The Washington Post: Palestine
In pairs, we selected a social issue to explore, conducted in-depth research, and created a 16-page editorial spread with two covers, each designer responsible for one cover and 8 pages. Assigned to design for The Washington Post, we followed its branding and style guidelines. We chose the Palestine-Israel conflict as our topic, wrote a 2,500–3,000-word article, and each contributed visuals including one illustration, one photograph, and one typographic element to support the article.
For my first illustration, I wanted to create two maps. The maps would demonstrate how the land owned by Palestine has become less and less as Israel has occupied more land. I traced the areas owned by Israel and the areas owned by Palestine and I color coded them so the owned areas are apparent to the viewer. I also added a key to make the territories even more apparent to the viewer.
For my second illustration, I wanted to demonstrate the situation of the Palestinians being forced out of Gaza in the current day, comparing it to the Nabka of 1948. I used an image from the recent evacuation of Gazans to the south of Gaza due to heavy Israeli bombing in the north. I played with the color and form of the image, changing it into the colors of the Palestinian flag: black, white, green, and red. I added some Palestinian flags and also stamps to create the idea that a place with so much culture and history is being drastically changed in real time.
For my photography element, I used images from my favorite photographer, Motaz Azaiza, who is currently in Gaza, documenting everything that is happening from a first-person perspective. I chose images that show first hand what the Palestinians are experiencing, and make the viewer aware of the situation.
For my typography element, I used a quote from photographer Motaz Azaiza, where he writes about how Gazans are "born only to suffer" because every Gazan has faced violence from Israel since their birth. I placed this quote over a picture taken by Motaz of a Gazan girl in a camp drinking water.
For my cover, I used another image by Motaz Azaiza that shows the damage that has been done to Gaza's homes, along with two Gazan women playing with their babies despite the catastrophe surrounding them. I figured this image displays Palestinian perseverance well. I took inspiration from other Washington Post Magazines and used their logo at the top, along with the date. I also added some information about what the inside of the magazine talks about.
