Agricultural Communications Document Design Agricultural Communications

Introduction Getting people to understand your written message is more than just putting words on paper. The message also has to look appealing. When you read training manuals or advertisements, you see some type of visual, such as photographs or graphics.

Newsletters Newsletters: Collection of stories Easy way to keep members informed Sent on a regular basis

Newsletter When looking at other newsletters consider the following: How big the headlines are How easy is it to read How crowed the pages appear How colorful the newsletter is How photographs and graphics are used

Tips Newsletters Write to be read quickly 100-600 words 4 page contains around 2,000 words Write accurate information People like recognition Put the best stories first Use bigger heading and visual elements for inside stories

Tips, Cont. Use document design principles Text: Color Graphics 10 pt for Normal Text 18 + for Headlines Color Graphics White space Visual Balance

Newsletters Newsletters come in many styles and forms. They can have both a formal and an informal tone. They fall into three categories Bullet Sheet One page: front & back Newsletter 4 – 8 pages with Short articles Mega letter Magazine 8-16 pages Longer articles

Examples of Columns

Newsletter Job Sheet

Document design The process of choosing how to present all document elements, so your message is clear and effective. When a document is well designed, readers understand the information more quickly and easily.

Terms Thumbnail Unity Order Balance Symmetrical Balance Asymmetrical Balance Line Texture & Pattern Color Typography Shape & Space Proportion Size and Scale Rhythm & Movement Contrast Proximity & Repetition

Basic Principles of Design The following is a brief overview of the principles of design. Although they are discussed separately, they are really interconnected. Rarely will you use only one principle at a time.

Unity Variety The control of variety Necessary to create visual interest balancing visual contrasts combining unusual elements The Crayola logo shows the unity among the different products that have a variety of visual contrasts.

Alignment Nothing should be placed on the page arbitrarily. Every element should have some consciously designed visual connection with another element on the page. This creates a clean, fresh, and intentional look.

Alignment Find two (or more) elements that are aligned on the design. How does the alignment of the elements create a sense of organization in the design? Unity is an important concept in design. To make all of the elements on the page appear to be unified, interconnected and interrelated, there needs to be some visual tie between the separate elements. Even if they are far apart on the page, they can appear connected or related simply by their placement on the page.

Balance Is the act of comparing or estimating two things, one against the other, and the contrast between: Empty space (white space) and filled space Text and images Color and no colors and different colors Textures against flat colors

Balance Symmetric: elements appear to be a mirror image Asymmetric: the art of creating balance using uneven numbers, sizes, or kinds of elements The visual distribution of elements The above mosaic shows the tiles in a symmetrical balance. The artwork above shows an asymmetric balance of different shapes and sizes.

Hierarchy Dominance Emphasis An arrangement in order of importance Dominance The prevailing influence of one element over another Emphasis The importance of one element over another This SmartArt graphic shows the hierarchy and dominance of information presented, as well as the emphasis on the elements being defined.

Line The moving path of a point Lines of type can take the form of any configuration of a drawn line. This shape poem, type is used in a linear way to create the image of a football.

Texture & Pattern Texture: refers to the quality and characteristic of a surface Pattern: a decorative design The bricks shown at right replicate actual texture but function as visual texture. The bricks are arranged using their direction to create a pattern.

Color Heightens the emotional and psychological dimensions of any visual image Color can help create emphasis, as it does on the above advertisement for a Museum and Gallery Month. Without the addition of color, the advertisement could be easily ignored and would be boring to look at.

Typography Can function as shape, texture, point and line Word forms must communicate a verbal message as well as function effectively as graphic elements These examples of typography present a verbal message as well as function effectively as graphic elements of fire and snow.

Shape & Space Shape: a figure or form Space: an area activated by other elements The example shows a relationship between the shapes of the design and the configuration of the space around the shapes.

Size & Scale Size: the physical dimensions of an element or format Scale: size comparisons used to create variety and emphasis in a design and help establish visual hierarchy By looking at the sizes of both the monkey and Alcatraz Island in the background, it is apparent they are not to scale with each other. The monkey appears to be larger than Alcatraz, which is not the case.

Proportion Refers to the size relationships The large giraffe in the picture below is not proportional to the landscape shown, while the smaller giraffe shows proportion to the background. Refers to the size relationships

Rhythm & Movement Rhythm: the choreography of graphic design Movement: the resulting choreography from rhythm In the picture above, the alternating occurrence of form and space shows rhythm. This rhythm gives shape to the movement and dictates the arrangement of each colored line.

Contrast Used to create an interest on the page and to aid in the organization of information Can be used typeface, thickness, colors, shapes, sizes and space The top half of the example to the right shows good color contrast, while the bottom half lacks bold contrast

Question To which design elements has the designer added contrast from the first version to the second? Think about type, line thickness, dark and light areas, shapes, sizes, proportion, etc.

Proximity & Repetition Proximity: the position and space given to the placement of elements Repetition: follows a regular pattern The proximity placement of the 9 rectangles in the example to the left establish visual continuity and aesthetic harmony. Proximity groupings can create repetition. The elements repeated vary in color.

Process Steps: Consider the purpose Determine your audience Help determine the content and design Determine your audience What are your readers’ characteristics? Match document to audience characteristics Young, old, and educated Develop a content outline Includes main topics Helps with the length

Process Write the content Design the document Print the document Fliers are short Newsletters are long Design the document Create a sketch – Thumbnail Helps with the layout and designing process Print the document Save in PDF Print Professional printing

Getting Started - Design Putting your thoughts together may be difficult, but the following tips will help with the process Learn from good examples Look at magazines, brochures, advertisement Study for effective designs Keep it simple Usually the best for design Design should enhance the message Not to be complicated

Getting Started - Design Select appropriate visuals Must support the text Needs to clarify your message High resolution Layout the document Fun part Piecing it all together Follow principles of design Balance, proportion, order, contrast, similarity, and unity

Document Design Visual Elements of a Page Text Headings and titles Graphics Simple separators like lines and boxes Headers and footers White space text text

White Space: A Design Element Use white space to set off important or “different” items: figures and tables (including titles) titles headings and (some) subheadings Follow conventions for margins and line spacing.

Design of Headings Indicate level of heading (major heading, subheading, etc.). Be consistent with design of each level. Consider making differences more prominent than you might at first think.

Use size and position to differentiate Title Heading Level One Heading level two Heading level three. Might be run on with text. If you use numbering, do not use bullets. Be consistent with capitalization.

Use numbering to differentiate Heading One 1.1 Heading Two 1.1.1 Heading Three You don’t have to use different size or other differentiation as well, but you may. Try not to use more than a three-point system. e.g., 3.1.2

Text Can be boldfaced, italicized or underlined. Should be used to draw readers’ attention. Italicized: quotes, short phrases Use serif type and Microsoft sans serif type for story text.

Bullets Use for lists within paragraphs. Use bullets carefully – don’t overuse. Use when all elements in list are equally important and have no special rank, sequence or significance. Consider using when listed items are long (more than one line) but are not prioritized.

Designing Pages: A few Tips Use same design for all pages that contain same kinds of information. Use limited variety of easy-to-read typefaces. Ragged right margin is slightly easier to read for long documents than are fully justified margins. ALL CAPS ARE HARD TO READ--USE SPARINGLY.

Style Sheet Checklist Page Numbering Where on page? What font/type? Different for different sections? Tables and Figures Integrated with text?? Where do labels go?? References Citations in parentheses in text? Reference list goes where? Abbreviations, Acronyms, Equations Include glossary? Where? Acronyms spelled out where? Document Paper and covers Single-sided? Margins Sections Start on right-facing pages? Use line or other graphic device? Headings and Subheadings Position Font & size & characteristics Main Text Font Paragraph indentation? Line spacing