I will start with a few things I disliked about my page:
The masthead is simple and clean, but fails to stand out as much as some of my classmates' (who, by the way, possess some sort of magical page designing powers). A colorful background would liven up my masthead, in my opinion. Also, I didn't have the time to outline or draw boxes around any of the stories or graphics. This makes the page appear to have too much white space and not enough structure. The Red & Black uses small, dotted lines that are good for boxing stories and graphics. I also caught a bad break with the word "willing" in my pull-quote. My "Athens Today" refer was a bit rushed. I wish I could have made it more visually appealing.
On the other hand, I was happy with how the Tate 2 package turned out. I followed the typical "L" shaped modular layout outlined in Tim Harrower's book, and it fit nicely as a leading story. As a magazines major, I've always been a huge fan of pull-quotes, so I think the quote "boiled down the essence" of how students feel about the environmental features of the Tate expansion project. Also, as you can see, I incorporated a green background to show off my stellar InDesign skills. Overall, I think the module placements are OK, but need to stand out more. The teaser on the masthead works for me, yet I agree with previous blog posts that warned to not overuse teasers. I tried to not overwhelm the front page with too many visuals like this.
My method for choosing stories to appear on the front is similar to many of my classmates. Stories with art and a local perspective worked the best. I chose the Tate article because it's a $58 million project that students pay for and will use in the future. Instead of taking a PR approach, Jason did a nice job of focusing on the eco-friendly aspects, which many students are concerned about. With graduation around the corner, Claire's piece worked great as a centerpiece. Though it reflects an event that occurred Feb. 11, the article addresses students' anxieties in an unpromising job market. Renee's wildlife package caught my attention because not only was the photography excellent, the story highlighted a little-known volunteer group that many students may not know about.
I enjoyed this project, but know I have a lot more to learn about print design before I would ever seriously pursue it in my career.
Don't be so hard on yourself Marianne! I agree that your masthead could be livened up a bit (your idea of a colorful background is a good idea) but I think the structure is fine with or without borders or dotted lines.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Max! I think your package is fantastic! Also, you put my story on the front page so it's automatically amazing. Seriously, though, you are a very talented designer!
ReplyDeleteI think your front page is really nice, Marianne! I like that it's clean and well-balanced, but still contains a lot of information. Although you don't have lines seperating your articles, I think the white space works in your favor and does the job. I also like your honey-bee teasers--what a creative idea! You have a good variety of pictures and graphics, and just enough text to get a reader interested in the articles. Good job!
ReplyDeleteTo echo the thoughts of your classmates, you are being way, way too hard on yourself! I was actually very impressed with how quickly you picked up InDesign. And, I like that your teaser isn't too overwhelming...it's pleasant, subtle. So, Marianne, be confident in your talents. I know that you will be a great editor some day very soon!
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