A DESIGNER S N EWSLETTER TIPS TIPS TOo ENHANCEz n CLARITY Organize the content of your newsletterDD e then use the command in your software to make and into groups: administrator/staff articles the desired portion into all caps. That way, if you 1or columns, grade level/curriculum articles, decide to change it to upper and lower case later, extracurricular groups/events/sports, parent you don’t have to retype it. group/organization articles or columns, items that need action (such as forms to be filled out See how you first Reverses are very effective, and returned, workshop flyers that ask for looked at this reverse? but use only in a few small areas. They are a good choice advance registration, etc.; e careful that you don’t You might want to use a 4 have two things on back-to-back pages that need reverse for a short item for short items that you want to call to be filled out and returned to different places) you want a response to, attention to. Use a bold weight for such as a call for volun- the white type so that it doesn’t fill in and general informational items from outside- teers or a lost and found the-school sources (such as District letters reminder. Notice how when copied, and you may want to regarding bus safety, lunch information flyer both the subhead and increase the point size of the type as body of this item are well. Set up your text block to have from SoDexHo, parenting information newsletter bolder than the typefaces that the school subscribes to, etc. - you’ll proba- used for the black type on all the white type indented from the bly just copy the original and attach it as a page white background. edges. This block is almost as large at the end of the issue.) Group articles from each as you should go for black areas. of these categories together in the issue as much as you can. Put a small Table of Contents on the first Use tints and shades of color to add page in the same place each issue (say, bottom left richness and complexity without adding the corner or upper right next to the masthead) if you 5cost of additional color inks. If the tint is have a long newsletter. If it’s 8 pages or less you behind text or other graphics, don’t go darker than probably don’t need one. Use page numbering. 20% to assure easy reading of the overprinted text. For white type on a shade background, use at least Use ragged right type, not justified. This 50% of the color/black. Plan ahead to have the creates the most pleasing word spacing and color portion of the “shells” printed for the entire 2avoids “rivers”, or white holes between words year’s quantity, then print only black for each issue. that look bad when you can see the whole page laid out. Also, set your hyphenation so it only will Choose to use two typeface families (a serif hyphenate a maximum of two lines in a row (I set family and a sans serif family) that go together mine to only hyphenate one line at a time.) 6well to provide variety and help differentiate articles from each other. The type below is ragged right (left side aligned, right The type below is justified (both left and right sides The following definitions side flows as it will) : lined up): may help in describing type: The Middle Ages and Tom Sawyer are the main focal points The Middle Ages and Tom Sawyer are the main focal for the sixth graders as they approach the concluding points for the sixth graders as they approach the conclud- Serif type: the type you are trimester of their first year at WJHS. The study of the Middle ing trimester of their first year at WJHS. The study of the reading is serif type. It has Ages will begin in March and conclude with an activity day Middle Ages will begin in March and conclude with an on Friday, April 11. activity day on Friday, April 11. little “feet” at the ends of many of the letter strokes. It is typically more “thick and Use all capital letters sparingly, such as for thin” in the strokes that make up the letters than sans headlines or subheads only. Copy is very hard serif typefaces are. The bold and regular type in this 3to read with all caps - studies have shown that paragraph are of the typeface family Berkeley - the the more unique shapes of upper and lower case specific typeface names are Berkeley and Berkeley letters facilitate easier reading. Also, in places that Black. Serif type is easier to read than sans serif you DO want to use all capital letters, don’t type it because the “feet” lend even more uniqueness to each in all caps, instead type it in upper and lower case, letter shape and therefore make reading easier. Sans serif type: the type you are reading now is sans Points: a traditional measurement that is used to serif type. It does not have “feet” and typically, though measure type sizes and distance in the graphic not always, has slight or no variation in the thickness of design and printing professions. An inch has 72 the strokes that make up the letters. The bold and regular points, and also can be divided into 6 picas that type in this paragraph are of the typeface family Futura - have 12 points in each pica. A pica is therefore 1/6 the specific typeface names are Futura Light and Futura of an inch. Heavy. Leading: The space from the baseline of one line of Baseline: the imaginary visual line that is at the type to the baseline of the next line of type. bottom of a line of letters/words. Below is a way that I often set up and name styles for a basic style sheet: body - 10 to 12 point type with 12 to 15 points of leading, serif typeface, sidebar body - 10 to 12 point type with 12 to 15 points of leading, sans serif ragged right, no indent at the beginning of each paragraph, extra space typeface, ragged right, no indent at the beginning of each paragraph, extra before each paragraph space before each paragraph head - 12 to 18 point type with 13 to 20 points of leading, sans serif type- sidebar head - 12 to 18 point type with 13 to 20 points of leading, serif type- face, flush left/ragged right or centered, no indent, more extra space before face, flush left/ragged right or centered, no indent, more extra space before this than for subhead, bolder weight than subhead or all caps this than for subhead, bolder weight than subhead or all caps subhead - 10 to 14 point type, sans serif typeface, flush left/ragged right or sidebar subhead - 10 to 14 point type, serif typeface, flush left/ragged right centered, no indent, more extra space before this than for body, bolder weight or centered, no indent, more extra space before this than for body, bolder than body but not as bold as head weight than body but not as bold as head TIPS TO ENHANCE CONSISTENCY Use style sheets! I can’t stress enough that Set up your first issue as stationery or a the time spent in learning how to use style template. This will include all styles, mast- 7sheets is FAR, FAR more than made up for 9head and recurring artwork (such as column when producing your issues. All you art, school logo, etc.). When doing your next issue, have to do when putting together use that stationery or template to each newsletter is tag your copy (see If you only do one thing out of this start from. Set up recurring sections your software’s documentation for baker’s dozen, this is the tip to try! (such as a letter from the principal, the way to do this) with the After the initial learning curve, using articles from the counselors, com- appropriate style and you will styles saves you LOADS of time and mentary from the president of immediately have consistency. If makes your newsletters look great! Home & School, etc.) with art you want to change something, all work or a type treatment (see tip you have to do is change the specifi- #12 for more about type treat- cations in the style sheet itself and all the ments) to use as a visual cue for that column in copy tagged with that style will then change. See each issue. Consider positioning recurring columns tip #6 for more details on style sheets. in the same place each issue (principal’s letter at the top of the first page, volunteer thank-yous on the Create a masthead (including the name of right outside column of page 3, etc.) the school, name of the newsletter, date/issue 8number, school logo if desired) and use it in the same way on each issue: same size, same posi- tion on the first page (probably across the top or along one side), same art work. Just change the date and/or issue number. Consider making the school phone number, homework hotline number or any other information that you think people would need often as part of the masthead. TIPS TO ENHANCE CREATIVITY Use a flexible 1-on-2 or 2-on-3 letterspacing controls, not actual spacebar spaces). column layout to lend interest and give Make the whole first word large and change the 10 you choices when laying out your baseline shift like a drop cap (make sure that the issues.