Is there more than one way to do it right?
For many years, there were prescribed guidelines that made yearbooks from around the land look very similar. In those days, there was little variation in coverage from book to book. Not only did the majority of books have the same sections in the same order, they often had the same spread topics year after year.
When it came to design, there were lots of rules and restrictions. From the space between elements and the number of photos on a spread to placement of the headline, copy and captions, designers lived in the world of “should” and “must.”
Today’s books display much more diversity. In fact, in terms of coverage, concept and design, there are books at both extremes and they run the full gamut in between. It’s obvious that staffs of today believe there’s more than one way TO DO IT RIGHT (and whether or not something furthers the book’s concept plays a huge role in what they do).
VALKYRIE, PLEASANT VALLEY HS, Chico, CA This spread delivers layer after layer of coverage with the intent of including as many people as possible in the story of the year. With 23 photos and six copy packages, there are options for all kinds of readers.
SUMMIT, SMOKY HILL HS, Aurora, CO One way to make the spreads in the concept package distinctive is to create a literal break in the flow of the book. While the content packages feature an array photos and lots of kinds of coverage, the single-photo dividers provide a respite.
With more staffs striving to include as many students in the book as possible, there’s been a dramatic increase in the photographic and verbal coverage on each spread. It hasn’t been all that long since beginning designers were instructed that 5-7 photos per spread would lead to a successful design. But today’s best books are more likely to showcase 12-15 photos or more.
In contrast, some staffs will set the ?theme/concept pages apart by using fewer photos (sometimes only one) so that when the readers reach the end of any section, there’s an obvious visual break between the layers and layers of coverage on the content pages and the simplicity of the dividers which link each new section to the theme.
For many years, there was a single main story on most spreads. Then, sidebar stories were added and, in years since, layers of coverage proliferated. Most contemporary books feature three or more layers of verbal coverage, and some will include as many as eight different kinds of coverage.
There are other obvious changes in yearbook copy as well. In addition to the long-form narrative stories that have been used for decades, current books feature quizzes, time lines, quote bars and more. Short snippets of copy like those found in many magazines present the Q & A format, he said/she said, definitions, slang and top 10 lists. It’s no longer true that a “sidebar” is simply another typical yearbook story. In some books, alternative copy formats have replaced the traditional story altogether.
And it used to be a given that a good yearbook included five sections, six if the book had ads. Student life typically appeared immediately after the opening since it was event-based and high in reader interest. Some books today aren’t divided into sections; others have as many as 10.
In 2009, it was not uncommon for books to use a conceptual strategy other than the traditional sections (student life, academics, sports, organizations and people). Chantilly (VA) HS had just two sections (can & did) in addition to a 216-page reference section. At the other extreme, the nine-photo package on the cover of Gainesville (FL) HS’s 2009 Hurricane tied the book to the year and represented each of the sections in the book. Detail shots from the cover later appeared and were captioned on each divider.
ODYSSEY, CHANTILLY (VA) HS You might expect a two-spread opening for a two-section book, but here’s proof that wouldn’t always be necessary. Because the opening copy read out of one word and into the other, a single opener did the trick. The opening was followed by two sections (can and did) containing topical spreads that combined to tell the story of the year. The book concluded with a massive reference section.
HURRICANE, GAINESVILLE (FL) HS The nine-photo cluster on the cover held several conceptual meanings. In addition to the tie to the year, each photo box introduced a color that would reappear on the divider and run through the section. Plus, the photographic hints from the cover gained context (and caption details) as the divider dominants.
Riverside HS in Auburn, WA divided coverage into sections represented by four colors and seasonal icons. Others used more of a time line approach to create chronological books. North Forsyth HS in Cumming, GA used a time-and datestamp on each coverage package to calendar events in the order they occurred. The single section of chronological coverage spanned 158 pages.
HAIDA, RIVERSIDE HS Auburn, WA To make the seasonal approach completely clear, a series of full-color icons graced the concept pages. As readers worked through the book, each section showcased a lone colored icon (the others were screened back in gray). In addition, all spreads in each section featured a color bar footer in the hue of the seasonal icon. On the concept pages, that bar was charcoal.
CARPE DIEM, NORTH FORSYTH HS, Cumming, GA In another spin on a chronological book, events were simply covered as they happened. Student life, academics, organizations and sports coverage was combined on spreads linked only by time. Each month was allotted several spreads of coverage (sometimes as many as 10 — and a date- and timestamp identified each separate module of coverage.
A unifying device is important, and today’s best books present an interesting mix of themes and concepts. In its truest sense, a theme is the verbal phrase that holds a book together. A themed book usually has traditional sections and the titles of each division would likely be theme-related.
On the other hand, a concept would often be less literal. It may be an idea or thought that can be used to dictate coverage; the concept might suggest ?fewer sections or more. It could also be
a graphic look or a voice that holds the ?book together.
In recent years, there seems to have been a morphing of themes and concepts. Some staffs have taken to developing a theme conceptually or working a concept thematically — and both of those can be powerful as well.
While there are fewer “musts” than existed in the past, the guidelines have not really changed. Whether a staff uses a theme or concept, the goal is to unify the book. A clear strategy for coverage will divide content into logical units. And design is all about arranging the content on the page so that it’s easy for the readers to consume.
Guardian, WESTFIELD HS, Chantilly, VA In today’s yearbooks, there is no one standard copy format. In addition to the long-form narrative, weekly timelines, quote bars, first-person profiles and more provide layers of coverage featuring both visual variety and verbal intrigue.
Discoveries Vol. 14 Issue 1