simplify» creative strategies for newspaper designers

SIMPLIFYSIMPLIFY

S I M P L I F YIt’s the least you can do.

S I M P L I F Y

bare essence Decide what is absolutely necessary to tell a story. Anything beyond that could dilute the message.

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Paul Wallen

ruthless editing This page about the big east coast blackout uses some extreme editing to create drama.

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Tiny scale and generous white space illustrate the flea market idea.

San Jose Mercury News

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This example also plays with that sense of scale on a most minimal page, with not even a headline.

martin gee

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A simple pattern of black lines create a cross.

Tomasz Bochenki

A minimal color scheme and just part of a yin-yang symbol also give this profile of golfer Y.E. Yang a nice play of positive and negative space.

Christian Font

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cropping

By showing only a minimum of each character, the images become less literal and more powerful.

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Tight shots, cropped or not, can get to just the essence of the character.

Margit Toovere

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metaphorThe glowing clock radio expresses the idea of insomnia in a less literal, more emotional way.

Gustavo Lo Valvo

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understatementDownplayed branding.Tiny headline.Wide crop.Hidden face.Memorable page.

Trent Koland

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