating hierarchy, offering much better use of photos and overall providing the readers with a pleasant experience. And in what constitutes a first for the area, its design director, Roberto Canseco, gets named with the editors in the newspaper’s masthead, on the editorial page. This is progress. Incidentally, the last redesign of the Kaleej Times was three years ago by Luke Hayman and Paula Scher at Pentagram. For more information: http://pentagram.com/en/new/2008/09/new-work-khaleej-times-1.php.
Meanwhile, in neighboring Oman, those guys at the Times of Oman (English title) and Al Shabiba (its Arab language sister paper) continue to perform visual magic, under the able direction of that most talented art director, Adonis Durado, with whom we have worked before, including at its present position.
I asked Osama Aljawish, art director for Al Shabiba, to send me some samples of his latest work, and I know you will enjoy seeing them here too.
Various platforms thrive here
While print products, not just newspapers, but also magazines and special supplements, thrive in their printed formats, this area is not shy at all in expanding through other platforms, like mobile and tablet editions. All have solid online editions as well.
We are currently working on a new version of the Gulf News Tablet, to premiere in 2012, and it is a rich curated edition with constant news updates and also access to pdfs of the printed pages. All of the publications in the area also expand to the new platforms.
At An Nahar, in Lebanon, we now put finishing touches in their new tablet, which starts in early 2012 as well.
Optimism, a sense of discovery and renewal, and success with an audience constantly hungry for information drive the mood here.
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/