Introduction
Finding the brand for our publication has been a large focus since my sophomore year. I consulted my now Co-Editor-in-Chief, and past design editor as they chose fonts, pull quote formats, drop cap styles, and more. I’ve learned that things from byline placement to folio spacing can make a tremendous difference in the style of our paper. I now understand that how we structure and stylize designs plays a large role in our paper’s personality and how readers consume content. We’ve leaned into maximalist covers, package covers and entertainment pages, and minimalist columns, profiles and extended features. The more text we have, we tend to stick with one large dominant, and sidebar, and then featuring copy on it’s own. Our paper has also made it clear that we aren’t to use graphics unless they serve a strong purpose in conveying information or narratives. Otherwise, it’s clipart. We’ve leaned into photos, and especially environmental or posed portraits, because that’s the quickest way we can get readers to connect with our paper — when they see faces. Even though my focus has been on editor duties and written reporting, my goal is to take on one design each issue, and even if I’m having trouble answering technical questions about design, I will still help designers find those answers through other editors, our adviser, or research, guiding their inspiration process, and giving them critiques.
Print design
This year, my publication has experimented with profile design, leaning into the magazine aesthetic by straying from graphics, using photos that bleed off of margins, and not being afraid of dead space or having one dominant element. This story is about a young model and what her journey on the runway has looked like. I wanted to mirror that in the dominant by having our photographers simulate a professional photoshoot. The background, texture, and shadows create depth. Part of good design is seeing how your visuals complement the space and interact with copy. While there is a separation between the text and photo, it’s still cohesive with fonts and pull colors. Finding ways to break up copy through pull quotes, photos, and alt copy has also been a primary focus and conversation on staff regarding readers’ eyelines. We ensure every element of our designs is intentional, so that we can keep readers on the page for as long as possible.
I created a new featured section this year called “All the Quiet Places,” which is intended to showcase relationships, events, interactions, and other stories at NW that would otherwise go unnoticed through shorter, moving narratives. The idea behind these designs was to have one dominant showstopping image with overlaid text, or in this case, one box with text over it. I believe this creates a strong contrast that works to emphasize both visually and contextually what the story is about. Typically, the style of our paper is to have lots of text, and sometimes more photo essays. This design does the complete opposite, which helps us successfully emphasize how it’s a new edition and its own section. Throughout this year, as we tossed around the ideas of moving more maximalist with our designs versus leaning into a sleek minimalist magazine, we’ve incorporated both. In our arts and entertainment sections, there’s extended news features, package covers, detailed graphics, alternative coverage, photo packages and lots of cutouts. But, in news, our profiles, and now All The Quiet Places, there’s space for minimalism. We can have consistency and balance the two to create a unique publication style.
This was the first design I’d created for the newspaper during freshman year. Working on this spread helped me develop skills in creating graphics and interactive headlines, spacing content, and using color to grab the reader’s attention. My editors and I talked somewhat extensively about headline placement for this spread, because typically, all headlines do and should go at the top of a page. That way, their eye is guided to the story below it and not off a page. By enlarging photos, having small bold headlines that were color dropped, and creating thick borders of white space between photos, my eye goes back up toward that first photo and graphic, then through reviews. Looking back, the lines of separation are unnecessary, and now my publication typically refrains from using them, as per our style guide. We also admonish designers from using graphics, unless they are helping to convey information or push the reporting forward. I see a lot of staff today moving in the direction of graphics, and away from photos, whereas we’re striving to do the opposite.
One-page designs, I’ve realized, are harder to create than spreads. Giving copy space to breathe, while also finding ways to make visuals fit in an interesting way, can be difficult. Having one large dominant photo and overlaying cutouts and graphics gave this page dimension. I consistently worked with both writers of this story by sketching out the design, getting their input on graphic elements, and asking a photographer to follow them around while they shopped for Angel Tree gifts. I make sure my staff is constantly cultivating those brief conversations, whether that’s just checking in on word count, when a photo is being taken, or bouncing headline ideas. I preach that it’s never not someone’s place to hold another staffer accountable or make pitches. Writers should always know what the design looks like. Designers should always be reading stories, and if they feel compelled to, leaving thoughts. Photographers should also sit down with both the writer and designer and discuss which moments best tell that story and how they should be displayed.
Over the past few years, our staff has had a disproportionate writer-to-designer ratio. To supplement the lack of staff designers, we’ve not only encouraged writers to volunteer and take on new designs, but also created a rule that writers must always design their column pages. At first, I heard a lot of groaning from people who didn’t want to bother using Adobe InDesign, or people who were anxious about trying something new. Having this rule has not only helped staffers such as myself become more well-rounded and versed in other journalistic mediums, but also helped them to discover and utilize different skills when approaching coverage. With this design I had to get creative and cutout photos of vegetables, fruits, and nuts from my kitchen, creating an interactive headline.
This was the first time I’d taken photos that went in print. I got to experiment with depth through cutouts and interactive headline elements. I also learned how to text wrap and the importance of spacing between text and visual elements. Designs like these have made me focus on variety in photo, whether that’s through subjects, interactions, environments, and physical elements such as size and placement. I also gained experience with alt copy — and understand that this can be statistics, quotes, infographics, or short stories. I’ve also found that the greater contrast you can build on your page or spread, the longer readers will stay.
Overseeing Package Designs
​
Our central feature for this issue became AI-focused once we realized conversations, not only students, but teachers and administrators were having, revolved around it. This package showcases how students search for companionship in AI chatbots and the controversial views teachers hold on their place in the classroom. The dominant element became binary code after we sat down for 30 minutes during class and went through inspiration on Pinterest. My Co-Editor-in-Chief and I offered our critiques in the back of our classroom while staffers blurted what stood out to them. I believe it’s important not only for those writing, designing, or photographing the center spread(s) to make decisions about it, but our entire class should be involved. Creating an environment that’s dynamic and constructive is essential to fostering good creative ideas. I believe this package turned out really well because of that.
For this issue we wanted to show the different ways in which students feel targeted. Whether this be for their race, political beliefs, or ideas. This is a glimpse at the package. The front cover when through at least four drafts, and wasn’t finalized until the Saturday before we sent pages that following Monday. Archery targets became our symbol once we decided we wanted to juxtapose between people or things that symbolize the arrow, versus who is being attacked. The visual verbal is clean and effective. I like that we didn’t use real people, but instead simple graphics. I believe this is more visually appealing and minimalistic. A large part of my role as Co-Editor-in-Chief is facilitating discussions between designers, photographers and reporters for theme packages. I pitched ideas, asked questions, and offered input both inside and outside of class.