PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

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PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

• FYI WHITE TYPE ON A BLACK BACKGROUND IS CALLED
  REVERSE TYPE

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TYPOGRAPHY

• Choosing the right type if the first step in
  design.
• Most newspapers use a serif style. Serif means
  with feet.

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Serifs help move the readers eyes from letter to
letter, word to word.

• Generally, choose one type family and stick with
  it for the entire paper, varying by using
  italics, bold, condensed, etc.

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Graphics

• Graphics include (rules) lines, boxes, art,
  photos, spot color, and other devices.
• Graphics enhance design and draw the reader into
  the page.
• Graphics must have a special reason or purpose
  when used

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Graphics

• In general, graphics serve the following
  purposes
• To unify elements
• To separate elements
• To call attention to elements

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To Unify Elements

• Boxes and rule lines can pull related elements
  together.
• A series of photos with quotes might be grouped
  in a box or aligned beside a rule
• Sequences of events can be presented in a
  timeline

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To Separate Elements

• Rules and boxes also function to separate
  elements from other elements.
• Can serve as barriers causing the readers eyes
  to stop at one point and pick up copy at a
  different point.
• When used effectively, lines and rules can help
  guide and direct a readers eye around a page

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To Call Attention to Elements

• Screens, boxes, borders, large type or
  photographs, areas of spot color and distinctive
  art allow the designer to attract the readers
  eyes to specific areas on a page.

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Basic Rules of Design

• Dominance
• Unity
• Contrast
• Rhythm
• Balance
• Consistency

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Dominance

• Every single page and every double-page spread
  (two facing pages) should have one dominant
  element that is at least two-and-one-half times
  as large as any other element on the spread.

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Dominance

• This dominant element serves as a visual entry
  for the reader.
• If no dominant element exists, the readers eye
  will bounce around, or will skip that page and go
  to the next

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Dominance

• The dominant element is usually a large
  well-composed photo tied to the message of the
  primary headline.

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Unity

• Using consistent internal and external margins
  unifies a page or a spread.
• Spacing is measured in picas
• External matters on single pages are usually
• 3 to 4 picas at the top of the page
• 4 to 5 picas on each side of the page
• 5 to 6 picas at the bottom of a page

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Unity

• Gutter the dividing space (white space) between
  two columns OR two pages that falls into the fold
• On a natural spread or double truck (two
  pages printed side by side), running the photo
  across the gutter ties the pages together

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Unity

• Eyelines (one pica of horizontal white space that
  goes across the spread) can tie the pages
  together
• Eyelines should run at least six picas above or
  below the horizontal center of the spread

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Contrast

• Contrast the use of opposites in size, shape
  and weight
• A design should feature one dominant photo
  contrasted by several smaller photos.
• Use horizontal photos as well as vertical photos.

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Contrast

• Contrast is often used in headline design.
• Each story should feature a headline with both
  primary and secondary components.
• A 72-point primary is accompanied by a secondary
  that should be no larger than 36 points.
• Primary should be set in bold and the secondary
  in regular or lighter typeface

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Rhythm

• Rhythm, or repetition, involves the use of a
  repeated color, graphic, or typographic element
  to hold a design together.
• Color pulled from a photograph might be used as
  the background for a secondary coverage box or as
  part of a headline design.

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Balance

• Balance can be formal or informal
• Formal balance pages can be folded in half
  vertically with each half mirroring the other
  half.

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Balance

• Informal balance weight is distributed
  diagonally.
• Bigger bolder photos are moved toward the center.
• White space, copy, headlines, and captions are
  pushed to the outside so that pages do not weigh
  heavy to one side or the other.

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Consistency

• Certain elements should be consistent throughout.
• Bylines, folios (page numbers),and standing
  headline design should be consistent in size,
  font, weight, and style throughout the
  publication.
• These elements should also be consistent from
  issue to issue.

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Creating Pages

• Four elements
• Copy (stories)
• Art (photos or artwork)
• Headlines
• White space

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Creating Pages

• Your paper will be taboid or broadsheet
• Tabloid half sheet
• National Enquirer, Bulldog Tribune
• Broadsheet full-sized newspaper
• USA Today, Washington Post
• Design rough sketches first
• Use InDesign to implement your sketch

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Front Page

• Nameplate (flag) should reflect the personality
  of the paper.
• Includes name of publication, date, schools
  name, address, volume, issue
• Teasers or menu can be above the nameplate or to
  the side or at the bottom of the page

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Front Page

• The rest of the page is devoted to one, two, or
  three major stories.
• Tabloid-sized papers usually feature four or five
  column format.
• Column formats may be varied to emphasize
  different stories.

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Front Page

• Modular format
• Packaging stories, headlines, and accompanying
  graphics into neat rectangular shapes.
• Photos may be dropped in the center three columns
  and copy may be wrapped (text wrap) around it.
• Headline over the entire package

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Inside Pages

• One dominant photo
• Several smaller photos
• Stories
• Headlines (Biggest at top of page and working
  down in size as you get toward the bottom)
• Advertising placed across the bottom of the
  page with one pica of white space between them
  and so that the tops of the ads are even across
  the page

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Double-Truck

• Pages in the center that appear side by side and
  are printed side by side.
• Designers can cross the gutter with photos, copy,
  artwork, etc. (Discuss drawbacks)
• Sometimes double-trucks focus on specific ideas

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Double-Truck

• First place dominant photo (consider crossing
  gutter).
• Establish eyeline in either upper third or lower
  third.
• Place all other photos adhering to column guides
  be sure to contrast shapes
• Place captions, touching photos, to the outside
  corners of the layout not between photos

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Double Truck

• Add copy, setting it in one column widths
• Place side by side in a solid rectangular block.
• Put in headlines using a primary and secondary
  (decks a layer in a grouping of headlines)

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Additional Terms

• Story Package
• Copy, photos, inforgraphics related to the story.

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Additional Terms

• Initial Cap
• A large capital letter set into the opening
  paragraph of a story to help draw the readers
  attention to the beginning of the story.

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Additional Terms

• Internal Margin
• A margin that keeps a consistent distrance
  between all elements of a page, usually one or
  two picas.

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Additional Terms

• Mug Shot
• A small photograph of the face of someone
  mentioned in a story

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Additional Terms

• Standing Head
• A label used to identify special items such as
  news briefs or columns.

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Additional Terms

• Jump Line
• A line telling the read on what page the story
  continues.

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Additional Terms

• Refer
• A line that sends readers to a related article or
  item in the same issue pronounced reefer

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Additional Terms

• Photo Credit
• A line giving the photographers name

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Additional Terms

• Leg
• The vertical dimension of a story (its depth)
• A 12-inch story is 12-inches if put in one
  column, but not a good idea.

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Additional Terms

• Dummy
• A detailed page diagram drown in advance.

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Additional Terms

• Tombstoning
• Stacking headlines alongside eachother

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Bastard Measure

• A story package that breaks the general column
  width on that page.