Yearbook Workflow English Desktop Publishing Susan O'Connor Coral Reef High School Miami, FL

Transcription

1 English Desktop Publishing Susan O'Connor Coral Reef High School Miami, FL

2 Yearbook Workflow English Desktop Publishing Susan O'Connor 1. Teacher Statement 2. Course Overview Course Description Adobe Software List Research Resources Technical Resources 3. Lesson Plan Table 4. Detailed Lesson Plans 7. Handouts 9. Tutorial and Note Taking Guides Contents Page

3 Teacher s Statement Susan O'Connor English Department Yearbook Production The yearbook teams at Coral Reef are set up to operate as a professional publication and design studio in what serves as a real-life publication production environment. The Editors report to the Faculty Yearbook Advisor who serves in the role of CEO of the publication studio. The Student Editors are trained to become self sufficient and able to run the entire business, including both the creative and production aspects of the studio. The yearbook production teams report to the Editors in the same way that a design staff would report to the Art Director and Managing Editor of an actual company. The objective of the project is to establish a structure for managing the production of a school memory book or yearbook. The first order of business is to establish a solid understanding of the production process and production software such as the fundamentals of developing page layouts. Our yearbooks have all been designed using PageMaker and we are now switching to InDesign. However, the same process applies to developing basic skills in either program. This is how we begin the process and then the project builds from there with type treatments, photos and creative illustration, such as the treatment of the photo on this page. This workbook will cover the basics of getting started on setting up yearbook pages and is intended as a simple guide for your student teams or for anyone who may be new to Yearbook advisement. Susan O Connor Sample of Student Creative Photo Treatment Using Adobe Photoshop

4 Student s Statement Lara Bueso, Senior International Baccalaureate Program Coral Reef High School An Editor's Perspective The Editors on the Yearbook supervise a range of staff activities. I have found that some of the most important concerns for a Yearbook Editor include helping staff learn how to conduct a good interview, making sure pages are completed properly in the page layout program being used, paying attention to vocabulary and encouraging creativity. The staff takes notes in production journals on all of these issues. They also keep their work in-progress in these journals so they don t forget their instructions. Staff members give the editors progress reports on their deadlines a week in advance. This allows a week to complete, check and finish the pages, Story assignment is guided by the decisions of the yearbook editors. Writing copy is a different process in Journalism than in English class. One important point is that when interviewing, it is important to focus on the personalities of the person being interviewed. For example, if you are interviewing someone from a sports team, don t focus on the season and scoreboard. Focus on the personal experiences of the team member. It is also important not to make obvious statements about photographs. Editors have to be sure that the writers avoid grammatical errors, use proper punctuation and use accurate quotations from people who are interviewed. Reviewing and critiquing staff interviews is an important editorial job. There are very specific points and guidelines about preparing copy and pages that the editors help the staff to learn. One big concern is proper numbering, designating monetary amounts, and proper use of use of numerals and text for numbers. Folios have to be numbered properly. In 2003 the new style is not to number on bottom outside corner, but rather in the upper outside corner. Creating captions for the photos in the yearbook is probably the biggest production challenge, especially for the candid photos. This is because the photo editor does not usually have a record of who is in the candid photos but these names must be included in the yearbook. Bringing the photos to the English classes solves the problem of tracking down the people in candid photos. Every student has to take English so the English teachers are canvassed for identification of people in the candid shots. When this is accomplished, the staff has to get a quote from the Subjects, which has something to do with the picture. But, the quote has to elaborate beyond what is shown in the picture. Finding all the people in the photos, spelling their names correctly, getting students out of class to talk to yearbook team members is a hassle. But it is also the most important part of the process because as soon as students get the yearbook the first thing they do is flip to their pictures and look for those captions and stories. When the book has reached the stage when the finished signatures are printed, Editors and staff work after school to edit the proofs. Students check their own pages and also partner with another team member to double-check each other's work. Editors then check, student Fixes. Editor reviews are marked on the printed proofs and are corrected on disk and then sent back to the plant for reprinting. Proofing is a time consuming task and editors sometimes have to work on Saturday to keep up with proofs. Writing of the stories and getting captions takes up the most time during production. These two aspects take up at least 75% of the workflow. All in all, I d say that working as a yearbook editor is the equivalent of at least a year of experience in an actual publication studio.

5 Course Overview Course Description Goals for the Yearbook Team are to produce a quality digital publication that meets both design and publication specification deadlines. Workflow management is the primary key to success in this course. Planning is the primary goal of the first phase of yearbook production. This includes selecting digital tools, mastering book design terminology, choosing a unifying theme or concept, selecting typography, designing page layouts and visuals, determining the cover and working with copy treatments. All team members will become adept in all areas of publication production including design, writing, editing, deadline management and file management. These skills will not only contribute to the completion of an award-winning book but will also provide invaluable life skills. The students in the photo yearbook teams learn will learn how to identify and create a quality photo in terms of traditional photo standards and content. The writer/editors will establish a new level of expertise in composing creative page layouts. This process is intended to produce a top notch memory book of the school year, but the additional benefits are the development of exceptional writing, editing, art and design skills by the entire yearbook team. Adobe Software used for Yearbook Production: Adobe InDesign or PageMaker, After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator Research Resources (Books and URLs) Columbia University Press Columbia Scholastic Press Association Scholastic Yearbook Fundamentals FAX Membership includes free books Books can be ordered Yearbook Design and Production Exemplary Yearbook Design Examples aryspreads.html Page Layout and Design Glossary Technology Resources: Adobe Classroom in a Book, Adobe Press Visual Quickstart Guides, Peachpit Press Adobe Education Website introductory and advanced training. The major yearbook companies all offer resources available for yearbook staffs and others. Download the handouts and go to work! Jostens Year Book Tutorial, Adobe PhotoShop p/index.asp

6 Lesson Plan Table Lesson Planning the Book Handouts & URL s Tutorial Guides 1. Technology considerations-objective: determine software appropriate for yearbook production 2. Technology considerations-objective: determine the unifying concept for the book 3. Structure and Deadlines-Objective: determine the page by page structure of the book and dates for submission to the publisher 4. Design terminology-objective: understand basic terminology associated with yearbook design Adobe Introductory On-line Training ning Setting up a page Layout with eye lines. Composition, Grids and Layouts, Visual Center of Interest. Using Place holder text. Photos and Caption Placement Frame Options 5. Basic design-objective: use steps to produce a basic design. Placing the Headline Unit, Head and Subhead 6. Rules for design-objective: understand generally accepted rules for yearbook design Applying Color to Subhead 7. Ignoring the rules-objectives: understand alternatives to rules Importing Photos 8 Photos and visual effects-objectives: determine effective and ethical photos and photo illustrations Write captions, format lead-in and apply color to the text. 9 Typography-Objectives: understand structure and use of type Apply Drop Shadow to Subhead 10 Copywriting-Objective: understand guidelines for researching and writing the stories and captions. Interviewing and researching 11 Alternative Copy Treatments-Objective: Understand alternative treatments of traditional copy structure. Jostens Yearbook Tutorials shop/index.asp Interview Handouts

7 Detailed Lesson Plans 1. Planning the Book Technology considerations Objectives: determine software appropriate for yearbook production. In Design 2.0 for designing pages. Adobe Photoshop 7.0 for image manipulation and creation. Adobe Illustrator for graphics. Adobe Acrobat 6.0 for submitting pages to publisher. Publication Templates, Using the toolbox and menus. Creating screens and Image Boxes. Type design, Styles, Color, Libraries. 2. Planning the Book Theme: A Unifying concept Objective: determine the unifying concept for the book A theme concept ties the book together both verbally and visually. The theme concept is often carried out verbally and visually on the cover, the title page, the opening section (usually pps. 2-5) the dividers, and the closing section. Look to the school and the student body as well as the professional media for ideas. Catch phrases and spin-offs of those phrases are popular. ( Ex: Indelible Images, etc) 3. Planning the Book Structure and Deadlines Objective: determine the page by page structure of the book and dates for submission to the publisher Ladder: Page by page plan of the book; planned in flats and signatures Signature: 16 page unit of the book Flat: 8 page unit; consists of pages 1, 4-5, 8-9, 12-13, and 16 or 2-3, 6-7, 10-11, of the signature Coverage As suggested by Columbia Scholastic Press: Student Life 25% Organizations 12-15% People 25-30% Academics 12-15% Sports 15-18% Community 5% Note: this percentage is figured excluding any ad, index or theme pages. Deadlines Generally, work with the publisher s representative to determine the dates for submission of deadlines and the method. Many publishers now give discounts for submitting pages as Adobe Acrobat PDF format. Best practice is to submit pages in complete signatures. 16 page units such as pages 17-32)

8 4. Planning the Book: Design terminology Objective: understand basic terminology associated with yearbook design Yearbooks are designed in facing pages called double page spreads. The layout consists of photos, copy, graphics and white space. These elements convey a message. The body copy is the main story. The captions tell the story in the picture. The headline and subhead are larger type and attract the reader s attention. The largest photo is called the dominant photo. Photos that extend beyond the page trim area are called bleed photos. Graphics are printing effects consisting of tool lines, display type, and screens. White space is the absence of any element. The pica (one sixth of an inch) is the unit of measurement used by printers. Type height and rule line thickness are measured in points (one point equals 1/72 of an inch or 1/12 of a pica). The amount of space between elements (photos, graphics and copy) is called the internal margin. Detailed Lesson Plans (continued) The gutter is the vertical space where the two pages of the product meet. An eyeline is an imaginary horizontal line that falls slightly above or below the center; aligning elements with this line links two pages in a spread. In effectively designed spreads, the pages are divided into grids or columns; elements are aligned within these columns or across several columns (grids). 5. Planning the book: Basic design Objective: use steps to produce a basic design. 1. Select photos. 2. Draw a horizontal and vertical axis. The horizontal axis is the eyeline. The vertical axis is to the left or right of the gutter. 3. Place a rectangular dominant photo aligned with the horizontal and vertical axis. The corner of the photo area touches the intersection of the horizontal and vertical axis. The bottom of the photo aligns with the eyeline. 4. Working from the eyeline, place the supporting photos. The second largest photo shape generally contrasts the dominant photo. All photos must begin and end on the column or grid lines. Vary the size and shape of the photos and be conscious of allowing space for captions for each photo. 5. Place caption areas adjacent to the photo area. Captions may appear to the top, bottom, or sides of the photos. Keep consistent internal margins between all elements. 6. Place the body copy. The body copy is generally placed to the outside of the dominant photo area and should fit the column format. Copy may fill more than one column, but should be equally balanced and should be separated by one pica between the columns. 7. Place the headline over the story. Generally avoid running the headline over either a photo or the gutter.

9 6. Planning the book: rules for design Objective: understand generally accepted rules for yearbook design 1. Always design in double page spreads. 2. Use column/grid structure. Keep number of columns/grids consistent throughout each section. 3. Use an eyeline to link facing pages. 4. Design from the axis out. Avoid trapped white space. Trapped white space distracts the eye to nothing. 5. Keep text to the outside of the spread. Avoid surrounding text with photos. 6. Keep leading (the space between lines of type) to 20%. Example: 8/ pt. type plus 2 pt. leading. 7. Use a dominant photo that is 2 ½ times larger than the other photos on the page 8. Avoid odd shapes use horizontal and vertical rectangles. 9. Maintain consistent internal margins generally one pica between elements. It gives order and uniformity to the spread. Detailed Lesson Plans (continued) 10. Keep captions touching the photo they identify. 11. Have at least one element touching the margin on each side, but. 12. Bleed no more than one photo per side. 13. Maintain contrast and balance. Contrast darks and lights, weights and type form. 14. Unify all spreads in a section with common type and design elements. 7. Planning the book: Ignoring the rules Objectives: understand alternatives to rules. 1. Internal margin consistency overlapping photos gives the designer greater control; designer can direct reader s attention through overlapped or otherwise linked photos. The result is greater emphasis on the relationship between the photos. 2. Captions adjacent to photos clustered or otherwise grouped photos is an effective method for compacting photos and their captions into a smaller space. Captions may be clustered. Downside: limited caption content. 3. Leading negative leading, that is reduced leading that results in overlapped heads and subheads and lines of multiple line heads can be visually appealing and unify the head. Care must be taken to maintain readability and attention to color and weight. 4. Other exceptions to rules: Rules can be broken as long as the total effect of the spread is not disrupted. The spread will still generally maintain balance, tone etc. Look to the experts in contemporary design for ideas.

10 8. Planning the Book: Photos and visual effects Objectives: determine effective and ethical photos and photo illustrations 1. Generally, the best yearbook photos have action or emotion. There must be a center of visual interest. The photo must tell a story. 2. Photoshop can be used to manipulate photos artistically. A few options include: a. conversion into line art b. using artistic effects such as patterns and textures c. adding single color for emphasis d. combining photos with other photos or artwork 3. Ethical considerations: Photo illustrations must be labeled as such; care must be taken not to misrepresent reality 4. Applications: Photo illustrations are often most effective for feature stories or sidebars Detailed Lesson Plans (continued) 9. Planning the book: Typography Objectives: understand structure and use of type Most typefaces can be described as san serif (without feet ) or serif (with feet ). Type is usually described as normal, bold or italics. Type can be condensed, normal or extended width. Type height is measured in points. 72 points equals one inch. Type can be centered (aligned around a center line), flush right (aligned right), flush left (aligned left), or justified (even on both sides). Text wrap refers to flowing text around objects. Leading is the space between lines of type. Dropped cap is a letter that is larger and set into a body of type. Case refers to all caps or lower case. Type can have personality and thus set the mood of the page. It can be old style, modern, decorative, fanciful, etc. Kerning refers to eliminating the unnatural spaces between some letter pairs. Reverse type is light type over a dark area. 10. Planning the book: Copywriting Objective: understand guidelines for researching and writing the stories and captions. Interviewing and researching: 1. Attend events and take notes. 2. Research background information. 3. Interview participants. Writing the lead: 1. Feature the most interesting aspect of the story. 2. Use color specific vivid verbs and nouns 3. Be concise and colorful Writing the body 1. Most effective way to develop: alternate quotes and transitions 2. Vivid story telling quotes Writing the conclusion 1. Brings the story full circle to a conclusion 2. Can end with a vivid quote, or a summary. Writing the captions 1. Action in the photo in present tense 2. Background in the story in past tense 3. Can include direct quotes

11 11. Planning the book: Alternative Copy Treatments Objective: Understand alternative treatments of traditional copy structure. Some alternative copy includes: 1. maps 2. diagrams 3. quote boxes 4. scoreboards 5. timelines 6. quizzes 7. Q and A 8. narrative first person accounts 9. calendars 10. infographics These alternatives can be evaluated through the Jostens Yearbook Tutorials at te/technical_tips/photoshop/index.asp. The article on the following URL will also offer some insight into the design process: dology.pdf Detailed Lesson Plans (continued) PAGE LAYOUT EXERCISE The illustration to the right shows student yearbook staff members perfecting their page layout skills. In this exercise, a double page spread From a magazine is duplicated in PageMaker or InDesign to give the team practice in learning how to arrange text, images and captions on a typical page layout. Choose any magazine and select a single page layout and then a double page spread. Assemble a duplicate layout format using PageMaker or InDesign Place text and images on the layout to replicate the layout from the magazine This process can be duplicated using the planning tutorials at the end of this workbook. Yearbook Staff Page Layout Exercise Using a Magazine Layout as a Guide

12 HANDOUTS Interview Planning and Note Keeping Form Topic Student Name Questions Answers Additional questions

13 Questions and Sub Questions Form Topic Name Student Name Topic Primary questions Sub questions

14 Tutorial Guides Basic Page Planning and Layout The following steps are intended as practice to lead you though the process of planning and setting up test pages for your yearbook. These Tutorials do not contain step by step instructions. They are to be used as a guide to exploring the page layout learning curve. The illustrations shown are from Adobe InDesign, however, the same concepts apply if when using PageMaker for your Yearbook. These Tutorial pages can be developed and printed for use by the yearbook staff during the training period. Educators are also eligible for discounted pricing on advanced Adobe online courses developed by product experts at Element K. Getting Started on the Tutorial Guide: I. These steps can be enhanced by using an existing magazine layout as a sample project. II. These tutorials are intended for use AFTER completing the free on-line introductory courses on the Adobe Education Web-site: (Training) III. You will find that it is easy to learn this software with the use of the on-line introductory training, plus guidance from readily available books, such as: Visual Quick Start Guides, by Peachpit Press (This series allows you to look up any tool or technique listed in an extensive index, thus allowing the user to skip directly to a specific question.) Adobe Classroom in a Book, Adobe Press Available on-line at (This series offers a step by step approach to learning the software. These and a list of other helpful books for learning Adobe software are available online at ) IV. The notes you take as you go through the on-line training and each step of the Tutorial Guides as a way of reinforcing the Learning process. Your notes can then be added to this these pages and printed as a guide for your yearbook staff.

15 TUTORIAL GUIDE Step 1. Placing photos touching an eyeline around a horizontal axis. NOTES: Yale Manual of Style, Pattern and page design When your content is mostly text, typography is the tool you use to "paint" patterns of organization on the page. The first thing your reader sees is not the title or other details of the page, but the overall pattern and contrast of the page. The reader's eye scans the page first as a purely graphic pattern, then begins to track and decode type and page elements. The regular, repeating patterns established through carefully organized pages of text and graphics help the reader to quickly establish the location and organization of your information, and increase the overall legibility of your pages.

16 TUTORIAL GUIDE Step 2. Caption placement touching photos NOTES: When placing text as a caption to a photo be sure that the copy for the caption is placed in such a way as to connect the reader directly to the photo being captioned.

17 TUTORIAL GUIDE Step 3. Body copy filled with placeholder text NOTES: Before the copy is complete, placeholder text sometimes called Lorum Ipsum is used to determine the effect of copy in the layout.

18 TUTORIAL GUIDE Step 4. Frame options 2 columns of type; type formatted 10 pt. with 12pt leading NOTES: - These are standard column, type and leading specifications for a well designed, readable page. - These settings are established within InDesign or PageMaker.

19 Step 5. Placing the Headline unit: Head and Subhead NOTES: - Headings and Subheadings can flow across columns and connect several text boxes. - This arrangement adds interest and energy to the page layout. - Headlines and Subheads can also be placed in different type faces than body copy and captions. - Choose type faces for Headlines and Subheads that are distinct and do not confuse the layout.

20 Step 6. Apply color to Subhead NOTES: To add interest, create an outline from the text and paste a selected image from a paint program into the headline.

21 Step 7. Importing photos. NOTES: Importing Photos is the next step in completing page layouts. Size and position photos according to the layouts established staying within the image box. In specific layouts, photos can also cross over more than a single column to create added drama.

22 Step 8. Write captions, format lead-in and apply color to the text. NOTES:

23 TUTORIAL GUIDE Step 9. Apply drop shadow to the photos. NOTES: Drop shadows can add depth and interest to a page layout without adding clutter.