Visual Voice

Now more than ever, well-rounded visual journalists are needed in print, online and broadcast newsrooms.

The days of the “art department” are over. The role of the designer has become the role of visual editor. Functions such as planning and coordinating -- and serving as a daily contributor of ideas for presenting the news -- all occur before a single visual element is created.

But what skills are absolutely critical for the journalists filling such roles? Which skills would someone in a hiring position need to look for in a candidate? Here's my take on these questions. I invite you to add yours here.

A STRONG FOUNDATION IN THE FUNDAMENTALS

Typography
Understanding the nuances of typography is for me a critical skill. I was fortunate to have a wonderful typography teacher who taught  not only about the elements and beauty of a letterform, but the functionality of it.

A single letter can have multiple characteristics which create the visual representation of that letter. A letter may have a serif, or strokes at the top and bottom of letters. Counters, or the enclosed or partially enclosed space of the letter O or P, and many others. All of these subtle characteristics create the personality and identity of the letter and ultimately, its readability.

One of the key aspects of readability is a smooth reading experience. Develop an eye for disruptions such as letter spacing (kerning) and tracking that is too tight or too loose in headlines and other text.

In most newsroom situations, designers have a limited number of typefaces to work with. These typefaces become part of the spirit of the publication. Each typeface, hopefully no more than two or three styles, should have a specific function. These functions should be outlined in a design stylebook.

But readers don’t care if a headline is set in Franklin Gothic type or Times Roman. Good typography is transparent to the reader. What matters is the readability of a typeface, and most importantly, is the headline clear. Once the type style is in place, all of the focus should be placed on writing good headlines.

There are many wonderful typography books available for you to explore. Here are a few of my favorites.
• Designing with Type: A Basic Course in Typography by James Craig
• Typographic Design: Form and Communication by Rob Carter, Ben Day, Philip Meggs
• A Typographic Workbook by Kate Clair
• The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst

Look for the upcoming launch of  Typography for News Design at NewsU.org.

Other type resources:
Know Your Type

Typography: Less is More

Elements of Typography

Type: Mood and Personality

Type Culture


Color Theory
It's not about color palettes, though they are an important part of the identity and spirit of a publication. Most of us live in a color-filled world and as visual communicators we must understand how color works. Color theory wasn't cooked up by someone for their own amusement. Color is a gift from nature that we can use as a powerful tool in storytelling and navigation.

Make color work for you by giving it a job to do. Use color to create a mood and evoke emotion. Use color to guide the eye and emphasize information. Again, color is a tool that is transparent to the reader but enhances information and usability.

Color resources:
Books on color theory:
"The Elements of Color"
By Johannes Itten
ISBN: 0471289299

"The Pantone Guide to Communicating with Color"
By Leatrice Eiseman
ISBN: 0966638328

"The Color Index"
By Jim Krause
ISBN: 1581802366

On the Web:
Color, Contrast & Dimension in News Design
 
Understanding Color


Design
Design is about content. Using space, contrast of size, color, type, mood and concepts to communicate the essence of a story. The story drives the design and a designer should understand that they are not designing for self-satisfaction.

As I grow as a designer I find it more and more important to simplify and distill ideas into most basic forms. For me, that means developing clean designs through the use of the grid, consistent typography, usually using only one typeface, keeping decorative elements to a minimum and allowing the content and visual elements to enhance one another.

A good communicator and listener
Learn to speak the language of visuals and journalism. Often times we run into obstacles that are created by the lack of a common language. My experience has been that it takes time and experience to develop a style of communication that allows the free exchange of ideas.

A good visual communicator can articulate a concept and the reasoning behind design choices in a non-threatening and non-defensive way. Design isn't personal even though you might take it personally.

Resources:
Pure Design
By Dr. Mario Garcia
ISBN: 0-9724696-0-5

Watch Your Language, by Ron Reason.

Language of the Image
a News University online tutorial

Curiosity about the world
Development as a visual journalist depends heavily on the desire to learn as much about the world as possible. And by that I mean the world outside the newsroom. Yes, you must know your current events, but  developing conceptual ideas requires a deeper knowledge of a wide variety of topics. Everything from how things work to literature and politics.

Create an idea file where you catalog things that inspire you. Don't just buy design books with other people's work in them. Fill your shelves with odd books from used or out-of-print book stores. You never know when you'll need a book on the history of anvils. Have fun with it.

The definition of a well-rounded visual journalist continues to move toward a mutli-disciplined, multi-platform skill set that uses both sides of the brain: Analytical journalist on the left and creative problem solver on the right.  

Other useful resources to provoke more thinking:
Process of Designing Solutions

American Institute of Graphic Arts design education forum

Does Design Matter?