Twigs Analysis and Design
Readability/Accessibility
Twigs aims to use best practice for dyslexic readers which has the advantage of making all written communication easier on the eye for everyone. Twigs has employed various strategies that may help increase readability.
Twigs magazine uses the ‘OpenDyslexic’ font as the letters have heavy weighted bottoms which help to indicate direction, aids recognition of the correct letter and helps to keep the brain from moving them around. The unique shape of the letters can also help prevent the flipping and swapping of letters.
Bold lettering is used for emphasis rather than underlining, and headings are larger for clarity. The magazine allows for a larger font size and greater inter letter spacing as well as increased word and line spacing.
Colour wise Twigs uses organic, natural colours on a matt, unbleached, recycled paper which ensures a natural colour rather than a stark white. This can help to prevent over stimulation, and prevents any dazzle too. The paper is thick enough to prevent the other side showing through.
Twigs will also incorporate a British Sign Language sign relevant to the issue it appears in. This will act as a visual sign of communication and increase deaf awareness and celebrate diversity. It is a great way to encourage young children to learn the basics of BSL as signing can also help empower children to express themselves and alleviate frustrations.
‘Twigs’ name
Twigs was chosen as the name of the magazine for several reasons – the main being the idea that from twigs, buds bloom and grow. I liked the thought that we too bloom and grow throughout our lives but that it is more obvious in our children.
Twigs are very useful, practical and fun. Twigs can be used in play in so many different ways; through games such as pooh sticks to imaginative play as wands and stick people. They can be used in crafts for example a beautiful frame or painted as a decoration. Twigs also have many practical uses such as supports for garden plants, they can be shredded for mulch and they make excellent furniture structures when making fairy gardens etc. We too adapt and change and grow and can be practical, fun and have many skills.
Eco – credentials
The mailing envelopes are at least 90% post consumer waste. They are recyclable, biodegradable and plastic free with FSC accreditation.
The warning stickers are from ‘The Tipsy Turnip’ (who could resist ordering from such a name?!) and are 100% recycled and recyclable.
The printing inks are mineral oil free and use vegetable oil materials instead. Use of these inks on products intended for composting and eventual biodegradation are not adversely affected.
Twigs magazine is made from uncoated recycled paper. It is made using a Totally Chlorine Free pulp and the paper company were awarded Gold in the Cradle to Cradle certification 2020. Twigs can be recycled with your paper waste or it can be home composted by tearing it up (make sure you remove the staples first!) and adding to your compost as a brown material.
I use a local printer, just 10 minutes from where I live; they have a Green Mark accreditation which provides an internationally recognised environmental certification for companies that want to assure their clients and employees that they are conducting business to recognised environmental standards.
There is always room for improvement and as technology evolves so will Twigs.