Yearbook Tutorial
Layouts
What is a layout?
 A layout is how all the elements are
arranged on the page:
– Photographs
– Copy (the text)
– Graphics (artwork, lines, etc.)
 In yearbook design, a layout is a double
page spread.
There are rules for layout design.
 Rule #1: Design pages as doublepage
spreads.
 Rule #2: Work from the center to the edges.
 Rule #3: Do not trap white space.
 Rule #4: Use columns to line up your
elements.
 Rule #5: Use consistent internal margins.
Rule #6
 Break any of the above rules once you
know what you’re doing…but only for a
really, really, really good reason.
Standard Layout Designs
 Mosaic
– Why do you
think the
following
layout is called
a mosaic?
 Another
mosaic
layout:
 An example from an actual yearbook page
using a mosaic layout:
from Torrey Pines yearbook 2003
 Another standard layout design is called a
module design:
 Here is another example of a modular
layout.
 Here is another
mosaic type of
layout called a
smokestack. It is
almost a modular
design, except
one photograph
breaks the
straight line at the
top.
 Here is an example from an actual
yearbook:
from San Dieguito Academy yearbook 2003
 This is another
type of mosaic
layout, but it
isn’t modular
because it isn’t
straight on the
top.
 Instead, this is
called a skyline
mosaic.
Creating Layouts
 Standard layouts are good places to start.
 Page Surfer has pre-made layouts.
 Award-winning yearbooks are good places
to get ideas.
 Looking at popular magazines can also
inspire good layout designs.
 NOTE: Editors usually design most of the
layouts.
What Do You Need to Know
About Layouts if You Aren’t
Creating Them?
 If you have been assigned to work on a page
in the yearbook, you must know what the
layout is, because you will need the
following information:
– How many, and what type of photos will you
need (horizontal, vertical, square, dominant)?
– Is there room for a caption for each
photograph? If so, is the space large (2-3
sentence caption) or small (1 short sentence)?
– How much room is there for an article and
headline?
– Is there a sidebar or scoreboard or “up close
and personal” interview that needs to be
researched?
– What colors are going to be used? Any artwork
or tool lines? Background color?
– And the most important: What section is the
layout for?
Final Notes About Layouts
 To create an award-winning book, following
the expected rules for layouts impresses the
judges.
 In addition, consistency within a section of
the yearbook (for instance, the sports
section has the same style of layouts
throughout) impresses the judges.
 Finally, creativity and artistic skill are
impressive too!
Some Award-Winning
Yearbook Layouts
From the Academics/Faculty Section • Marian HS 2003
The next
examples are
from San
Dieguito
Academy’s 2003
yearbook. The
theme is “BE.”
Look for how
they carry out the
theme in the
layouts.
The next
pages are
from Scripps
Ranch HS
2003
Yearbook.
The theme is
hard to get
the first time,
but it helps if
you know
their school
was 10 years
old last year.
And here is the
book that usually
wins Best of
Show each year:
Torrey Pines HS.
We’re not quite
ready for their
level of play, but
their layouts are
always
interesting, so
take a look.
Works Cited
 The example layouts were taken from an
old textbook about yearbooks.
 The yearbook examples were from
yearbooks on display at the San Diego
County Fair (formerly the Del Mar Fair) in
June 2003.