Case Study: Editorial Design Spring 2026
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A live online short course with an expanded view of editorial design that ran throughout March 2026
This short online course offered an opportunity for participants to explore the craft and art of editorial design, which is defined as the presentation of information in a coherent, relevant and innovative manner, across a variety of analog and digital platforms.
A really interesting aspect of the summer school is access to the graphic design and illustration archives, dating back over 50 years and featuring student work by well-known alumni such as Alan Fletcher and Jonathan Barnbrook. During the course, the archivist Richard Doust is invited to deliver a session for participants, giving an insight into this incredible history and access to an amazing repository of artefacts.
The course is led by Adrian Shaughnessy (Graphic Designer, Writer, Editor, Publisher and former RCA tutor) in partnership with Astrid Stavro (Designer and President of ISTD).
“In the free-for-all information jungle, clarity has never been more important. This short course aims to provide some simple guidelines to improving the way information is presented in both digital and analogue formats.”
Course Leader
Gallery of participants work
Inventory by Zhanna Stegalina
“From the very start I enjoyed all aspects of the course: organizational process, leaders, creative briefs, feedback sessions (which were very supportive), guests and behind the scenes of a creative process. I'd gladly join the course one more time! It was absolutely wonderful experience from all perspectives.”
Designer
ARDOUR by Keri Newman
“The editorial design course guided me into thinking differently, more creatively, about briefs, which instantly impacted the way I designed. It was challenging and refreshing. I feel inspired in my design job again and I’m now keen to do more personal projects.”
Brand Designer
Not To Repeat It But To Go Beyond by Kate Cullinane
Command by Matt Green
“The RCA editorial design course reshaped how I think about design. I came away realizing that the heart of editorial design is the articulation of decisions. It's not just what you make, but how you frame and communicate it. That mindset extends far beyond print, into art, design, and any visual field where critical thinking matters, especially as execution becomes more automated.”
Senior designer
Elena Journal by Sol Eijo O'Farrell
“I have been thinking about this editorial project for quite some time, and the course allowed me to ground the idea and move forward with greater clarity and confidence. I intend to continue developing it and bring it into a more concrete form. More broadly, the knowledge I gained will stay with me as part of my practice, especially in how I approach the beginning of a project and, more importantly, how I sustain it over time.”
Visual / Art Director
Contact us
Get in touch with us if you'd like to find out more about this or any of our other short courses.
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