Brochure Design Brochure Facts 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client wants a brochure with a dramatic 'reveal' where two outer panels open like doors to show a large center image. Which fold should the designer choose?
- Gate fold (Correct answer)
- Tri-fold
- Accordion fold
- French fold
Correct answer: Gate fold
A gate fold has two outer panels that open outward like doors to reveal the center panel.
Question 2: Which paper finish is best for a brochure that readers will write on, such as a form or reply card?
- Uncoated (Correct answer)
- Gloss coated
- UV coated
- Aqueous high-gloss
Correct answer: Uncoated
Uncoated paper accepts pen and pencil ink easily, while coated finishes resist writing.
Question 3: What is the 'safe zone' in brochure layout?
- The inner margin area where important text and logos must stay to avoid being trimmed (Correct answer)
- The area reserved for the mailing address
- The center panel of a tri-fold
- The space between two columns of text
Correct answer: The inner margin area where important text and logos must stay to avoid being trimmed
The safe zone keeps critical content away from trim edges so nothing important is cut off.
Question 4: A brochure design uses text at 6 pt for body copy. What is the most likely problem?
- It is too small for comfortable reading; body text should typically be 9-12 pt (Correct answer)
- It will not print at all
- It will automatically convert to bold
- It uses too much ink
Correct answer: It is too small for comfortable reading; body text should typically be 9-12 pt
Body copy below about 9 pt strains readability, so 6 pt text is too small for most audiences.
Question 5: Which panel of a tri-fold brochure do readers typically see immediately after the front cover when opening it?
- The inside flap panel that folds over (Correct answer)
- The back cover
- The center inside panel
- The mailing panel
Correct answer: The inside flap panel that folds over
Opening the cover first reveals the folded-in flap panel, making it prime space for a key message.
Question 6: What paper weight range is most typical for a standard marketing brochure?
- 80-100 lb text or cover stock (Correct answer)
- 20 lb copy paper
- 200 lb poster board
- Newsprint weight
Correct answer: 80-100 lb text or cover stock
Brochures commonly use 80-100 lb stock for a sturdy, professional feel that still folds cleanly.
Question 7: A designer receives fuzzy printed photos even though they looked sharp on screen. What is the most likely cause?
- The images were low resolution, sized for screen at 72 DPI (Correct answer)
- The printer was out of black ink
- The file used too many fonts
- The bleed was set too large
Correct answer: The images were low resolution, sized for screen at 72 DPI
Screen-resolution images look fine on monitors but print blurry because print needs about 300 DPI.
Brochure Design Brochure Facts 3
A client wants a brochure with a dramatic 'reveal' where two outer panels open like doors to show a large center image.
Which fold should the designer choose?