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Every designer
grapples with this problem, and the grappling seems to evolve
like this:
When you start
designing pages, you’re mostly happy (and relieved) just
to see your pages PRINT:
But as time goes
by, you get a little bored with the black-ink-on-white-paper
look. And you realize that if you just add a slight background
tint to your layout -- a light gray, maybe, or a sandy brown --
your pages seem more stylish. More elegant. More sophisticated:
Excellent! A
powerful new design breakthrough! You’re a pro! Except
that, before long:
-- You start
noticing how those gray and brown background screens make a lot
of pages look drab and dreary;
-- You start
hearing how background screens make text tougher to read;
-- Your screens
sometimes print too dark, and pages get muddy, and one day your
boss suggests that you might want to keep those clunky gray and brown
screens out of his newspaper from now on.
And that’s
when you begin to re-appreciate the elegant simplicity of black
ink on white paper.
Now, that explains
why most older boss-types are less fond of background screens
than young designers are. But I say: Never remove a good tool
from your toolbox. And background screens are a terrific design
tool when used smartly -- even on Page One.
Check out these
examples:
Click on each page
for an enlarged version of these thumbnails.
If it’s
guidelines you need, try these:
-- Have a reason for running a background
screen. Don’t just throw a gray wash over the page
because it seems less dull that way. The two best reasons for
adding a screen are:
a) to help visually
organize a complex layout. For instance, if you’re assembling a
package that combines photos, sidebars, charts, etc., a subtle
page screen can help unify elements, calm the chaos, guide the
reader’s eye and help items “pop.” OR:
b) to add drama or flair
to a special story or feature. Think, for a moment, of good magazine
design. Most magazine pages are white, of course, but when
magazine designers decide it’s time for something bold or
punchy, they lay down a large tint blocks in aggressive ways.
(Which usually looks more stylish than a mousy gray or brown
screen.)
In
short: A flat, white background provides a clean, elegant
canvas, yes -- but you gotta admit, white does little to
organize or energize a page.
-- Choose tints with care. The biggest danger is
losing contrast between the type (foreground) and the tint
(background), which drains visual impact and reduces
readability. So keep your light screens light, and your dark
screens dark enough to reverse out type, if that’s your
plan. Get to know your press’s strengths and weaknesses;
test small before you think big. Keep type readable by keeping
tints reliable.
-- Gather examples of good-looking
screenwork from well-designed magazines and newspapers. Discuss
what works and what doesn’t; draw up some general
guidelines with your boss (or your underlings) so everybody can
avoid both paranoia and recklessness.
Finally, take a
look at design trends at papers in Europe and Mexico. Their use
of color makes American papers look timid and uptight by
comparison. So ask your colleagues: Is it time to move in THIS
direction?
Click on each page
for an enlarged version
of these thumbnails.
for an enlarged version
of these thumbnails.
