1.3: Typesetting, Tutorials, & Thoughts

Hello! It turned out to be a pretty busy week with Independence Day, so I wasn’t able to compile a video with tips like I originally planned. Since I haven’t received any help requests currently, I’ll probably hold off unless someone shows interest in additional tutorials. As before, drop a comment below or send me an email via D2L, and I’ll get back to you ASAP! Meanwhile, I compiled my work and reflections from the last few days all in one post for convenient viewing below.

Newspaper Markup

I love reading paper newspapers and newsletters, but physical publications become more like relics every day. The smell of ink on a page increasingly feels less like a comforting presence and more like a reminder of the burden of toting a roll of paper around to read the news posted online yesterday evening. It’s unfortunate to lose interest in something so important to history, but it’s also perfectly natural to prefer faster, simpler methods to achieve daily tasks. Kids these days, right?

Still, even as print publications age and die out in the face of web publications, it’s worth acknowledging the legacy of newspaper layouts, terminology, and style. For decades, newspapers have operated on a tradition of laying out articles by prioritizing summaries, such as headlines and pull quotes, grabbing attention from readers at newsstands. Even though web publications don’t sit on a stand for passersby to pick up, the concept of a large, attractive headline with an accompanying photo sits at the core of web design, and it keeps readers coming back just like they did before. Newspapers have left a permanent mark on design.

Typesetting Assignment

My typesetting assignment (PDF) stays as true to the original as possible while also anchoring objects to a 13 pt. baseline grid. I didn’t want to alter the original assignment, but I was curious how it might fit!

Reflection

This lesson was mostly about helping students get accustomed to Adobe design programs, learning to identify common newspaper layout terms, and demonstrating proficiency in both fields.

I took a high school journalism class eons ago (dear god, please do not ask how long ago it was). Ever since then, I’ve loved grids and guides, along with the beautiful structure that comes with a well-done newspaper layout, but the specific terms did not stick as well as I might have hoped. Consequently, I was delighted to take another look at what exactly everything was called in the context of a newspaper, since I’ve not really covered those terms since then.

Of course, I couldn’t just scribble haphazardly on the newspaper itself! I had to design my way through it. I probably should have dragged out a Sharpie and went to town, but I’m so accustomed to designing things out, I simply could not live with writing in the margins. I’m relatively pleased with my solution, though color coding isn’t my thing. I’ll probably retreat into my usual “no more than 4″ color scheme… with two of those being white and black/dark grey. I’m uncomfortable with using expansive color palettes because color is not my strong point. After saying all that, I wonder how much information I retained from the lesson. Did I forgo memorizing the terms for the sake of pixel pushing? Uh oh.

I admit—with 98% of my Visual Communication degree tucked under my belt already—I felt pretty comfortable entering the design section of the lesson. I knew I didn’t need to cover the Lynda tutorials since I’ve already invested hundreds of hours in both Photoshop and InDesign, but I also knew that I couldn’t pass it by without at least checking it, in good conscience. I’m not one to let the opportunity to learn something new slip away, because I think I already know better. I ended up spending some time jumping back and forth through the assigned videos to see what new information might arise, but I don’t recall seeing anything I hadn’t already known before. I preceded to pop open InDesign and dutifully replicated the provided document.

Afterward, I felt a little guilty. I know that most of the class hadn’t meaningfully used the software before now, and it’s not super easy to learn in a short time frame. I wanted to post some material for anyone who wanted more tips, but really, everyone already has to absorb so much new information as is. If I was an official TA, I’d likely try to make a tutorial on the chance someone has additional time to check it now or later. On the other hand, I’ve always thought I’d enjoy teaching at a college level someday. I almost wonder if I feel guilty for not doing the job I technically don’t have. Maybe someday, after proving my worth in the design field, I can retreat to the comforts of university halls and intimidate my students into being professional designers, like I’ve always dreamed.

I’ve outworn my welcome yet again! Thanks to Adam for putting together such an interesting lesson plan. I’m really enjoying writing out these types of thoughts. Hopefully, everyone else is progressing nicely and feels like they’re on track.

Now, onward to the next chapter!

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Written for PR Publications course at the University of Oklahoma, Lesson 1.3