New Style Guide

Using the new design

The top examples show how you can use the modules to create clean designs while implementing various entry points: quotes, maps and QR codes to help break up the big gray copy blocks of text that we are aiming to avoid on these presentations.

The bottom examples show how you can adapt the new style to create dynamic centerpieces. Headlines can move around the page to make the art the dominant element. Dropcaps help create other entry points for the reader. Make sure to incorporate white space into your design so elements don't seem jammed onto the page.

The New Design

The design introduces some updates to our current styles including:

8-column grid for covers
A bold sans serif font for centerpieces
Kicker color and placement
Factbox color
Refer box placement
White space for centerpieces

The overall goal of the new design is provide clean, organized content for our readers. Modules are a starting point for you. Look for ways to use white space and entry points to the page to help the reader become more engaged with the content.

White Space

One of the biggest changes to the design is the introduction of white space into our centerpieces. The function of the extra white space should:

Grab the readers attention and let's them know that this is the most important story on the page.
Allow your elements on the page to "breathe." Don't feel like you need to fill every space with an element.
Offer design flexibility. These modules are a starting point for your design. You can adjust the amount of white space around elements but make sure you do it evenly around the package.

Avoid wrapping stories around photos on covers

New A1 and Cover designs no longer allows stories to wrap around photos.

This technique will keep designs clean and prevent from producing overly gray pages. Elements such as pull quotes, refers and QR codes can be packaged and also combined with secondary photos to create a robust presentation.

Modules are a starting point. Try some variations.

The cover and A1 modules are built so you can easily plug in stories and photos and still have a clean design if you are on deadline. There is nothing wrong with using the module in its original format. These are built with effiency in mind if you are right up on deadline. The following examples show how one story can be changed to create various different designs while still following the basic concept of the modules.

The original module

The photos and headlines work nicely in the original module to create a clean, effective design for the page.

Introduce more white space

Making the headline two decks and the same width as the body copy helps mirror the white space that is used at the bottom of the package.
Adding more white space at the top and bottom of the package lessens the density of the block of body copy.

Think of photo placement

Moving the secondary photo to the top is another option to balance the page

Move headlines on the page

Try moving the subhed to the top and the main headline below the main art.
If the photos are close enough, combine the captions.

Add more art

The site has more art! Ask if you can use it on the cover.
You don’t have to fill every space. The QR at the bottom still has good white space around it.

Try different shapes

Use various photo sizes in the package.
Add skinny elements like the QR codes or captions.
Try adding photos to the middle columns of text.
The photo at the bottom doesn’t need to be the same width as the text. Just make sure your white space is even.

What's New

8-column grids

New 8-column grid to design all covers minus PAC’s A1. PAC’s A1 will continue to feature the 31-column grid due to the mailing label placed in the middle of the far right column.

Notes

1 pica gutters on the master page
Stories designed across multiple columns must have 1 pica gutters

New paragraph style:
HD1 News Lead

New headline style, HD1 NEWS LEAD, is the lead headline style for A1, sports and 360 centerpiece stories. The style is Amplitude Condense Black centered.

Headlines are placed above the main photo on the templates. You can move these around on the page, including placing them below the story in two decks.

New paragraph style:
Kickers

100 percent black.
Kickers are centered above centerpieces when headlines are centered.
Kickers are flush left on non-centered headlines.

New paragraph style:
Factboxes

The color beige has been replaced with Background Gray from the swatches.

The color beige is being retired.

New paragraph style:
Refer Boxes

Rule Above has been eliminated from the paragraph style. The text aligns to the top of the box. Refers can be designed the following ways:

1-column story: Place the refer 2 grid lines (2p) below the jump line.
2-column story: Place the refer at top of the second leg with 1 grid space (1p) between it and the story.
3-column story: Place refer at top of second column or it can go across columns 2 and 3 with 1 grid space (1p) between it and the story.
4-column story: Place refer at top of second column or it can go across columns 2 and 3 with 1 grid space (1p) between it and the story.

How to use white space within the design

More white space is featured on modules to allow elements on the page to breathe.

NOTES

1. 3 picas of space between vertical unrelated stories. Rule between stories sits directly between both stories. Space from story to rule on both sides is 1p6.

2. 4 grid spaces between horizontally stacked unrelated elements. Double horizontal rule between both stories. Space from story to rule on both sides should be 2 grid spaces.

3. Centerpieces next to unrelated stories are placed 3 grid lines short from top and bottom.

4. Centerpiece story starts at column 2 on the 8-column grid. The white space on both sides of the story should be equal.

5. Centerpiece designed across entire page is placed about 2 grid lines below the A1/Cover flag.

Still need help?

See our complete list of contact information.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse