Editorial Design
Long documents that someone actually finishes.
What is editorial design?
Editorial design is what long documents need and rarely get: a grid, a typographic hierarchy that survives thirty pages, and tables and captions that are designed rather than pasted. It is the difference between a company profile someone reads and one they scroll past.
- Reports and annual documents
- Company profiles
- Catalogues
- Information guides
- Presentations
- Publications and magazines
01Deliverables
What you get.
- 01Master grid and typographic hierarchy
- 02Cover and section-opener system
- 03Table, chart and caption styles
- 04Paginated, press-ready document
- 05Screen-optimised PDF with working links and bookmarks
02Specs & files
Sizes, media and files.
| Item | Typical spec | Files you receive |
|---|---|---|
| Page size | A4 portrait as standard, 3mm bleed where art runs off | PDF/X-4 |
| Body type | 9.5–11pt at 1.4 leading, measure held near 65 characters | Style sheet |
| Screen PDF | Bookmarks, linked contents, 150 dpi images | |
| Tables | Hairline rules only, figures aligned on the decimal | Vector |
Sizes vary by venue and vendor — specs are confirmed with your printer before artwork starts.
03Process
How it runs.
- 1
Structure
Read the copy, map the sections, agree the contents page before any layout.
- 2
Grid
Columns, margins and the type hierarchy, proved on the two hardest spreads.
- 3
Flow
The full document laid out, with tables and images designed rather than dropped in.
- 4
Proof
Two proofing rounds, then press-ready and screen versions.
04Scope
Timing and terms.
Typical turnaround
2–4 weeks depending on page count and how settled the copy is
Revisions
Two rounds; copy still being written is charged as new work
Needs from you
Final copy, images at print resolution, logos in vector
Handover
Press PDF, screen PDF and editable source
Quotes are in PKR and depend on scope, sizes and deadline. Send the brief for a written quote within one business day.
05Proof
Where this has already shipped.
06FAQ
Common questions.
Can you work from a Word manuscript?
Yes. Send it with the heading levels applied consistently and the layout goes much faster — inconsistent headings are the single biggest cause of delay in a long document.
How settled does the copy need to be?
Settled enough that section order will not change. Wording can still move; restructuring after layout means redoing the flow.
Do you design the charts too?
Yes — as vector, on the document's own colour and type system, rather than pasted screenshots from a spreadsheet.
Further reading
Guides for this service.
Guide · PrintGuide · 9 min read
What Is a Print-Ready File? Bleed, CMYK, Fonts and PDF/X for Pakistani Printers
Resource · BriefsResource · 8 min read
How to Brief a Graphic Designer: What to Send, a WhatsApp Brief Template and How Revisions Work
Review · Vector toolsReview · 9 min read