Design basics

- Four elements common to most publications include headlines, text, art, which includes
photos and graphics, and cut lines.

Headlines

- Headlines are one of the basic element of newspaper design.

- They attract our attention, get us to read stories and summarize what stories are about.
- They also help us make a decision to bypass a story as we scan a page.
- Headline design in contemporary newspapers has changed considerably throughout
history.
 A century ago most newspaper headlines:
- Mixed typeface at random
- Combined all caps and lowercase
- Were centered horizontally
- Stacked layers of narrow decks one another, with rules between decks
 Today’s headlines:
- are generally written down style (that is using normal rule of capitalization)
- run flush left
- are usually wide rather than narrow
- use decks optionally

- Ordinary news stories use ordinary headlines. And then there are features.

- Feature stories let you sketch beyond the confines of those routine headline types.

- Using type as a tool, we can make a cultural statement.

- Forge a new visual identity or craft a miniature art.

- Some newspapers allow designers total freedom to create loud, lively headlines. Others
insist that display headlines follow the same rules and use the same type faces as the rest
of the paper (that is to keep feature stories from looking too different from the rest of the
news).

How to size headlines on a page

- If we had to generalize about headline size, we could say that small headlines range
between 12 to 24 point; mid-size headlines range from 24 to 48- point; large headlines
range upward from 48- point.
 - Beyond that, it is difficult to generalize about headline sizes. Some papers like them big
and bold; others prefer them small and elegant. Headlines in tabloids are often smaller
headlines in broad sheets (though not always).
- Still, this much is true: since bigger stories get bigger headlines, headlines will generally
get smaller as you move down the page.

Text

- Text is the most important element of publication design. It communicates the bulk of
information on a page. It can be gray and boring, but there are many ways to manipulate
text so it is pleasing to the eye and easy to read. For example, we can make type bold or
italic.
- We can use indentations to help readers recognize the beginnings of paragraphs. We can
also change the size of text and align it in several different ways.
- Then we add paragraph breaks and indentations. In addition we can change the alignment
of the columns of text.
- Finally, we can add bullets, make certain passages bold or add a large capital letter.

Serif vs. Sans Serif –

- There are two basic type families that make up the bulk of our publications – serif and
sans serif.
- Serif type has tiny strokes at the tips of each letter. We primarily use serif type families,
such as Times New Roman and Bookman, for the large bodies of text in our stories.
- The tiny strokes at the tips of each letter help readers connect each letter in a word.
- Sans serif typefaces have no serifs or strokes on the tips of each letter. In French, “sans”
means without.
- In modern publications, most editors use sans serif typefaces for headlines, cut lines and
other items in a publication where a typeface needs to contrast with the text of stories.

Photos

- Artwork comes in three primary shapes – horizontal, vertical and square.

- When looking through a camera lens, most of us hold our cameras horizontally.
- This format probably makes up the majority of photos we use in publication design.
- It is the most common shape for news photos. On the other hand, readers find vertical
photos interesting.
- Readers tend to like vertical photos because they are not accustomed to seeing them as
frequently as horizontal photos.
- As a publication designer, however, vertical photos can give you a headache because they
run deep and may cause readers to question which stories they go with.
 - Finally, there is the square format. Square photos generally are considered boring but
sometimes the content of a photo almost begs for a square shape.

Cut lines

- The cut line’s job to tell the story behind the picture: who is involved, what is happening,
when and where the event took place. A well written cut line makes the photo instantly
understandable and tells readers why the photo _ and the story_ are important.

Cutline typeface

- The typeface used for cut lines depends largely on the typeface used in the story text.
- Cutline should contrast with any nearby text.
- To make sure this difference is clear; most publications use a typeface opposite that of
the text.
- Some publications use the same typeface in their cut lines as the story text but make the
cut lines bold to show contrast.

Cutline placement

- Cutlines can rest below the photos and some can rest beside the photos. In
somepublications you may find cutlines that rest between photos.
- However, this should be avoided because it makes readers work too hard. These are
called gang cutlines.
- In general, each photo should have its own cutline.

Stand alone photos

- Stand alones are high quality images that tell a story without an accompanying article.
- They receive a full cutline, a small headline called a catch line, and are often boxed to
separate them from other elements on a page.

Pulled quotes

- Pulled quotes, also known as life-out quotes remain popular. Readers find them interesting
and these quotes attract their attention to a story.
- A pulled quote is also a great tool to have in your bag when you need one to help fill
space or create an interesting design.
- Although they can be designed in a variety of ways, pulled quotes share some basic
guidelines.
- First, they should be actual quotations found in the story, and they should be attributed.
- They should also be bigger and bolder than the text type.
 - Pulled quotes less than 1inch deep can look trivial. Pulled quotes can also be combined
with photos of the people who said them.

Bylines

- The byline is the name of the reporter and what unit he works for. Every story, except for
briefs, should have a byline.
- A byline has several functions. First, it gives credit to the author. It also places
responsibility on the author. Its design function is to provide a transition from headline
type to text type.
- The byline style should be harmonious with the rest of the publication.
- There are two general guidelines for bylines. Flush left is best because we read from left
to right.
- Also, bylines are normally larger than the text type. This provides contrast and eases the
transition from headline to text. You can also provide this contrast in other ways, such as
using bold type or using a sans serif.
- It also places responsibility on the author.

Credit lines

- Credit lines are similar to bylines, but give credit to a person who takes a photograph or
creates a graphic design.
- Credit lines can appear at the end of cutlines, but they generally look better parked at the
lower right corner of photos. When they appear below the photos, they should be smaller
than the cutlines.

Rules and boxes

- You can use rules, or lines, to organize and separate items on a page or to add contrast
and flair. More specifically, rules are used to build logos and bylines. They can also
create boxes and border photos.
- Sometimes you can use rules to build charts and graphs and embellish feature and
headline designs. Most commonly, rules are used to separate stories and elements from
one another. Most modern newspapers use rules and boxes sparingly.
- Usually these publications reserve the use of rules and boxes for story packages that need
special treatment. Rules and headlines should not be used to fix poor design decisions,
such as butting heads and misplaced photos.
- Be careful with decorative rules and borders because they can be overdone and may give
your publication an amateurish look.

Subheads
 - Subheads are small headlines used to break up long blocks of gray text. They can also be
used as headlines for briefs.
- When used in long stories, subheads can make an overwhelming story look like a series
of shorter stories. Readers who scan newspapers often start reading a story at a subhead.
- If they become interested in the story, they go back to the beginning. Subheads should be
larger than the text type and placed at logical transitions in a story. Just like regular
headlines, subheads should be interesting to help pull readers in.
- There should be space above a subhead, but below a subhead there should be less space
between the subhead and the accompanying text.

Initial caps

- Initial caps can be used to start off a story with a bit of style. And just like subheads,
initial caps can be used to help break up long, gray blocks of text.
- When using them for this purpose, be careful the initial caps don’t unintentionally spell
out a word.
- Initial caps come in two basic varieties – drop caps and raised caps.

White space

- White space is any space on a page not occupied by text or graphics. Regardless of the
color – red, blue or green – this empty space is called white space.
- To some it may seem a waste of space, but publication designers know how to use this
space for a purpose. Just as subheads, drop caps and any other items in black help provide
relief to gray pages, so does white space.
- White space is especially important on feature and editorial pages. This added whitespace
gives these pages an informal feel.
- News pages use less white space than feature and editorial pages, and this gives news
pages a more formal feeling. The lack of white space in a publication becomes tedious to
readers.
- However, don’t overuse white space. White space should not draw attention to itself.

Modular design

- By definition, a module is a unit or a part of a whole. As applied to page design, it is a

rectangular unit. The four basic elements that make up a module include headlines, text,
art and cutlines.
- Packaging using modular design by using basic, rectangular shapes, pages look neat and
orderly.
- Readers like these neat packages because they help them organize their thoughts.
- In the not-so-distant past, editors gave little thought to packaging, and text wrapped
irregularly around related or non-related stories and pictures.
 - This practice was supported by the principle that readers can be led from one story to
another by interlocking them like a puzzle.
- However, the pages looked somewhat chaotic and often confused readers.
- Although modular design helps readers organize their thoughts, it’s important for every
page to have focus.
- To do this, each page should have a dominant element. Pages with focus give readers a
starting point and show that you’re not afraid to make decisions. The easiest way to give
focus to a page is to use a dominant photo or graphic element.
- However, you can also use type effectively to create a dominant element.
- If you were to draw a “fence” around the headline, story and photo, it would not be a
rectangle or square. Instead, it resembles a staircase, which is why this is called a “ stair-
stepped” page.
- While it is easy for the folks who lay out advertising to simply stack ads on top of each
other in this fashion, it makes your job difficult trying to design around it.
- In addition, it is confusing to the reader which part is story content and which part is
advertising. Most contracts for military newspapers specifically do not allow this stair-
step practice.
- Stair-stepping stories around other, unrelated stories is confusing to the reader and looks
like amateurish design.

Two basic shapes of information –

- As novice publication designers, there are two basic shapes of information you should
master – the U-shape and the L-shape.
- Once you understand the “invisible fence” rectangle or square that must go around your
module, you need to know how to shape that information inside the module. Let’s take a
look at each. Both of these shapes do the job well and should be part of your design tool
box.
- In the U-shape, a banner headline establishes the “fence” of the rectangle, while the story
itself is wrapped in a U around the photo. This is a good thing because the reader’s eye is
draw to the photo and then follows the information from the story in the U around the
photo.

Focus

- Pages require focus. To do this, each page should have a dominant element.
- Pages with focus give readers a starting point and help guide them through the
information you present.
- The easiest way to give focus to a page is to use a dominant photo or graphic element.
However, you can also use type effectively to create a dominant element.

Adding Color to a page:

 - For decades newspaper editors view color with suspension. Color can be a blessing or a
curse.
- It can delight your reader or destroy your design. Using color successfully requires
tight deadlines. Quality control, extra money, extra planning.
- So plan for color; don’t treat it like a surprise gift and above all:_
 Go easy: Resist your initial urge to go overboard. Don’t splash color around the page just
to get your money’s worth. Remember, black and white are colors too and newspapers
have managed to look attractive for centuries without adding extra inks.
 Don’t use color for color sake: Remember, this is a newspaper. Not the Sunday funniest.
If you are deciding whether to run or use a color photo of circus balloons or a black- and
white photo of a bank hold up, choose the image that is meaningful not pretty.
 Beware of colorizing false relationships- color creates connections, even where none
actually exist. Put a red headline, a red chart and a red advertisement on the same page,
and that tint may unite them all in the reader’s mind. That can be misleading (depending
upon the layout).
 Colors speak to each other. So if you don’t want to connect unrelated elements, try not to
brand them with the same the color.
 Be consistent: Don’t run a purple flag one day, a consistent graphic identity by
standardizing colors wherever they are appropriate.
- Adding color to black and white page is tricky thing. Where should it go? How much is
too much?
- For best results, remember that a little goes a long way. It would be unrealistic to dictate
where color can or cannot be used.

Color Guidelines:

 Use appropriate colors: colorize a page the way you’d decorate your living room. And unless
you live in a circus tent, that means choosing comfortable hues (blue an tan, for instance)
more often than harsh ones (pinks or bright greens). The integrity of a news story will be
damaged if wacky colors surround it, and the impact of a page will be negative if readers
are turned off by the choice of your colors.
 Colors convey moods “Hot” colors (red, yellow) are aggressive. “Cool” colors (blue, gray)
are more relaxing. So make sure your colors produce the effect you want. And remember,
too, that certain color combinations have unshakable associations.
 Keep background screens as pastel as possible; Whenever you run text in a sidebar, chart, amps
keep all underlying screens as light as you can. Check with your printers to see what the
lightest printable percentages are.). If you must add type to a dark screen, reverse it a font
that’s big or bold enough to remain readable even if the printing registration is poor.
 Don’t overreach your technology. Color production is difficult to do well. It’s costly. It’s time
consuming. So it pays to learn your limits. Drawings that look gorgeous on a computer
screen often look like mud on newsprint. Color photos look worse than black – and-
whites when the inking is poor or the registration is off ( i.e., the color plates print out of
alignment).
So use color conservatively until you’re certain of the results you will get. And beware of
small, detailed graphics or headlines that demand perfect color registration to succeed –
or you’’ face legibility problems.