Getting it down, in print
- Written by Victoria Giummarra
The school year rolls on and it’s production time in the Media classroom again. I think there is something in every Media teacher that loves those days when our students are on-task and the lessons just seem to operate with a wonderful sense of what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi termed ‘flow’ (or that feeling of utter focus and immersion).
But then it happens. “I want to do a print production”, they exclaim.
The thought of your students working in a medium that you might be personally less familiar with may result in one of the following responses….
1) you fall into an immediate fit of panic and respond with a simple ‘no’.
2) you force a smile (at least they have shown some enthusiasm and sense of decisiveness!) and say ‘sure, great idea!’ Then you start fretting, knowing that you will be up all night, brushing up your knowledge in order to stay that one step ahead.
It never fails to surprise me that teaching is, in so many ways, actually more about learning. For Media teachers, it seems we always have something new to learn. A new software program, a new model of equipment, a new form of media, a new vernacular. So we’re pretty good at it. Better than we think, actually.
So take a deep breath and let the student work in the unfamiliar medium. All you need to do is be supportive and capable enough to help them out…and quickly!
To save you some leg-work when working in print (or assisting the student who is), here are a few simple “I need it by tomorrow” solutions to your lesson planning. They are all web-based, so you can bookmark them tonight, then simply plug in the data projector and share them in class tomorrow. Teaching and learning ‘win’!
A little inspiration
http://sixrevisions.com/resources/10-unusual-places-to-get-design-inspiration/
This site is great for the brainstorming stage, as it gives ideas about where to go for a little design inspiration. It provides 10 things to consider and reflect on and comes complete with lovely visual examples. This site is invaluable for that student who wants to do print, but is still forming ideas about what it could possibly look like.
Real examples of print products
http://www.zineshop.com.au/
The ‘Bird in the Hand Zine Shop’ is an online zine, magazine and bookshop for self-published works. Here, you can have a look at other people’s work (great for getting ideas!) or make a purchase (we all love new resources to use in class). This shop reminded me of the great Sticky Institute, which is well worth a visit if you are based in Melbourne.
Design…in ‘student speak’
http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/documents/desktop_publishing/list3.cfm
Designed for students at Colorado State University, this site provides students with an easy to read (and understand) guide to layout and design. It’s a good place for them to take some notes from and then consider these in their own work.
Getting your head around the principles of design
http://desktoppub.about.com/od/designprinciples/Principles_of_Design.htm
This site links to a number of ‘graphic design’ tutorials pages exploring design principles such as white space, alignment and balance. It’s a handy one to use when teaching the specifications of layout and presentation, plus a good place to pick up the terminology of the medium.
Typography lesson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki6rcXvUWP0&feature=youtube_gdata_player
A short YouTube clip from the Vancouver Film School that explains typography and helps students to realise that it’s about more than just ‘pretty fonts’! Terminology relevant to typography is also mentioned here.
Fonts, fonts, fonts (or ‘typography’ for the more initiated)
http://ilovetypography.com/2008/04/04/on-choosing-type/
http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2011/02/10-iconic-fonts-and-why-you-should-never-use-them/
Both of these sites look at the art of typography. They discuss ‘crimes of the type’ and what should be considered when choosing a font. Helpful, interesting and designed to encourage better aesthetics in us all.
The designer’s process
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhnV21sL9UI
A short YouTube clip (more gimmicky than technical) that shows the decision-making process (and numerous changes) involved in the design of a page layout for the Royal Academy Magazine. A good video to highlight that the first idea or design that someone may come up with is not always the best.
Layout considerations
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4JBuCSgbZw&feature=related
This YouTube video provides visuals and audio about the features of magazine page layout. It includes a lots of great looking, different examples and speaks through the elements of the pages, considering what makes them visually engaging for the reader.
Getting practical
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOo4pp2-OIg&feature=related
A video tutorial from YouTube that shows, step-by-step, how to use Adobe InDesign CS5. This takes you through details such as settings and how to create a magazine layout that incorporates text and headers. And this video is only Part 1 of a much longer series of easy to follow ‘how to’ videos. Love it!
Keeping it real
http://www.gosquared.com/liquidicity/archives/114
And finally, some great tips for becoming a better designer. Some of these are aimed at professionals or those working with web pages, but the suggestions still have merit for anyone who wants to create their best work. A good one for students to visit half way through the production process, when they hate their idea and run out of puff.
So, tomorrow’s lesson has just taken care of itself. Happy teaching…but most of all, happy learning.