Yearbook: Weekend Layout Session

After all of our image deleting and selection after our photoshoot with the Surface Pattern students Ian, Charlotte and myself decided to set up a studio in Ian's kitchen last weekend. Plenty of access to coffee and biscuits but most importantly each other. Our plan was to get the layout of the book sorted over the two days ready to show the proof to Surface Pattern tutors at our meeting this week and working together in this way paid dividends as we were able to discuss any layout / formatting / running order queries with each other and resolve them quickly. 

(Cheers to Tim the documentary photographer)

We also found time to fit in a BBQ break on Saturday evening - these will be mandatory in my own studio :)

We had already decided upon a grid and typefaces to use so it was just a case of setting up the document to our specifications. We were all working on sections of the book although Charlotte and I were working on CS3 so Ian had the master copy as he was working on CS5. Not a problem as he could open our CS3 files and compile the master. Our thinking was that a CS5 master would cause less problems working between Uni macs and home.   

Document Set-up: 

Paragraph Style: Copy Heading

Paragraph Style: Copy Body

We spent a lot of time on the layouts - hundreds of images went through the spreads and were cross referenced with our contact sheets, re-jigged, moved and replaced. The good news though is that we eventually managed to get every third year student into the book at least once in a section that relates to their work. This was easier for some than others A long slog but great result in the end. 

Development Spreads:

In addition to finalising the proof spreads we managed to get all type laid out (sans a couple of chapter descriptors). Example of the contact section at the end of the book:

Much clearer in columns:

All in all a very productive weekend. The book is looking really good now and appears to flow well on screen. Our next port of call is to print out a b&w proof of the book to see if it flows physically and so see if there are any glaring errors. Finger crossed the PT&SPD tutors like our handiwork and sign it off after our meeting.