When a student opens their yearbook for the first time, the photos, stories, and smells make an immediate impact! What do they feel when they see each page spread layout? How are they deciphering and absorbing the content? These are the key questions to ask when designing the layout spreads. Student staff will spend more time and energy composing the layout spreads than any other yearbook assignment. Here is where the staff's personalities will shine brightly, and where they will be credited for their distinct creative work.
We share these two online learning websites and resources that will teach and shape the staff's Graphic Design Layout & composition. GCFGlobal.org and Greenbook.org give laser-focused tools for effective communication and offer guided practice. The ideas reinforce the definitions of each design principle and its effect and are low-risk entry points to composition and design layout.
Create an infographic
Divide students into pairs or groups of 3. The groups will create a digital infographic of the layout and composition design principles in Canva. All posters will be the same size (12x18 or 18x12). The color palette will be limited to 3 main colors and 2 accents. Only 3 fonts will be used, 1 for the display-heading, 1 for the subheading, and 1 body copy. Students may use graphics and photographs in their creations. Once completed, reorganize teams to edit each other's work. Look for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and accuracy of information. Let the teams make the corrections and print them to post in the classroom.
Magazine Inspiration
A fun way to get ideas and learn is to review a variety of magazines. Provide many magazines for the staff to peruse and switch them around so each one can see the different varieties. They are analyzing the layout and composition examples. Make it a game to pick the favorite, and explain why! Use colorful post-it notes and markers to identify the design principles and the application. Place the notes on the magazine spread's frame and display them in the classroom.
It’s All About Principles
The design principles for layout and composition can be displayed in a Photoshop (or other similar platform) exercise. Have student staff create 3x3 squares filled with examples of the principles. Prepare a NEW design using all squares labeled in a new file folder. Print and mount on construction paper to display.
Faux Page Spread
This assignment practices a faux page spread. Take black and white construction paper pre-cut to the dimensions of your yearbook spread. Provide blue and white colored pencils, rulers, and square and rectangular shapes of different sizes. Cut long, thin lines of paper that students will cut into smaller lines to substitute as lines of text. Now that all is provided, ask students to draw the gutter and margins, and arrange the larger shapes with text lines acting as captions. Let them practice adding more shapes and 'text" to the spread until they have a pleasing arrangement. They will double-check they are using some of the composition and layout principles. Include the headlines, subheadings, and body copy with other cutout shapes. Display the final products.
The Power of Locations
Locations can activate memories and emotional responses. Ask your students about this statement. What are their thoughts and how can they envision this principle enacted in the yearbook? Take their ideas about places on the school campus, and record them on the board as touchstones. You can have the students work individually or in teams for this assignment. The task is to interview 5 people: one from each grade level, and one faculty or staff member. The question is, What is your favorite spot on campus and why? When new locations come up in discussion, add them to the board. After the interviews, let the staff self-select a location to create a page spread. If they do not select, you will assign the location.
Include the following steps in the page spreads:
Photographs of the location ( with or without people)
A story written from interviews with people who enjoy the space
Fun portraits and quotes from those interviewed
Write a headline, subheadings, and captions per photograph
Express definitively and clearly, the Yearbook Color Palette and Style throughout the page spread
Encourage the use of PLICBook templates initially, and they can be rearranged as desired
Use the principles to critique the final products. Decide if you want to include these designs in the yearbook. The decisions will be based on the quality of the material.
We hope you find these guided practice exercises helpful, and the other resources United Yearbook offers to enhance your instruction. Please visit our website at www.unitedyearbook.net and subscribe to our blog, newsletter, and podcast. Schedule your yearbook 1-on-1 here.
Copyright © 2024. TSE Worldwide Press. All Rights Reserved.
Editor: Donna Ladner obtained a B.A. in Education and a minor in English from California Baptist University, and a M.S. in ESL from USC, Los Angeles. After she married Daniel, their family moved to Indonesia with a non-profit organization and lived cross-culturally for 15 years before returning to the U.S in 2012. Donna has been working as an editor and proofreader for TSE Worldwide Press and its subsidiary, United Yearbook since 2015.
Contributor: Lucy McHugh comes to United Yearbook Printing from a 39-year career in public and private school education. She was a former visual art teacher and yearbook adviser. She received a Bachelors of Science in Art from Columbia College in Columbia, SC, a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Nebraska in 2000, and in 2014 earned a Certificate in Catholic School Leadership from Loyola Marymount University. Lucy enjoys her family, making art and gardening.
Comments