We explain what a triptych is, what its structure is like and what it is for. Also, what are its general characteristics and the types that exist.
What is a triptych?
It is called a triptych a visual composition consisting of three concatenated parts, capable of folding on itself. The term comes from ancient Greek triptychoscomposed by tri- (“three and ptyche (“to fold”), and is generally used for two types of objects:
- Triptych (art). A work of plastic arts, usually painting and sculpture, that is divided into three sections or panels usually carved from wood or some other supporting material. The central panel is usually larger and the sides fold over it, often revealing, when closed, a fourth work of art. It was extremely common in Flemish painting of the 15th and 16th centuries.
- Triptych (advertising). This is the name given to an information leaflet printed on a sheet folded in three parts, in which both sides of the sheet are used, together with the fold, to obtain six printable pages.
Although these are two implementations of the same idea, in this article we will mainly refer to the second meaning.
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Measurements of a triptych
A triptych It is made with a sheet of DIN A4 size paper. (i.e. 297 x 210 mm).
This sheet It must be placed horizontally to fold it in three identical parts (99 x 210 mm) which will be the six pages available to place the information.
Structure of the triptych
As we said before, a triptych is folded into three identical parts from an A4 sheet in a horizontal position. This will result in six sheets available: three interior and three exterior.
When the triptych is folded, Two of the outer ones remain visiblewhile the rest is hidden inside.
What does a triptych contain?
Usually, the information contained in a brochure is divided according to its structure. The visible faces when folded are usually the cover and the closure.The first contains the identifying elements of what the brochure contains. The other visible side includes information about who created it, why, where to go for more information, etc.
The remaining four pages, which are interiorare ideal for displaying specific information, always going from the most general to the most specific.
Given the This is a brochure and not an article., the ideal thing is for the information to be condensed and abbreviated, even schematized. In this way, the least amount of space possible is taken up. Thus, graphic or visual accompaniment can be included: photographs, images, fonts, labeling, etc.
These four internal pages are generally organized like this:
- Page 2 (after the cover). Introduction to the topic or general perspective.
- Page 3 and 4. Development of the specific theme.
- Page 5. Conclusions, closing or recommendations (the second external page can be used if necessary).
What is the function of a triptych?
A triptych is an advertising brochure in which there is a sample of organized and interesting information on a topic, without going too deep. In addition, it includes the details of the organization that manufactures it or the sites where you can go for more information, such as telephone numbers, addresses, emails, web pages, etc.
How do you fold a triptych?
Brochures can be folded in two ways, depending on the distribution of information on the pages. Remember that the important thing is that the content reaches the reader in the most presentable, orderly and coherent way possible.
- Way 1: Surround folding. Using the central space as the background of the triptych, the side sheets are folded above, giving the appearance of a small envelope that the reader must open to access the information.
- Shape 2: accordion fold. As its name indicates, it makes the triptych a small spring or accordion, in the shape of an “s”, placing one end of the paper above the others, as if it were a small book.
Design of a triptych
The triptychs They can be designed in the way we see fit.. For example, the sheets can be printed in a specific color, and photographs, images, more or less elaborate graphic design motifs can be added. It all depends on what impression we want to make in the reader.
Types of triptych
There are usually three triptych formats:
- Advertising. Those that are full of photos and images and focus on promoting a service or product that is being marketed.
- Informative. In which the reader is provided with a summary of relevant information on health, tourism and other relevant aspects.
- Artistic. In which the reader is offered an aesthetic experience, rather than an informative one, through designs, poetic texts, etc.
How are brochures made?
The triptychs They can be made manually or by hand., folding a paper after having printed or written it manually, especially if it is a school assignment. For this there are computer programs such as Office, Photoshop or Canva.
Also can be made industriallygoing to a printing services agency, where they have the technology to print and fold the brochures, guaranteeing the best possible result.
Keys to a good triptych
To make a good triptych, keep the following considerations in mind:
- Anticipate and organize content. Consider the reader’s experience and organize information so that it is engaging, simple and enjoyable, rather than chaotic or overwhelming.
- Think about your target audience. It’s much harder to reach your ideal reader if you have no idea who they are: buyers of your company? schoolmates? potential recruits for your judo club?
- Summarize, simplify and accompany with color. Just because your brochure is informative doesn’t mean it has to be boring. If someone wants to read a book about it, they will look for it, but your job is to give them only the keys they need to get an idea or spark their interest. The design of the triptych should contribute to this.
Brochure templates
On the following pages you can get free templates for your brochures: