Yearbook Workflow

English
Desktop Publishing
Susan O'Connor
Coral Reef High School
Miami, FL
 Yearbook Workflow

Yearbook Workflow
English
Desktop Publishing
Susan O'Connor

Contents Page

1. Teacher Statement
2. Course Overview
• Course Description
• Adobe Software List
• Research Resources
• Technical Resources
•
3. Lesson Plan Table

4. Detailed Lesson Plans

7. Handouts

9. Tutorial and Note Taking Guides

 Yearbook Workflow

Teacher’s Statement
Susan O'Connor
English Department
Yearbook Production

The yearbook teams at Coral Reef are set up to operate as a

professional publication and design studio in what serves as a real-life
publication production environment. The Editors report to the Faculty
Yearbook Advisor who serves in the role of CEO of the publication
studio. The Student Editors are trained to become self sufficient and
able to run the entire business, including both the creative and
production aspects of the studio.

The yearbook production teams report to the Editors in the same way
that a design staff would report to the Art Director and Managing Editor
of an actual company. The objective of the project is to establish a
structure for managing the production of a school memory book or
yearbook. The first order of business is to establish a solid
understanding of the production process and production software such
as the fundamentals of developing page layouts. Our yearbooks have
all been designed using PageMaker and we are now switching to
InDesign. However, the same process applies to developing basic
skills in either program. This is how we begin the process and then the
project builds from there with type treatments, photos and creative
illustration, such as the treatment of the photo on this page.

This workbook will cover the basics of getting started on setting up

yearbook pages and is intended as a simple guide for your student
teams or for anyone who may be new to Yearbook advisement.
Susan O’Connor
Sample of Student Creative Photo Treatment Using Adobe® Photoshop™
 Yearbook Workflow

Student’s Statement
Lara Bueso, Senior
International Baccalaureate Program
Coral Reef High School

An Editor's Perspective

The Editors on the Yearbook supervise a range of staff activities. Creating captions for the photos in the yearbook is probably the biggest
I have found that some of the most important concerns for a Yearbook production challenge, especially for the candid photos. This is because
Editor include helping staff learn how to conduct a good interview, the photo editor does not usually have a record of who is in the candid
making sure pages are completed properly in the page layout program photos but these names must be included in the yearbook.
being used, paying attention to vocabulary and encouraging creativity.
The staff takes notes in production journals on all of these issues. Bringing the photos to the English classes solves the problem of tracking
They also keep their work in-progress in these journals so they don’t down the people in candid photos. Every student has to take English so
forget their instructions. Staff members give the editors progress the English teachers are canvassed for identification of people in the
reports on their deadlines a week in advance. This allows a week to candid shots. When this is accomplished, the staff has to get a quote
complete, check and finish the pages, from the Subjects, which has something to do with the picture. But, the
quote has to elaborate beyond what is shown in the picture.
Story assignment is guided by the decisions of the yearbook editors.
Writing copy is a different process in Journalism than in English class. Finding all the people in the photos, spelling their names correctly,
One important point is that when interviewing, it is important to focus getting students out of class to talk to yearbook team members is a
on the personalities of the person being interviewed. For example, if hassle. But it is also the most important part of the process because as
you are interviewing someone from a sports team, don’t focus on the soon as students get the yearbook the first thing they do is flip to their
season and scoreboard. Focus on the personal experiences of the pictures and look for those captions and stories.
team member. It is also important not to make obvious statements
about photographs. Editors have to be sure that the writers avoid When the book has reached the stage when the finished signatures are
grammatical errors, use proper punctuation and use accurate printed, Editors and staff work after school to edit the proofs. Students
quotations from people who are interviewed. Reviewing and critiquing check their own pages and also partner with another team member to
staff interviews is an important editorial job. double-check each other's work. Editors then check, student Fixes.
Editor reviews are marked on the printed proofs and are corrected on
There are very specific points and guidelines about preparing copy and disk and then sent back to the plant for reprinting. Proofing is a time
pages that the editors help the staff to learn. One big concern is proper consuming task and editors sometimes have to work on Saturday to
numbering, designating monetary amounts, and proper use of use of keep up with proofs. Writing of the stories and getting captions takes up
numerals and text for numbers. Folios have to be numbered properly. the most time during production. These two aspects take up at least 75%
In 2003 the new style is not to number on bottom outside corner, but of the workflow. All in all, I’d say that working as a yearbook editor is the
rather in the upper outside corner. equivalent of at least a year of experience in an actual publication studio.
 Yearbook Workflow

Course Overview

Course Description Research Resources (Books and URLs)

Goals for the Yearbook Team are to produce a quality digital Columbia University Press
publication that meets both design and publication specification Columbia Scholastic Press Association
deadlines. Workflow management is the primary key to success in this Scholastic Yearbook Fundamentals
course. 212 854 9400
FAX 212 854-9401
Planning is the primary goal of the first phase of yearbook production.
www.columbia.edu/cu/scpa/BooksOrder.html
This includes selecting digital tools, mastering book design
Membership includes free books
terminology, choosing a unifying theme or concept, selecting
Books can be ordered
typography, designing page layouts and visuals, determining the cover
and working with copy treatments. Yearbook Design and Production
http://www.wm.k12.mn.us/hs/art/Yearbook.htm
All team members will become adept in all areas of publication Exemplary Yearbook Design Examples
production including design, writing, editing, deadline management
http://students.ed.uiuc.edu/twadell/edpsy387/yearbooksiteproject/exempl
and file management. These skills will not only contribute to the
aryspreads.html
completion of an award-winning book but will also provide invaluable
life skills. Page Layout and Design Glossary
http://desktoppub.about.com/cs/glossarylayout/
The students in the photo yearbook teams learn will learn how to
identify and create a quality photo in terms of traditional photo
standards and content. The writer/editors will establish a new level of Technology Resources:
expertise in composing creative page layouts. Adobe Classroom in a Book, Adobe Press

This process is intended to produce a top notch memory book of the Visual Quickstart Guides, Peachpit Press
school year, but the additional benefits are the development of
exceptional writing, editing, art and design skills by the entire yearbook
team. Adobe Education Website introductory and advanced training.
www.adobe.com/education,
http://www.adobe.com/education/training/main.html

Adobe Software used for Yearbook Production: The major yearbook companies all offer resources available for yearbook
staffs and others. Download the handouts and go to work!
Adobe® InDesign™ or PageMaker ™, After Effects™, Photoshop™,
Illustrator™ Jostens Year Book Tutorial, Adobe PhotoShop
http://www.jostens.com/yearbook/process/create/technical_tips/photosho
p/index.asp
 Yearbook Workflow

Lesson Plan Table

Lesson Planning the Book Handouts & URL’s Tutorial Guides

1. Technology considerations-Objective: determine software Adobe Introductory Setting up a page Layout with eye
appropriate for yearbook production On-line Training
lines.
www.adobe.com/education/trai Composition, Grids and Layouts,
Visual Center of Interest.
ning
2. Technology considerations-Objective: determine the unifying Using Place holder text.
concept for the book
3. Structure and Deadlines-Objective: determine the page by page structure of Photos and Caption Placement
the book and dates for submission to the publisher
Frame Options
4. Design terminology-Objective: understand basic terminology associated
with yearbook design
5. Basic design-Objective: use steps to produce a basic design. Placing the Headline Unit, Head and
Subhead
6. Rules for design-Objective: understand generally accepted rules for Applying Color to Subhead
yearbook design
7. Ignoring the rules-Objectives: understand alternatives to rules Importing Photos

8 Write captions, format lead-in

Photos and visual effects-Objectives: determine effective and ethical
and apply color to the text.
photos and photo illustrations

9 Typography-Objectives: understand structure and use of type Apply Drop Shadow to Subhead

10 Copywriting-Objective: understand guidelines for researching and writing Interview Handouts

the stories and captions. Interviewing and researching
11 Alternative Copy Treatments-Objective: Understand alternative treatments
of traditional copy structure.
Jostens Yearbook Tutorials
http://www.jostens.com/yearbook/process/create/technical_tips/photo
shop/index.asp
 Yearbook Workflow

Detailed Lesson Plans

1. Planning the Book— Technology 2. Planning the Book— Theme: A Unifying 3. Planning the Book—Structure and
considerations concept Deadlines
Objective: determine the page by page
Objective: determine the unifying concept for the
Objectives: determine software appropriate for structure of the book and dates for
book
yearbook production. submission to the publisher
A theme concept ties the book together both Ladder: Page by page plan of the book;
verbally and visually. planned in flats and signatures
In Design 2.0 for designing pages. Adobe
Photoshop 7.0 for image manipulation and The theme concept is often carried out verbally Signature: 16 page unit of the book
creation. Adobe Illustrator for graphics. and visually on the cover, the title page, the Flat: 8 page unit; consists of pages 1, 4-5, 8-
opening section (usually pps. 2-5) the dividers, 9, 12-13, and 16 or 2-3, 6-7, 10-11, 14-15 of
and the closing section. Look to the school and the signature
Adobe Acrobat 6.0 for submitting pages to Coverage—As suggested by Columbia
publisher. the student body as well as the professional
media for ideas. Catch phrases and spin-offs of Scholastic Press:
Publication Templates, Using the toolbox and those phrases are popular. ( Ex: Indelible Student Life 25%
menus. Creating screens and Image Boxes. Images, etc) Organizations 12-15%
Type design, Styles, Color, Libraries. People 25-30%
Academics 12-15%
Sports 15-18%
Community 5%
Note: this percentage is figured excluding
any ad, index or theme pages.
Deadlines—Generally, work with the
publisher’s representative to determine the
dates for submission of deadlines and the
method. Many publishers now give discounts
for submitting pages as Adobe Acrobat PDF
format. Best practice is to submit pages in
complete signatures. 16 page units such as
pages 17-32)
 Yearbook Workflow

Detailed Lesson Plans (continued)

The gutter is the vertical space where the two 4. Working from the eyeline, place the
4. Planning the Book: Design terminology pages of the product meet. supporting photos. The second largest
Objective: understand basic terminology An eyeline is an imaginary horizontal line that photo shape generally contrasts the
associated with yearbook design falls slightly above or below the center; dominant photo. All photos must begin
Yearbooks are designed in facing pages called aligning elements with this line links two pages and end on the column or grid lines.
double page spreads. The layout consists of in a spread. Vary the size and shape of the photos
photos, copy, graphics and white space. In effectively designed spreads, the pages are and be conscious of allowing space for
These elements convey a message. divided into grids or columns; elements are captions for each photo.
The body copy is the main story. aligned within these columns or across several 5. Place caption areas adjacent to the
The captions tell the story in the picture. columns (grids). photo area. Captions may appear to
The headline and subhead are larger type and the top, bottom, or sides of the photos.
attract the reader’s attention. Keep consistent internal margins
The largest photo is called the dominant between all elements.
photo. 6. Place the body copy. The body copy is
Photos that extend beyond the page trim area 5. Planning the book: Basic design generally placed to the outside of the
are called bleed photos. Objective: use steps to produce a basic dominant photo area and should fit the
Graphics are printing effects consisting of tool design. column format. Copy may fill more
lines, display type, and screens. 1. Select photos. than one column, but should be
White space is the absence of any element. 2. Draw a horizontal and vertical axis. equally balanced and should be
The pica (one sixth of an inch) is the unit of The horizontal axis is the eyeline. The separated by one pica between the
measurement used by printers. vertical axis is to the left or right of the columns.
Type height and rule line thickness are gutter. 7. Place the headline over the story.
measured in points (one point equals 1/72 of 3. Place a rectangular dominant photo Generally avoid running the headline
an inch or 1/12 of a pica). aligned with the horizontal and vertical over either a photo or the gutter.
The amount of space between elements axis. The corner of the photo area
(photos, graphics and copy) is called the touches the intersection of the
internal margin. horizontal and vertical axis. The
bottom of the photo aligns with the
eyeline.
 Yearbook Workflow

Detailed Lesson Plans (continued)

10. Keep captions touching the photo they
6. Planning the book: rules for design identify. 7. Planning the book: Ignoring the rules
Objective: understand generally accepted rules 11. Have at least one element touching Objectives: understand alternatives to rules.
for yearbook design the margin on each side, but…. 1. Internal margin consistency—
1. Always design in double page 12. Bleed no more than one photo per overlapping photos gives the designer
spreads. side. greater control; designer can direct
2. Use column/grid structure. Keep 13. Maintain contrast and balance. reader’s attention through overlapped
number of columns/grids consistent Contrast darks and lights, weights and or otherwise linked photos. The result
throughout each section. type form. is greater emphasis on the relationship
3. Use an eyeline to link facing pages. 14. Unify all spreads in a section with common between the photos.
type and design elements. 2. Captions adjacent to photos—
4. Design from the axis out. Avoid
trapped white space. Trapped white clustered or otherwise grouped photos
space distracts the eye—to nothing. is an effective method for compacting
5. Keep text to the outside of the spread. photos and their captions into a
Avoid surrounding text with photos. smaller space. Captions may be
6. Keep leading (the space between lines clustered. Downside: limited caption
of type) to 20%. Example: 8/10 + 10 content.
pt. type plus 2 pt. leading. 3. Leading—negative leading, that is
7. Use a dominant photo that is 2 ½ reduced leading that results in
times larger than the other photos on overlapped heads and subheads and
the page lines of multiple line heads can be
8. Avoid odd shapes—use horizontal and visually appealing and unify the head.
vertical rectangles. Care must be taken to maintain
9. Maintain consistent internal margins— readability and attention to color and
generally one pica between elements. weight.
It gives order and uniformity to the 4. Other exceptions to rules: Rules can
spread. be broken as long as the total effect of
the spread is not disrupted. The
spread will still generally maintain
balance, tone etc. Look to the experts
in contemporary design for ideas.
 Yearbook Workflow

Detailed Lesson Plans (continued)

8. Planning the Book: Photos and visual 9. Planning the book: Typography 10. Planning the book: Copywriting
effects Objectives: understand structure and use of Objective: understand guidelines for
Objectives: determine effective and ethical type researching and writing the stories and
photos and photo illustrations Most typefaces can be described as san serif captions.
1. Generally, the best yearbook photos (without “feet”) or serif (with feet”). Interviewing and researching:
have action or emotion. There must be Type is usually described as normal, bold or 1. Attend events and take notes.
a center of visual interest. The photo italics. 2. Research background information.
must tell a story. Type can be condensed, normal or extended 3. Interview participants.
2. Photoshop can be used to manipulate width. Writing the lead:
photos artistically. A few options Type height is measured in points. 72 points 1. Feature the most interesting aspect of
include: equals one inch. the story.
a. conversion into line art Type can be centered (aligned around a center 2. Use color specific vivid verbs and
b. using artistic effects such as line), flush right (aligned right), flush left nouns
patterns and textures (aligned left), or justified (even on both sides). 3. Be concise and colorful
c. adding single color for Text wrap refers to flowing text around objects. Writing the body
emphasis Leading is the space between lines of type. 1. Most effective way to develop:
d. combining photos with other Dropped cap is a letter that is larger and set alternate quotes and transitions
photos or artwork into a body of type. 2. Vivid story telling quotes
3. Ethical considerations: Photo Case refers to all caps or lower case. Writing the conclusion
illustrations must be labeled as such; Type can have personality and thus set the 1. Brings the story full circle to a
care must be taken not to mood of the page. It can be old style, modern, conclusion
misrepresent reality decorative, fanciful, etc. 2. Can end with a vivid quote, or a
4. Applications: Photo illustrations are Kerning refers to eliminating the unnatural summary.
often most effective for feature stories spaces between some letter pairs. Writing the captions
or sidebars Reverse type is light type over a dark area. 1. Action in the photo in present tense
2. Background in the story in past tense
3. Can include direct quotes
 Yearbook Workflow

Detailed Lesson Plans (continued)

11. Planning the book: Alternative Copy PAGE LAYOUT EXERCISE

Treatments Yearbook Staff
Objective: Understand alternative treatments The illustration to the right shows Page Layout Exercise
of traditional copy structure. student yearbook staff members
perfecting their page layout skills.
Some alternative copy includes:
1. maps In this exercise, a double page spread
2. diagrams From a magazine is duplicated in
3. quote boxes PageMaker or InDesign to give the team
4. scoreboards practice in learning how to arrange text,
5. timelines images and captions on a typical page
6. quizzes layout.
7. Q and A
8. narrative first person accounts Choose any magazine and select a single
9. calendars page layout and then a double page
10. infographics spread.
These alternatives can be evaluated through
the Jostens Yearbook Tutorials at Assemble a duplicate layout format using
PageMaker or InDesign
http://www.jostens.com/yearbook/process/crea
te/technical_tips/photoshop/index.asp Place text and images on the layout to
. replicate the layout from the magazine Using a Magazine Layout as a Guide
The article on the following URL will also offer
some insight into the design process: This process can be duplicated using the
planning tutorials at the end of this
http://www.rpi.edu/~bennett/bennett%20metho workbook.
dology.pdf
 Yearbook Workflow

HANDOUTS
Interview Planning and Note Keeping Form

Topic ________________________________________________________________________________________
Student Name__________________________________________________________________________________

Questions Answers Additional questions

 Yearbook Workflow

Questions and Sub Questions Form

Topic Name____________________________________________________________________________________
Student Name__________________________________________________________________________________

Topic Primary questions Sub questions

 Yearbook Workflow

Tutorial Guides
Basic Page Planning and Layout

The following steps are intended as practice to lead you though the process of planning and setting up test pages for your yearbook.

These Tutorials do not contain step by step instructions. They are to be used as a guide to exploring the page layout learning curve.

The illustrations shown are from Adobe InDesign, however, the same concepts apply if when using PageMaker for your Yearbook.

These Tutorial pages can be developed and printed for use by the yearbook staff during the training period.

Educators are also eligible for discounted pricing on advanced Adobe online courses developed by product experts at Element K.

Getting Started on the Tutorial Guide:

I. These steps can be enhanced by using an existing magazine layout as a sample project.

II. These tutorials are intended for use AFTER completing the free on-line introductory courses on the Adobe Education Web-site:
www.adobe.com/education (Training) http://www.adobe.com/education/training/main.html

III. You will find that it is easy to learn this software with the use of the on-line introductory training, plus guidance from readily
available books, such as:
Visual Quick Start Guides, by Peachpit Press
(This series allows you to look up any tool or technique listed in an extensive index, thus allowing the user
to skip directly to a specific question.)

Adobe Classroom in a Book, Adobe Press – Available on-line at

http://www.adobe.com/education/training/books.html
(This series offers a step by step approach to learning the software. These and a list of other helpful
books for learning Adobe software are available online at
http://www.adobe.com/education/training/main.html )

IV. The notes you take as you go through the on-line training and each step of the Tutorial Guides as a way of reinforcing the
Learning process. Your notes can then be added to this these pages and printed as a guide for your yearbook staff.
 Yearbook Workflow

TUTORIAL GUIDE

Step 1. Placing photos touching an eyeline around a horizontal axis. NOTES:

http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual2/pages/typography2.html
Yale Manual of Style, Pattern and page design
”When your content is mostly text, typography is the tool you use to "paint" patterns of
organization on the page. The first thing your reader sees is not the title or other details of
the page, but the overall pattern and contrast of the page. The reader's eye scans the
page first as a purely graphic pattern, then begins to track and decode type and page
elements. The regular, repeating patterns established through carefully organized pages
of text and graphics help the reader to quickly establish the location and organization of
your information, and increase the overall legibility of your pages.”
 Yearbook Workflow

TUTORIAL GUIDE

Step 2. Caption placement touching photos NOTES:

When placing text as a caption to a photo be sure that the copy for the
caption is placed in such a way as to connect the reader directly to the
photo being captioned.
 Yearbook Workflow

TUTORIAL GUIDE

Step 3. Body copy filled with placeholder text NOTES:

Before the copy is complete, placeholder text sometimes called “Lorum

Ipsum” is used to determine the effect of copy in the layout.
 Yearbook Workflow

TUTORIAL GUIDE

Step 4. Frame options→2 columns of type; type formatted 10 pt. with NOTES:
12pt leading

- These are standard column, type and leading specifications for a well
designed, readable page.
- These settings are established within InDesign or PageMaker.
 Yearbook Workflow

Step 5. Placing the Headline unit: Head and Subhead NOTES:

- Headings and Subheadings can flow across columns and connect several
text boxes.
- This arrangement adds interest and energy to the page layout.
- Headlines and Subheads can also be placed in different type faces than
body copy and captions.
- Choose type faces for Headlines and Subheads that are distinct and do
not confuse the layout.
 Yearbook Workflow

Step 6. Apply color to Subhead NOTES:

To add interest, create an outline from the text and paste a selected image
from a paint program into the headline.
 Yearbook Workflow

Step 7. Importing photos. NOTES:

Importing Photos is the next step in completing page layouts.

Size and position photos according to the layouts established staying
within the image box.

In specific layouts, photos can also cross over more than a single column
to create added drama.
 Yearbook Workflow

Step 8. Write captions, format lead-in and apply color to the text. NOTES:
 Yearbook Workflow

TUTORIAL GUIDE

Step 9. Apply drop shadow to the photos. NOTES:

Drop shadows can add depth and interest to a page layout without adding clutter.