Newspaper designers are caught between the world of graphic design and journalism. They must make the paper visually appealing to the eye, but also tell/show the importance of the story through their designs. Luckily, these designers have a set of basic tools that accomplish this goal.
Composition of Newspapers
Each page of a newspaper has six vertical columns and each column is 21 inches long. (This is the measurement for a broadsheet. If the newspaper is a tabloid then the measurements are different.) The length of a story is calculated in column inches.
Elements Available to Designers
Newspapers are made up of more than just stories and photographs, there are many elements a designer can use to help the story stand out for the reader.
These elements are:
- stories - the main source of news
- photographs - the main illustration of the news
- cutlines - tells the reader what is going on in the photo, the names of persons in the frame and the photographers name
- sidebars - information related to the story that is significant on its own, pertinent to the reader and fills out the whole news package
- headlines - brief description of the story
- refers - a text element that refers the reader to another page in the paper or to online content
- pullquotes - interesting quotes from the story that can be understood without reading the story, but make the reader want to
- mugshots - tightly cropped photos of a person's head that are used to identify the main players in the article
- breakout boxes - similar to sidebars but contain information from the story that calls the reader to action, such as the time and location of an event being reported on
Tips for Great Newspaper Design
- Each page needs dominant art.
First and foremost a newspaper needs to have a compelling story, photograph and design to make potential readers pick up a copy from a newsstand. Most readers are lead into the page by the lead photo, graphic, etc.
- Always have a reason for using color.
Depending on the page, color may not be factor, but on pages that do, color should be used to move the reader's eyes around the page or around a news package. The best use of color is in photographs and other images.
- Pick a couple of typefaces and stick with them.
Less is more when it comes to typography. Since newspapers are supposed to be read, not glanced at, the use of many different typefaces can make it difficult for the eye to focus on a specific story or package.
- Don't make readers hunt for information.
Newspapers are always trying to reach new audiences, but must be consistent for their long-term subscribers. Put elements in logical places and keep reoccurring elements in the same place.
Importance of Newspaper Design
Stories and photographs are not the only elements that convey the news to readers; good design tells a story too. Whether the design is simple or complex, the way the story and photos are designed is a part of the news package as a whole. If a page is designed poorly, people may not read a really great story.
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