Newspaper Design and Layout

1. Newspaper Design and Layout Chapter 16 – Joe Pappalardo

2. The Basics • Size • Newsmagazines – 8.5 x 11 inches • Tabloid – 11 x 17* • Broadsheets 14 x 21 • Layout designer fills in the space • Keeps reader interested

3. Elements of Design • Text – don’t “gray out” • Larger Text Heads – mini headlines within story • Transition between paragraphs • Add pictures/graphics • Use white space • BALANCE

4. Principles of Good Design • Balance – visually and evenly weighted • Spread elements • Decrease distractions • Rhythm – visual flow • Get people’s eyes moving • Use varying sizes, coordinate typography • Text spacing – “kerning”, etc. • Unity – repeated elements throughout pages • Use same text for most stories • Exception: special features, in-depth stories

5. Good Design (cont.) • Scale – consistent spacing • Column alignment, grid – InDesign • Proportion – Size = Importance • Headliner size > sidebar • One picture may be 2, 3 times bigger than others • Visual Hierarchy – significance of information • Top of the page is most important • Reader’s eyes will move down to less important info • Visual inverted pyramid

6. Information Packaging • Example: single story, no visuals • Designer can create secondary story using info given • Designer can use photos and text elements to present • Reader sees shorter presentation, reads main article • Packages attract attention • Prey on reader’s attention spans • Higher visual hierarchy, surrounded with white space

7. Formatting • Grids and columns • Number of columns depends on page size • Wider columns = easier readability • Tight grids can be used for captions, drop cap letters • Margins and space • White borders • balance and align text • Internal margins should be consistent • Big white spaces will lose reader

8. Modular Design • Placing information in 4-sided shapes • Line up elements • Allows for good flow

9. Preparing for Design • Page dummy – sketching a plan • Drawn in smaller size • Consider placement options before using computer • Inches are scaled on sides – scale model • Done before stories are written • Easily changeable Loremipsum

10. Special Considerations for Design • Front page – first impression, different each issue • Interesting, relevant • Long stories and news briefs for wider audience • Typography • Not too fancy, but simple and functional • Inside pages • Headings (Fall Issue, News section, page 6, etc.) • Varying column widths creates variety • Balance facing pages

11. Considerations (cont.) • Feature pages – strong visual/verbal connections • Illustrations, photos, detail-oriented headlines • Surround packages with extra white space • Color can be used appropriately • Experiment with typeface • Editorial pages – “voice” of the staff • Position should be clearly stated – Headline • Face shots of writers – Moepinions • Cartoons, polls, letters to editor • Staff listing goes here

12. Considerations (cont.) • Double Trucks / Center Spreads • Middle 2 pages – big visual display • Balance color with white space on edges • Sports pages • Action photos • Brief columns, features • Picture use • Reader entry points • Vertical/horizontal shapes are better • Need good captions

13. Special Considerations for Color • Spot Color – using a single color • Cheaper, requires only one press, not 4 • We use grey boxes • Four-Color • Expensive to produce • High-saturation, not as vivid

14. Pacing the Publication • Teamwork • Find most effective way of telling stories • Form teams of different kinds of people • Writers, editors, illustrators, photographers • Check your work at arm’s length • Make sure it looks good from a reader’s point of view