Semester One Critique 2017

This semester had some challenges, as it was my very first semester on The Muse, but overall it was very successful and had some positive outcomes. I enjoyed working with the other layout staffers and collaborating to make interesting graphics and layouts.

In the beginning of the semester, I was already familiar with Adobe Photoshop and InDesign, but I didn’t have any experience with Adobe Illustrator. Jenna did an excellent job teaching me the program and getting me comfortable with using it on my own. After I was used to all of the programs, we started making graphics. At first it was pretty challenging because I didn’t have any idea what I was doing, but I eventually got the hang of it.

Some things that I think the layout staff could improve on for next semester is possibly having graphic assignments turned in during the layout meetings. Layout meetings are fun, but they take a very long time if the staffers don’t know what they want to do with their layouts. Also, some staffers don’t turn in their graphic assignments until the last minute, which makes it hard for layout to get a head start on the graphics. Staffers should also be more specific on their graphic assignment sheets, so the layout staff doesn’t have to guess what they want us to do since it is hard to communicate sometimes if they are in a different class period. Another thing that the layout staff could improve on is coming up with a set style for graphics and infographics. There should be a set design, stroke size, and font size so The Muse looks more cohesive. Jenna, Joel, and I all have very different styles and approaches when making graphics, which makes the magazine look like it was made by different people (even though it was).

Jenna was a very good layout editor. She helped me every step of the way and made me feel comfortable and confident in what I was doing. She is funny and personable, so I knew that if I had a issue she would have no problem lending me a hand. Joel was also a really helpful staffer. Him and I were both new to this, so we helped each other out by working together on graphics and asking each other questions if we were confused. I think that overall the layout staff worked really well together this semester in order to get graphics and templates done on time. We also worked well together during layout meetings by being supportive of each others ideas and collaborating on ways to make the layouts interesting and unique.

Overall, this issue was a great learning opportunity and gave me the chance to learn how The Muse works and what it takes to be a layout staffer. The first issue turned out really well, and I was proud of everything the layout staff put together and how the end result came out. The second issue is coming out great as well, but there are a few time management issues. Next semester there are definitely some things that need to be tweaked to make it a more efficient process, but for my first few weeks I think it went well.

Other High School Publications

After looking at some other High School Publications from around the country, there are a few things that I think The Muse could learn from and take some tips from. I think that we set a good example for high school publications as well.

The Pathfinder is a high school publication located in Missouri. Their website is very clean and professional, similar to The Muse. I like their large photos on the front of the webpage, and the articles are easy to find. Another element that I liked about this website is that they posted their morning announcements on the page, which I think would be an interesting way for The Muse to collaborate with DSOA Today, in order for students to get the most school news possible. We could also post projects from the film department, and maybe even advertise the other publications so students are mores aware of what the communications department produces, and for some of the other classes to work together more. Since most people at the school read the Muse, it would be a great way to advertise other events in the communications department.

The Red & Black is a high school publication at Pachogue- Medford High School. Their website is very cohesive with the color scheme and content. The content was relative and localized, which made the stories interesting to read for the people in that area. The Red & Black also have a page where they list all of the awards their publication has won. I thought this would be an interesting addition to our website to showcase the awards that we have won.

The Leaf is a publication at Sycamore High School. Their website is very visually pleasing and easy to navigate. Although a lot of their pictures weren’t taken by them and probably found online, the amount of pictures was still visually pleasing. One thing I think the Muse could take from this publication is that they had a separate tab for their multimedia elements. This allows students to easily access the multimedia that we produce in one area. Additionally, they had little announcements scrolling at the top of the page which allowed readers to get quick, brief information without having to look for it.

The Central Digest is a high school publication for Chattanooga Central High School. I like their emphasis on social media and upcoming events at their school. Something we could take from this publication is that they have a section dedicated to highlighting teachers and alumni. I think this would be an interesting way to feature the success of Dreyfoos students once they graduate, and also accomplishments of our fellow teachers. I think students would like to read about other people that have gone through Dreyfoos and what they are doing now.

Overall, I think that some of the other high school publications from around the country have a lot to offer, and a lot that we could learn from. I think that as a class, we should research student publications more often to improve the quality of our website and magazine.

Muse Hours

Over the course of the semester, I have earned many hours for the Muse. Not only have they benefited me, but the publication as a whole as well. Everyone’s contributions outside of class time help the magazine come together.

During lunch meetings, I am able to catch up with my section and editor and see what needs to be done for the week. If needed, I will occasionally work on graphics or do anything that needs to be done that I didn’t have time in class to finish. I also sometimes have layout meetings with editors that are in the seventh period. These are vital in order to plan out the layouts for those sections.

Stay- afters are where I receive most of my hours. During stay- afters, the layout staff and I work on making the graphics that go on the spreads for print. We also assist the other staffers in putting together their layouts if they aren’t comfortable with using InDesign yet. Stay- afters are probably the most important part of the Muse, not just because I get my work done that I wouldn’t have time for in class, but also because it is a chance for both class periods to come together and help each other out. We never really have the chance to work with the other class period, so stay- afters are very important for that.

Overall, my hours that I have received for the Muse have been well spent. I have worked very hard to get these hours, instead of just showing up to the stay- afters and recording the hours. Being on the layout staff is hard work, but I enjoy it thoroughly.

Design Section Reflection

This year on the Muse I was a design and layout staffer. We worked together to design the layout spreads for every page of the issue, and made the graphics for print and web. I have learned a lot this year being on the layout staff and getting to work with all of the sections to ensure that the Muse is as visually appealing as possible. This year had some very valuable experiences, but there are also some things that can be done so next year runs even smoother.

This year on the Design and layout section I have learned many valuable lessons. I first and foremost learned how to use Adobe Illustrator to make graphics. Although I already had experience working with Photoshop and InDesign, I gained more experience working with these programs and finding easier ways to do things. I passed my Adobe InDesign Certification Test on my first try, so the things that my editor taught me definitely payed off. I also learned the process of submitting graphic assignments for web and print, making templates, and what it takes to design a spread. Finally, I learned leadership skills and got the opportunity to teach people how to use InDesign and how to create a spread.

Although this year went fairly smoothly, there are a few things that I think could change for next year. Communication between layout staffers and writers needs to be increased. There have been times where I have received a graphic assignment that was unspecific, and when I talked to the writer they were still vague, but once I made the graphic they had a lot of changes they wanted me to make. The new graphic assignment process requires staffers to leave a detailed description and reference photos of what they want the graphic to look like, but some people still do not do that. We need to make it required for the writers to know what they want the graphic to look like before they submit the assignment, just like how they need to do before layout meetings.

One newsmagazine that I think the layout staff could gain inspiration from is Northstar, a magazine out of Francis Howell North High School. Their photos and layouts have a very nice aesthetic that I think the Muse could adopt. The pages are clean and simple, with solid writing and they use interesting infographics that draw the reader to the page. Their headline style differs from page to page, and makes the spreads interactive.

For next year, I would like to make the Muse more interactive with the website and for the reader. I would also like to change the variety of spreads that we do, instead of the typical full page photo with the story on the other page. I would like to utilize more photos and white space instead of text heavy pages to make the spreads look cleaner and more eye-catching. I think changing the layout of Arts Index, instead of putting the captions on top of the pictures, and using the wrap around cover pages would make the issues look a lot more aesthetically pleasing.

The Muse 2017- 2018

This year on the Muse was a great first experience. I learned a lot of new things this year and had a great time working on the layout staff. Overall, I think  I did a fairly good job of staying on task and getting my work done. I hope to continue my work as a layout staffer and perfect the things I have learned and practiced this year.

This year I met all of my deadlines. I managed to finish all of my assigned graphics on time without any difficulties. There were some things this year that were pretty last minute, but only because we were unaware of the assignment. Another challenge this year was writing an article. Although I am a layout staffer, they had me write a web article for Features. They had to give me an extension because they wanted me to get a few more quotes, but I got the photo assignment, social media assignment, and article finished and posted just on time. It was difficult for me because I was unaware of the writing process and what exactly I was doing, but my article turned out well and I am pleased with the outcome.

I completed my business requirement in the first quarter. I sold two ads, one for the Kravis Center and one for Young Singers of the Palm Beaches. I wish I would have sold more ads throughout the year in order to raise more money for the publication, but next year I hope to sell more ads at the beginning of the year so we have enough money to print all of the issues.

Being a layout staffer was fairly slow during class time. Aside from the occasional web graphic assignment, the only things we did in class were layout meetings and templates. During slow times, like the beginning of the issue, I tried to stay as on task as possible. I asked other staffers if they needed any help and reminded them to submit graphic assignments. I made sure to attend every layout meeting to ensure that my ideas were contributed to all of the spreads. I collaborated a lot with the Design Section in order to produce good graphics and come up with unique spreads for each issue.

Most of the work I did on the layout staff was during stay afters. I attended all of the stay afters and worked on making the graphics for the print issues. It took a lot of work and dedication, but it payed off in the end. I also helped other staffers learn how to use InDesign and helped them with their spreads if they needed it. Also outside of class, we held layout meetings for the editors that were not in our class. I enjoyed layout meetings, they were fun and it was interesting to see the ideas that everyone had for the pages.

I collaborated a lot this year with the other staffers on my section. We worked together to create elements of certain graphics, and used each others ideas to come up with ideas for the spreads. My editor was very helpful, and taught me a lot about being a good layout staffer. She was always willing to help us out and teach us new things. The other staffers on the publication were fairly easy to work with. Some of them were very understanding and helpful when it came to graphic assignment and layout meetings, while others sometimes were very set in their ways, even if their plans were not doable. I think that this year I stayed very compliant and patient with my editor and my peers. I was always willing to help others out and learn from my mistakes. One issue that I did have, is that sometimes I would spend a long time making a graphic, and then one of the editors would change it on their own without telling me what I could have improved on it. Instead of doing it themselves, I would have liked to have known what I could have done better.

I have become a much better designer over this past year. When I started on the Muse, I did not know how to use Adobe Illustrator. Now I feel very comfortable making graphics on the program and using Photoshop to put the elements together. I have also learned a lot about working together with other people and collaborating with others that have their own ideas and mindsets. Finally, I have learned how to teach people about the basics of Adobe programs and how to use InDesign to make their spreads.

Overall, this year was really successful for me on the Design Section. I was able to become Adobe Certified in InDesgin, and next year I hope to become certified in Photoshop and Illustrator. I also hope that next year I can become more comfortable making complex graphics, and coming up with page designs that are unique and interactive. I really hope that next year exceeds my work done this year and everyone works together to make the publication run as smoothly as possible.