Looking for advice

I'm new to these boards and hope that some of the feedback and criticism given by you can help me improve what I do. I am the Sports Editor of a small daily in East Tennessee. I have been writing since I was 16 and served as Sports Editor of a weekly paper prior to my current position, but I still have a lot to learn if I want to advance myself in this industry. Our paper pushes local copy. Would you care to look over a couple of these layouts, or even one, and give me some pointers.

Thanks, Wes

Jason Witten Football Camp
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c338/etsuwes/wittencamp1.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c338/etsuwes/wittencamp2.jpg

NASCAR / Bristol Race Tab Cover and Points Design
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c338/etsuwes/RaceTab.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c338/etsuwes/RaceTab2.jpg

NASCAR Bristol Race & High School Football
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c338/etsuwes/racefootball1.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c338/etsuwes/racefootball2.jpg

Our Minor League baseball preview
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c338/etsuwes/twinspreview1.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c338/etsuwes/twinspreview2.jpg

UT & High School Football
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c338/etsuwes/uthsfball1.jpg

 

Check your PM.

 

First thing I noticed about all of your fronts is that some of the columns are way too wide. I'm all for breaking the mold, but these column sizes are just extreme.

Second thing, try not to have art facing off of the page. And try incorporating rule lines to avoid tombstoning; shaded boxes are very hokey. Also, try to avoid wrapping copy around your art. Not sure how much design experience you have, but if you just started then you're ahead of where I was when I first started.

Hopefully, more people here who know a lot more than me will chime in with some helpful pointers. Good luck.

 

Thanks a ton. I agree with your assessment of our columns and everything you said. I've been doing designs for almost a year now, and most of the stuff I do is okay ... for this area. But for someone who's looking at putting a couple of years in to improve my skills and learn as much as I can about bettering myself as a writer and designer so I can move onto a better position somewhere, this is appreciated.

 

I really liked your Bristol tab cover. It was very simple and clean, but there's nothing wrong with that. In my opinion, sometimes people try to do too much and that ruins design.

I agree that some of the columns (and/or legs of copy) are too wide. My rule is never thinner than 10 picas and never any wider than 20 picas. If a box is 24ish picas, make it two legs of copy. I've heard that dollar bill trick works with younger designers.

Also, I always try to anchor graphic elements --- top of a leg. Try not to let things float. Also if you do a cut out, don't let copy float all around the cutout. Let it run around one side and then save the other side for a cutline.

that's just my humble opinion. Take it for what it's worth.

And I will say this, you're not that far from being solid. Devote at least 3-4 hours a week cruising newspagedesigner.com. The more you see good looking pages, the more you're realize what your pages should look like.

And above all, think clean, not cluttered.

 

Thank you. This helps so much, especially with the columns and graphics. I'm going to check that site out when I get finished tonight.

 

Good stuff, the fact that your paper give you some leway to take some chances will help you in the long run. My suggestion to you is to watch out on those big group pictures like on page two of the Witten camp. That second group shot has so many people, that readers will have to squint to find a face in the crowd. I always hate running photos like that, I perfer much more action, but I understand if that is what you have to run... Been there, done that.

Good work.

 

It's definitely solid overall. One other think to look out for, one your last page with all the high school games, you had three photos that are all about the same size and all show about the same thing - ballcarrier getting tackled. I would always prefer to run a couple of photos with some size and content variety to make the page look more planned out and original. There is something to be said for giving each school the same play, but it be overdone easily. Great choice and play of photos on the inside Bristol race page, though.