- EQ: How can an editorial publisher produce a quality yearbook?
- Answer 1: Teach staff how to design visually appealing spreads.
- Answer 2: Utilize best photography practices to capture peak moments that happened during the year.
- Answer 3: Incorporate copy that reflects students' memories of the school year.
- My best answer turned out to be Answer 1. I found that in order to truly have a quality yearbook, it must look like a quality yearbook; meaning, visual appeal is crucial in determining whether or not a yearbook is of quality. Answer 2 and 3 are important as well, but it's most important to have it all visually designed and packaged in a way that will please the school audience, pertain to the school itself, and meet yearbook design guidelines (also known as the "golden rules" of publication design), which was mentioned in almost all of my sources but mostly from my mentor Mimi and her published book, The Yearbook Bible.
2. What process did you take to arrive at this answer?
- Research check is where I first began to think that Answer 1 was my best answer. All the research I used always mentioned how, because yearbook (or any publication for that matter) is very visual, it's design must be impeccable in order to accurately represent the content (photos and copy). I also used my first independent component to demonstrate the importance of at first all three answers, but as time went on, design prevailed and truly showed itself to be the best answer. Because my goal was to complete the first signature of the color spreads, design was the backbone to all that we did, regardless of the content. In the end, it really is about how it looks.
3. What problems did you face? How did you resolve them?
- Problems that came up would definitely be finding credible sources. If you can tell by my WB I mainly used actual books and texts instead of articles. It was rather challenging to find legitimate articles on publication-related topics like design, photography, and copy. I resolved them by using books and journals in order to make sure they were credible for my research. Another problem happened to be with keeping up with my mentor. Often Mimi is so busy that I am unable to talk to her or ask for guidance in certain areas. She also does not come to iPoly as often, and sometimes I would have to go quite far in order to meet with her and discuss. Other than that, she is definitely a valuable mentor and I truly appreciate her help.
4. What are two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?
- The Yearbook Bible by Dolores Sanders and Mimi Orth. This book focused on everything that a yearbook publication should do, emphasizing on design, photography, and copywriting. The book is written and composed by Sanders and Orth, well renowned experts and veterans in the yearbook publication as well as the general print publication for many years. It also contains tips and guides provided by professionals and school yearbooks alike. I used two main chapters from this source as part of my research, and other miscellaneous pages that had more useful information.
- Designing Magazines: Inside Periodical Design by Jandos Rothstein. Rothstein is a professional graphic designer who has worked for numerous publications such as National Geographic for over 30 years. His book covers spread design, typography, graphics, how to use creative digital applications, and much more. He also briefly talks about content and help for beginners. Through this source I also solidified my reasonings for my best answer.
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