Offline is ECAL’s magazine. Produced by students, it presents the events that shaped a semester—workshops, masterclasses, exhibitions, or trips—through interviews and portfolios. Each issue is structured around a thematic feature, offering an opportunity to examine a topic from multiple perspectives. Finally, summaries of Bachelor theses complete the publication.
Led by students in the Bachelor Graphic Design program, the art direction is conceived specifically for each issue, giving the printed edition its distinctive character.
In this 16th issue, Offline turns its attention to art direction, which is neither graphic design nor photography, but rather a way of bringing them together harmoniously within a project, often editorial in nature. How can we explain why one layout works better than another? It is difficult to put into words, because the eye must be trained, nourished, and regularly challenged in order to recognize a strong art direction—one that resonates both with its time and with the specific subject it frames and presents. Fashion magazines, but also digital media, advertising campaigns, or web design… the applications are numerous, and no project truly takes shape without a clear art direction. We met four EXECAL working in a magazine (independent or within a media group), in an agency or a brand, as well as an independent web designer. Their experiences are varied, yet a common thread runs through their practice.
Interviews with: Hanna Rochereau, Omnigroup, 18:15, Jean Reynaud, Daphné Mookherjee, Lise de Martino, Diego Fellay, Julien Gallico