Design thread

Re: Design thread *updated 11/7*

The art on FW is obviously more eye-catching, but the one in the DMN is also an angle you don't always get. FW could obviously do more with it, since it was a special section, and I think it looks good. The flag might be a bit too much white space to me, but it's a clean page and the stats break up the columns of copy at the bottom.

I like the DMN package as well. Could have been busy, but somehow, it all works for me. I like the cars down the side, because it's small enough not to take up too much space. What kind of information is under each, does anyone know?

 

Re: Design thread *updated 11/7*

Good to see compelling NASCAR art. That seems to be the hardest sport to get interesting photos from. Even the wreck pictures usually aren't that great (plus, you need a shot of the winner, and he probably didn't get all squirrly in Turn 3).

FW does seem to have a lot of air under the special section header.

 

Re: Design thread *updated 11/7*

Star-Tellie's headline is excellent, plus it doesn't have to be changed at the last second.

 

Re: Design thread *updated 11/7*

The info under the cars is the Chase for the Cup standings, with total points and points back. They were diecast models we shot of the Chase cars. It was a graphic theme we carried through on our inside race recap page.

http://www.newspagedesigner.com/users/308/racebreakdown.jpg

Speaking for me and the designer who did the DMN front, John Hancock, I wish we could have had a separate section cover for the NASCAR race. Certainly we could have had more impact for our photos and graphic material.

And I really like the Fort Worth front, great photo and headline. It's very cool to compete with them each day, and it really keeps us on our toes.

 

Re: Design thread *updated 11/7*

One thing we struggle with is accomplishing the very feat they did -- pleasing many people and still making things look good. We don't do it nearly as well as this....

I love the BCS rail, and I love the ticker at the bottom...Perhaps Rob or someone more familiar with the page/paper can tell me, but does that ticker perhaps have refers to where those gamers/roundups can be found?

Or do you all think that might be taking it a little far?
I am by no means an expert, but I do see this paper every day. I don't think there are page numbers with the games, but the section isn't usually that big ( I want to say 6-8 pages). I will say that the inside pages are really well done from a navigational standpoint.

Which leads me to a request: How about getting some inside pages on here? That's where sections typical fall off and where the real make or break work is done (as far as forcing readers to spend an extra 5-10 minutes with you every day and staying essential to their lives).

 

Re: Design thread *updated 11/7*

Good idea, Rob. I'll start looking for those next.

And if anyone who reads this thread wants me to post some of their stuff, send me a PM. I'll be very discreet.

 

Re: Design thread *updated 11/7*

Really like both the photos, and the matchbox cars are a cool idea for the top 10.

The white space on the FW front doesn't bug me, but man that tire is HUGE.

I also like FW putting the dek right under the hammer, so I don't have to look around too much to find out what happened. What can I say -- I'm lazy.

 

Re: Design thread *updated 11/7*

As far as the overall look, I think the DMN package with the racecars is a much more pleasing way of presenting things than the FW's listing of things across the top. And of course, for FW, there's my vehement default objection to those subheds that are slightly bigger than body type that go on and on. And I think the FW page dies at the bottom. But because they didn't hafta have a rail, FW was able to play a nice piece of art very nicely, so if you had the pages side by side, I'm guessing readers' eyes would go the FW page first. And the hed was pretty clever, too.

 

Re: Design thread *updated 11/7*

Appreciate the thoughtfulness Carrie...but I'll go out on a limb and post one of my own.


This also helps Rob, as this is now an inside page for us (somehow we got stuck running a weather map on the back of sports; as a result, we have to get advance clearance to have the back page - and that won't happen for my 'Skins page).

As you can tell, this is from last season, but everything is the same this year.

In case you can't make out the elements around the page, here's a rundown (starting in upper right and going clockwise): Team leaders with mugs, primary stats and NFL ranks; under that is team stats, with bars in team colors to show the relative strength to each other (the more of whatever category, the bigger the bar); a Virginia connections box, which lists every player and coach on the Redskins' opponents that played/coach in HS or college in the state; Player to Watch box (yes, the "Player 2 Watch" is kind of lame) with age, college, what they mean, what to expect and what they're saying (under the cutout mug is more bio info, like ht/wt, hometown, stats and accomplishments); lastly, on the left, is the team schedule and probable starters for each team.

I inherited this page around '02, and have sent it through several revisions. The only thing I've kept is the main story layout, the title bar, the sked/starters and Player 2 Watch (the latter 2 later re-designed by me).

Any suggestions? Hopefully you'll have nothing but praise, right?

Seriously, rip away. I'll never turn away good critiques.

 

Re: Design thread *updated 11/7*

Man, do I love these kinds of pages. Everybody has them, yet often they are taken for granted. I don't think that's the case here, though. Here are my suggestions:

-You do a great job setting up the top of the page, and there's good organization and spacing around. My biggest complaint would be that your Redskins and Bengals information is scattered around the page. In other words, you have to go one place for their sked and roster, another for their leaders and another for their team stats. How about packaging all the Bengals information together? And packaging it in such a way that it's easily compared to the Redskins information. For example, what if all that Bengals information were packaged at 2.5 columns on the top and bottom of your page, and the Redskins info were synchronized in the 2.5 columns right next to it, with the comparison of team stats in the middle) I would also do away with all the mugs (instead pick one player from each team to have a small action photo or cutout?) This would allow you to maximize the amount of space you give to illustrating your story (and the Palmer photo).

That feels pretty nitpicky from my end on an already good page, but that's what I've got.

 

Re: Design thread *updated 11/7*

No dude, that's cool...I appreciate it. I was going for certain types of information to be grouped together, but what you're saying makes perfect sense. I believe that's how the Post does their preview.

The mugs are really there to provide color. As you can see, there's really nowhere else (at the moment) for any other substantial art, so I tried to supplement that by using logos and graphics.

 

Re: Design thread *updated 11/7*

I'm with Rob on both counts, Hustle.

1. I think I love doing packages like this more than anything else.

2. That is one very nice page.

Only thing I'd say is you might be a LIT-tle bit box-crazy. You could infuse some white space in there if you just created a "skeleton" with rules. It would divide things off just as well.

One other thing I just caught. If you are allowed to do so, you might change your big cap on the story to match the font of the main headline. That tends to tie things together nicely.