Linework
Linework is a fictional journal about making and repairing everyday objects. I designed an editorial system around a single horizontal rule that can separate, connect or pause a page. The exercise asks how little graphic material a publication needs to feel coherent.
The brief
The journal contains interviews, short instructions and photographs of processes. These forms need different reading rhythms. A system that makes them all look identical would erase useful distinctions, while a new design for every article would make the issue feel fragmented.
The decision
I used the rule as a punctuation mark. A short rule introduces a voice, a long rule marks a change in subject and a doubled rule begins practical instructions. The differences are small but consistent. Readers do not need to memorize a legend to feel the change in pace.
The system
The grid has two text measures and a stable baseline. Images can cross the measures, but captions return to the nearest text edge. This gives the designer flexibility without making alignment arbitrary. The system is designed for a small editorial team rather than a large production department.
The detail
The rule thickness was chosen to survive ordinary printing. Very fine hairlines can disappear or become uneven. The screen version is therefore not the final authority on the weight of the marks. The study keeps that production uncertainty visible.
The limit
Linework is an independent editorial concept, not a published magazine. All sample titles and graphic compositions are original. A physical issue with varied article lengths would be necessary to test whether the system remains useful beyond the first attractive spread.
Production notes
Original vector artwork. The displayed color is a screen approximation. This is a concept, not a press-ready specification. Confirm paper, ink, trim, folds and type reproduction with a physical proof before adapting it for production.