Less can be more

Designing for a newspaper on a “big news” day, such as the death of Gerald Ford or even the Cougar’s loss in the Apple Cup, can be a challenging task. Designers struggle with how to place more focus on one story, and still accurately tell the rest of the news.

In the article “One Image, One Word,” Anne Van Wagener points out ways to accomplish just this.

In this article Wagener speaks about how simple design can make a powerful statement. She gives examples of layout during Hurricane Katrina. Wagener makes a powerful argument that a devastating phenomenon, such as September 11th or Hurricane Katrina, deserves a clean and accurate design. Rather than using several images of the event, she suggests using the most powerful image to evoke feelings from the readers. Pictures stacked upon one another can draw attention away from each photograph’s emotion. A simple, bold headline can accomplish this same effect.