Design thread

Re: Design thread *Updated 4/20*



This is last week's Sports page (May 17). I like it all-around, for the exception of the four-column team photo with them holding the sectional plaque, but that's not my idea, my sports editor's, so I had to go with it, but I am pleased how the overalll page turned out.

Comments? Pointers?

 

Re: Design thread *Updated 4/20*

The Logan photo is facing off the page (never a good idea, especially for Page 1). With a high school name like Van, you could have had a much better headline than Bulldogs triumph in sectionals (you, in fact, alluded to it in the subhead). Also, with its seventh straight sectional title, you could have had a much better headline on the Logan story. Logan rolls a 7; Seventh heaven, etc.

You need a much larger text wrap around the Bulldogs and Skyhawks logos. You should increase the text wraps around all of the mugs, as well. You also should avoid having a mug shot right next to a four-column photo; spread out your art. And, although the stories are self-contained, you should definitely work in some rule lines to separate the stories.

 

Re: Design thread *Updated 4/20*

The layout is boring. You use a mug shot with every story. Why not mix it up?

Agreed about the logo use and lack of runaround. Also, why do the logos need to have the team name attached to them? Your readers probably know which logo goes with which school.

About using rules: if you simply boxed (or shaded) the Logan story, that'll solve most of the problems that could otherwise be solved by rules.

 

Re: Design thread *Updated 4/20*

Agreed on the logos, totally cheapens the layout -- amatuerizes it? Totally gratuitous use of logos. 10 demerits

 

Re: Design thread *Updated 4/20*

Dr. Jones, about your all-county softball front: You're on the right track but get rid of the repeating "2006 All-County Softball Team" below the diamond. It makes it look like a small school's stapled football program you'd get on Friday nights.

 

Re: Design thread *Updated 4/20*

What would you suggest to do for the background? Too much white space, hence why i did the repeat text back ground...

 

Re: Design thread *Updated 4/20*

I haven't posted in a while because I've been getting the hang of the style of my new paper, and also getting used to designing on PCs. I'm posting the first two fronts I built and an inside page. Would appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

 

Re: Design thread *Updated 4/20*

* The lead headline seems awfully small, which is usually a problem with Helvetica-family fonts.
* Not a fan of the double rule to offset the column.
* A pretty gray page overall. If there wasn't a second photo for the racing story, maybe you could jump more of the text and move the other stories up, enough so to allow a 1-column NBA pic. You could then switch positions for the bottom two stories, avoid bumping heds and clear up the trapped white space on the Nats cutline.

 

Re: Design thread *Updated 4/20*

Double rule was an accident. It got called in automatically when I re-opened the page to save it as a pdf. It wasn't on the original page. Agree with the other stuff, though. I'm learning.

 

Re: Design thread *Updated 4/20*

I love cutouts/knockouts as much as, and probably more than than the next person. (Just ask any photo editor I've worked with.)

But I do think they should be used for a reason above and beyond "it saves 3 inches of space that I can give to the story." Like here, on this story about Chris Paul and how good he is (as evidenced by the award), wouldn't readers be better served by either a photo of him shaming some other NBA'er, or by a BIG close up shot of his face, since readers generally identify with, and are more lilkely to read stories about, guys whose faces they can see.
The cutout's fine, just use it secondary in place of the mug, and make a nice detail shot of him big.
Just a thought.

Just a thought

 

Re: Design thread *Updated 4/20*

Trust me, I'm still in the low minors myself.

One thing you might be able to get away with. We use Helvetica for all of our headlines, which sucks for trying to cram more than two words into a big hed. I've been using Helvetica Condensed Black for hammer heds, which usually allows me to squeeze in a little more text. If the higher ups don't mind, it might help.

 

Re: Design thread *Updated 4/20*



OK, here was this week's issue. There's 11 headshots on the baseball field cause my SE can't make up his mind between two catchers, cause one of them is a daughter of a writer here, and we have a spot for DH.

So... What do you guys think? Also, I don't like the background behind the field, but I couldn't find anything else to use as art, and couldn't just leave white space....