Singletrack Mag Font size struggling to read!

Tom which date will that be?

I stand by my moan(constrictive criticism 🙂

Give it five years and they’ll be group tests on long travel walking frames in Singletrack

Think t666dom might have something with the glare the last couple of issues I’ve had trouble reading in bed by lamp light but when I’ve sat down in front room next day in natural light it been ok(ish)(need glasses but also in denial) 😕 😳

As a graphic designer, who’s done a lot of work on magazines, I feel I can offer some insight into what you’re experiencing.

Basically, you ‘re coming at this all wrong. Asking the wrong question. You ‘re thinking ‘can I read it?’ No, no! NO! What you should be asking….. Does the layout look good? Nice use of imagery? Clean typography with plenty of white space? Yes? Then what more do you want?

Generally, we’ll select a point size one too small for the target market (in this case; decaying middle aged blokes) to be able to read comfortably, and run with that. We’ll then select the lightest, most delicate sans serif font to slightly exacerbate the problem. One so light that a mere whisper could blow the very words off the page

We can’t help ourselves. This behavior may seem petty to you, displaying a pretty twisted sense of priorities, but in some small way it helps us deal with our inert (but misplaced) sense of superiority, deep seated cynicism, and entrenched bitterness towards the rest of society.

Hope that helps

😀 @ Binners

Richard its the new issue

I know the article is in there but the date for the Lakes Northern Boggies Squadron XMAS do, I cannot ride but I can eat and drink 🙂

but unfortunately I can’t give you a definitive answer until the art ed. is back from her hols next week…

Ah, the answer.

At first glance this may seem sexist, but just as men cannot give birth to children, women cannot ‘do’ good graphic design. It is simply the way of things.

At first glance this may seem sexist, but just as men cannot give birth to children, women cannot ‘do’ good graphic design. It is simply the way of things.

I’ve repeated this because it is the finest piece of writing I’ve seen today, the equivalent of a jam jar full of angry bees placed at the bottom of a sleeping bag then broken as someone climbs in.

Controversial. I know some fantastic female graphic designers. Though, admittedly, they’re nowhere near as good at moodily stomping around the studio, disappearing for ‘meetings’ in the pub for the entire afternoon, throwing massive creative strops, and fixing clients with looks of utterly toxic withering contempt when they’ve just asked if they can make the logo a bit bigger 😆

Having read the Marks post, thanks for the kindle advice by the way, I think the problem started exactly when you said. maybe the last 3 issues…

@ euro – sexist maybe, you’re also highlighting you know very little about graphic design, let me educate you. http://www.katemoross.com relevant, contempary and female.

Rich there is no riding on the Northern Night Riders Xmas do.

Meet on 19 Dec in Orange Tree – drink eat and be merry

I used to nod and roll my eyes slightly when my boss asked me to make the text a bit bigger (but it looks so classy!), then I got old and can kinda see his point.

rewski, there’s always an exception.

And this years calendar is an OUTRAGE

It is, cos its as crap as last years.
If I wanted to look at standard catalogue pictures, I’d look at a catalogue. Why not use photos from ST’s own library?

Generally, we’ll select a point size one too small for the target market (in this case; decaying middle aged blokes) to be able to read comfortably, and run with that. We’ll then select the lightest, most delicate sans serif font to slightly exacerbate the problem. One so light that a mere whisper could blow the very words off the page

Ah, so not being middle aged is why I don’t have a problem then 😀

Maybe they could offer a pair of reading glasses as a free gift like some other mags do! 8) 😀

fixing clients with looks of utterly toxic withering contempt

Sorry, are you saying most female designers do this far better than male ones?

BIGGER AND BETTER TEXT PLEASE – contacts mean I can ride without crashing, but right on the limit for reading smaller print.

Yep, struggling to read it too with or without my reading specs. I feel it’s the paper (glare in certain light) not the font size.

I’m not too worried about it though. It’s the final push I needed to not buying the mag for a while. I’m a little tired of reading that I can now have a do-it-all long travel 29er, or that I need to have a 27.5er (or 650b – depending upon flavour of the month) to bring the trail alive, and reading product/bike reviews where absolutely everything is brilliant (albeit very expensive).

More recently I feel the mag is mostly full of pseudo-marketing/ advertising material and I’ve had my fill.