5 things to read and see this week
This week, check out some links on the importance of social design, creating logos and identities for higher education and multiple newspaper covers about universities’ upcoming spring breaks.
1. NHS Identity Policy: why social design is not a waste of money
This article does a great job reminding everyone that investing in good design, even when a company has a limited budget, is useful and important. Good design streamlines actions, transcends language, can be emotionally and mentally healing and can even save money.
“No, visual communications should not overtake the need for hospital beds, medical research or life-saving drugs — but for as long as design is regarded as an irrelevant, “stupid” waste of time, money and resources, we are limiting its ability to work alongside medicine and science to change lives.”
— Sarah Dawood
2. This designer created a poster for nearly 1,400 days straight
This is incredible. That’s over four years of creating a poster every single day. Of course, out of those 1,400 posters, there were plenty that the designer didn’t like. But by constantly creating something every day, even when she didn’t like them, she forced herself out of her comfort zone and ultimately helped herself break out of the pressure of perfectionism.
“By being okay with making bad things, she’s opened herself up to creating some truly fantastic work, too.”
— Liz Stinson
3. University Blues: the challenges of crafting identities for higher education
Launching a new corporate identity for a college or university can be a challenge, especially when students take to social media to express their (sometimes very negative) opinions. This article explains some of universities’ failures in getting logos to stick, changes they had to make and what steps they had to take to ensure that the new branding didn’t go down in a hail of angry tweets.
4. Why are designers still expected to work for free?
Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code, has made his latest book cover design into a competition that graphic designers can enter — without compensation. This article discusses the problems with expecting designers to work for free and how it contributes to the undervaluing of art and design.
5. If I Had To Do It All Over Again
Leaders in the world of design, from the VP of design for Airbnb to an Adobe creative resident, reflect on what they would have changed in their design journeys. Their advice covers topics like being afraid to try something completely foreign, picking their areas of work more carefully and trusting their instincts.
Page Designs
- Spring Break Staycation | The Miami Hurricane, University of Miami
A very fun and bright cover that captures the vibe of a calm spring break in Miami. I love the theme of staying in town that lends itself well to a calm and spring-y color palette of light pink and navy. The cover stays clean with just one teaser that explains the paper without extra frills beyond the script headline. It’s something I would definitely want to pick up and flip through while lying on the beach.
2. A Tale of Two Teams | The State News, Michigan State University
I’m really impressed with the fact that someone had to cut out six different basketball players and one basketball coach in Photoshop, which must have taken a very long time. The cutouts are really well done, and the way they are laid over each other on the cover isn’t overwhelming. Keeping the background simple was a smart choice, as it really lets the photos and headline shine.
3. Catch me Outside | Ka Leo, University of Hawai’i at Manoa
Another really fun spring break cover. I love how they manipulated the background of the photo to draw your eye to the word “Outside.” The 3D effect makes the word pop, and by drawing out the “e” the reader’s eye is directed straight to the teaser and the area around the picture, all while keeping with the beach-y and bold theme.
4. Golden Opportunities | The Daily Californian, University of California, Berkeley
This is actually the cover of their special section, not a doubletruck, so the picture was initially turned sideways when you look at the paper. But the imagery is so strong and the headline so impactful that I think it really works. It would make an excellent poster to hang in a dorm room or apartment.
5. Welcome home, Jane | The Vidette, Illinois State University
The strong portrait photography is what makes this page pop, and the designer did a great job keeping it clean with a simple translucent box on the side with the beginning of the interview. I just wish they had taken a bit more risk with the headline. If they had played around with it more and had some fun with the typography, it would have really embodied Jane Lynch’s personality.
If you think you have a well-designed page or a good read to share for the next roundup, email me at shays2@elon.edu
Students, did you know you can join the Society for News Design for as little as $5 a month?
