KAITLIN REYNOLDS
student journalist
DESIGN
Design was an area that I was thrown into my junior year when I became Editor-in-Chief of the Prowler. After watching countless youtube tutorials and googling every unknown I have learned the ins and outs of InDesign and Photoshop. Through experience creating spreads and graphics, I have absorbed how to draw readers in by balancing color, text and photos. The purpose of design isn't just to make publications look nice, it helps to organize information and direct readers to the facts.
Style Sheet
In order to keep spreads consistent I created a style sheet that serves as a guide for me when I am designing spreads. All of the headlines, copy, names and basic elements remain the same from page to page even though the content differs. It is also shared with staffers so that if they have to make any adjustments they know how to keep it consistent.
The style sheet is broken down into sections so that staffers know exactly where those design elements are supposed to be on their spread.
Examples are included throughout to further clarify format.
SPREAD DESIGN
One of my main roles as Editor-in-Chief of the Prowler Yearbook is designing all of the pages that go into the book. I provide layouts for each spread and then staffers are able to fill in copy and photography in the designated locations.
DIVISION PAGES
The pages that separate semesters, sports and other various sections of our book are designed differently from our content heavy spreads in order to make it clear that the content is changing. Below are the division pages from both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 yearbooks that I designed.
This is one of the division pages that was published in the 2020-21 Prowler Yearbook. When designing these I incorporated the green background to match the cover. I also included a stroke around the dominant subject in the photo which mirrored the strokes around cutouts on spreads throughout the book. The dominant element and headline text was coated in UV ink when the spread was printed which helped to make the pages stand out further.
For the 2021-22 yearbook I wanted to create a very different look from the year prior. I still incorporated a background color and stroke around the dominant action of the photo, but I incorporated more white space instead of flooding the page. I purposefully moved the text off of the photo so that it would be easier to read. Additionally, I really liked how the UV coating turned out in the 2020-21 book so I kept that element.
Spreads
Below are spreads that staffers filled with content after I provided them with a layout. All of the spreads have similar modules and elements to keep the book consistent, but they are all different to avoid redundancy. When designing I keep modules a consistent three picas apart and elements three spaces apart.
2020-21 Show Choir
2020-21 Varsity Football
2021-22 Pep Rally
2020-21 Practices
2020-21 JV Football
2021-22 Omaha Summer
Show Stopper Spreads
Some spreads require more visual aspects than written ones to tell the story. Below are a few of the spreads that I designed specifically to stand out as students flip through the yearbook. All incorporate unique and eye catching elements to pull readers in.
2020-21 Jan 5 - Jan 16
2021-22 TIK TOK
2020-21 Black Lives Matter
2021-22 Trends
ReDesigning
When staffers get their spreads they are already made for them. Due to this the content that they find while working on their spread doesn't always fit in the boxes provided for them. I often redesign spreads to better suit the information that they have. Below are the before and afters of areas I have redesigned on spreads.
Before
After
Finding inspiration
As a designer I have learned that design inspiration can come from anywhere. When I attended the 2019 NSPA/JEA fall convention in Washington D.C. I went to a session about design. There they showed a GQ Magazine cover that I couldn't get out of my head. The next year when I was promoted to Editor-in-Chief I used elements of it in the book. The strong cutout of Pharrell stood out to me and I emphasized cutouts in the book. Below is how I translated the inspiration into my own design.
Design for digital platforms
Design elements don't just go into print publications, they can be used digitally as well. Through graphic illustrations, infographics and Instagram posts I have been able to incorporate design to better share information digitally.
