Design Fundamentals COM 365 Newspaper Layout & Design

Four basic principles Contrast Repetition Alignment Proximity

Contrast Contrast adds interest Occurs when two elements are different –Usually the more contrast, the better Many ways to create contrast –Large-small, think-thin, etc.

Mike Tyson holds his two-month old son, Miguel, in his dressing room after his fight with Lennox Lewis.

Use more contrast, then it looks planned. Your attitude is your life. Maximize your options. Never take anything too seriously. Don’t let the seeds stop you from enjoying the watermelon Be nice. The Rules of Life 6 pt. 1 pt.

SportsBriefs S PORTS B RIEFS Sports Briefs

Contrast helps create a center of interest Headline goes in here

Summary of contrast Purpose is to (1) create interest and (2) give presentation a focus Make most important thing big

Alignment Every item on a page should have a visual connection with something else on the page Gives order to a page

Ways of aligning text This text is flush left. Some people call it ragged right, or you can say it is left aligned. This text is flush right. Some people call it ragged left, or you can say it is right aligned. This text is centered. It is harder to read than flush left text. This text is justified. It is even on both sides. It can cause problems with word spacing.

James Clark Antique Dealer 321 Main Street Center, IL (618) James Clark Antique Dealer 321 Main Street Center, IL (618) Centered Flush right

Use grid for alignment Headline goes about here Cutline goes here and is aligned flush left like this. Photo Text

Align cutlines under photos The caption for this photo is set centered as and not aligned to the left with the photo. The caption for this photo is set flush left and is aligned with the left edge of the photo.

Align the tops and bottoms of stories so that they even off

Summary of alignment All page designs should have inner alignments –All elements should be aligned Purpose is to organize, unify the page Best way to keep things in alignment is to use a grid

Proximity Group related items together –Physically move them close together Items not related should not be near each other Elements that are intellectually connected need to also be visually connected

Problems –Too many separate elements that all go together –Where do you start, how do you proceed to read all five? Antique Dealer(618) James Clark Center, IL Main Street

Good points –Nearness of visual elements implies they go together –Page is more organized (white space) –You know where to begin reading, where to end James Clark Antique Dealer 321 Main Street Center, IL (618)

Group related photos together in layouts

Summary for proximity Items related to each other should be grouped Basic purpose of proximity is also to organize –Easier to read

Repetition Repeat some aspect of the design throughout the piece Can be anything a reader will visually recognize Makes the publication seem like it all goes together

In a newspaper repetition means: Using same font for headlines Using same size, font, alignment for text, cutlines, bylines, credit lines This means for each story, on each page throughout the paper

Summary of repetition You can have repetition on a single page (headlines) and even more importantly throughout a document (headlines, page numbers, etc.) Also known as consistency Makes a publication look like it all goes together