Brochure – Instructions
Overview
The common 6-panel brochure has been the mainstay of the business world for decades. It is compact, easy to carry, easy to print, and shares a lot of information about your product or service. It is so common that many businesses begin their marketing campaign with a simple business card and printed brochure.
Most retail stores have specific countertops and floor displays just for the common brochure.
A good brochure utilizes an even combination of text, photos, and art to convey its message to its audience.
Grading Checklist
- Design one 6-panel brochure
- Size: Use the template below (8.5×11, CMYK, 300
ppi ) - Software: Adobe Illustrator
- Choose your own topic and client (can be made up or a real company/organization)
- Focus on 3–5 related bits of information (not too much)
- Only use 1–2 typefaces
- Choose a typeface that offers several weights so you can differentiate your look
- Create a color scheme with 3–5 colors
- Deliver your facts in small chunks
- Use a contemporary design (see examples on this page)
- Use stock photos or illustrations from unsplash.com, pexels.com, or pixabay.com. Or use your own if they’re good.
- Participate in a critique
Brochure Best Practices
Here are several important considerations while designing your brochure. Be sure to review the helpful examples on this page too. They will offer you new ideas and inspire you to think in new ways while designing your brochure.
Student examples to inspire you
Industry examples to inspire you
Now, design your own brochure
Here’s a template to download and use
Use this Adobe Illustrator template to create your brochure. Fill all six panels with information about your client. I’d suggest keeping the brochure size and folds the same since this is the most common size most companies use.
Once done designing, print your brochure or make a digital mock up
Digital Mockup – Instructions
Use this Photoshop mockup file to map your brochure panels to it and make a digital mockup. Watch the video below to see how I take my Illustrator file and map it to the brochure mock-up in Photoshop. The video shows the process on a cake packaging box, but the steps are the same.
You’re welcome to use my mockup file for free, or search the web and try to find your own. There are quite a few out there to download, but the quality might vary.
Or Print your Brochure at Western’s Creative Center
Print your brochure to 11×17″, 2-sided. I’d suggest you do this for your critiques too. That way you and your evaluators can see the real thing. You’ll see how your content works with your panels, folds, and bleeds.
Score your folds
Score a crease into your brochure folds with a bone folder and ruler. Don’t push too hard, just enough to dent the paper and slightly bend the fibers. Always score paper on the top of the fold. This stretches the fibers and prepares them to be folded the other way with minimal ink or toner cracking.
Cut it out with a scissors or Xacto knife
Fold it, and you’re done.
