The two most common types of artwork in a newsletter are line art and continuous tone. Line copy refers to any original art that will be used in your newsletter that is made up of solids, lines or dots, but NOT of gradations of tones. Continuous tone refers to any art, or its reproduction, that has tonal gradation without the use of halftone dots. More specifically, line art can be black & white or solid color, usually type, pen and ink drawings, and continuous tone refers to black & white or four-color, with shades of greys, usually photographs.
However, just because you have a photograph for your newsletter, do not assume you can just scan it into the layout or paste it down. You must first create a halftone. A halftone is a reproduction of a photograph or other original subject that has highlights, shadows, and intermediate tones. These tones are achieved by "breaking up" the image into a graduated series of dots through a photographic process. A contact screen is used with photo-sensitive film or paper to produce halftones for reproduction of photographs in your newsletter. The screen itself is created photographically and has a dot structure such as 85-line, 100-line, etc. Once a halftone has been made, either as a contact print or negative, your photo is ready for printing.
Borders are also considered “artwork” and can be either a plain or ornamental frame around text composition, graphics/art elements or a combination of the two.
Looking for a creative way to display statistical data that your readers will easily understand? Use infographics! Such elements as pie charts, bar graphs and comparison tables can say volumes in a minimal amount of space - just be sure to match the data with the appropriate infographics! Once you have created your infographics, think of it as part of your story. Insert it within the article without disturbing the reader's eye flow.
Clip art is the term given to drawings and/or illustrations that are available either free or for purchase and that may be used for unlimited reproduction purposes (copyright-free). In most cases, the art is simply clipped out and pasted up directly onto your layout.
You can usually get free illustrations from government agencies on anything they've published. If you see a piece you're interested in, phone the company that published it, and ask where you can send your written request. Also, check into books that have passed into the public domain, old advertisements, and contact local newspapers, historical societies, colleges and universities for free artwork. Clip art is available from a number of sources (including online) who produce this material in book form or by a monthly subscription service (usually for a fee). In order for clip art to have value, you must be able to readily locate a specific piece.
One of the best ways to do this, is to organize your hard copy clip art by subject headings in some sort of filing system. Use terms that are descriptive (relevant) and familiar. You can also include sub-headings under your headings.
For example: Sports
Under “Sports,” you could include such sub-headings as: Basketball; Baseball; Golf; Swimming; etc., and also a “General” category. (If you’re really organized, you could even include a brief summary of each specific piece - i.e., line drawing graphic of basketball going into basket)
Whether you are scanning or manually cutting and pasting a piece of artwork for your newsletter, try to obtain the best quality original as possible. Your artwork should have dense black areas and clear white areas.
Photographs and Photography
By following a few simple suggestions, you'll be taking photos you can be proud to publish in your newsletter! Here are some helpful tips:
Begin by investing in a 35mm camera that has auto focus and a zoom lens (a range of 35mm to 70mm) - this will accommodate most of your photographic needs. Any brand of film will work, but it's best to use a black and white film such as Kodak Tri X (or similar) with a film speed of ISO 400 - this will allow you the greatest flexibility in lighting situations.
Then, visualize your picture through the lens before you click! Imagine what the finished photo will look like and try to eliminate as much distracting background as possible. This special effort will help you get the pictures needed to attract your audience
There's nothing worse than a photographer who remains stationary and doesn't move to get the best possible photo. If you're shooting an event and the crowd is rather sparse, move in and get as many people in the shot as you can to give the illusion of a well-attended function. Stand on chairs, crouch down to a child's level, go up the stairs to a balcony...just move!
One of the easiest ways to get variety in your photos is to hold the camera vertically to get a tall shot.
A contact print is a photographic print made with the negative (or positive) in contact with sensitized paper. The images are reversed and prints can only be made the same size as the original. Be sure to ask if this service is available before you drop off your film to be developed! A contact print is one of the most effective (and inexpensive) ways to look at every picture taken from a single roll of film - without having full-size prints made. It shows each shot in miniature on one sheet, so you can choose which one(s) to enlarge for your newsletter. By using a magnifying glass, you can easily check for detail.
Once you have a photo you’d like to use…
Almost any photo can be improved with proper cropping. Focus on the main subject of the photo and eliminate any dead space or distracting backgrounds. Close-ups of faces and gestures are important, but you can usually cut off legs and tummies for a more dramatic statement. Don't be afraid to crop photos to enhance the main point of interest in the picture. The only exception would be in the case of a need to fill space in your newsletter.
One of the handiest cropping tools you can use is two "Lìs" cut from cardboard. Simply lay them over the photo to form a frame, and adjust to see what the cropped photo will look like.
Grease pencils can be used to make crop marks directly on your photos (or to write other instructions in the margins). Simply wipe off the marks if you need to re-use the photo at a later time. (They usually sell for under $1 in most art shops.)
To quickly determine the exact percentage of a reduction, use a proportion dial. First set the two dimensions of the original photo opposite each other. Then read any two dimensions are opposite each other as the final proportional height and width.
To understand proportion, think of a perfect 8"x8" square that you want to reduce. When reduction occurs, the width of the square will be exactly the same as the height. For example, if you reduce your square by 50%, the finished size will be 4"x4". One of the most common errors for those new to reduction is a 50% reduction of 17"x22". The correct answer is 8-1/2"x11", but many often give 11"x17" as an incorrect answer.
If you need to automatically enlarge or reduce a desirable segment of your artwork without computation, use a Scale-O-Graph. Begin by placing it on your photo or artwork, select the most effective composition and lock in the proportion. The plastic arms slide freely on a diagonal bar to maintain the proportion you have chosen. A pencil outline can then be drawn on your layout using the Scale-O-Graph opening as a guide.
Every once in a while you'll run across the "perfect" photo, but the person or object is facing the wrong way. A quick fix to this problem, is to ask your printer to flop the negative before printing.
It usually doesn't cost extra money, but beware! Check, and double-check, for any type or words in the photo that could be printed backwards with this technique. Also, if the subject has a wedding ring or any other distinguishing characteristics, flopping may not be the best solution.
To give your photos a nice clean edge, consider using a border line around the entire photo. The line itself should be at least 2 pts. (1/32") wide and can be made on your computer or with border tape. Be sure to explain to your printer that you do intend to have a border (otherwise, they may think your border is just a "place holder.")
Accidents happen and a misplaced photo can be disastrous. Be sure to include the following information with each photo you send to your printer: 1) Location (page and placement); 2) Identification (name of your newsletter or business); 3) Halftone or lineshot; 4) Percentage of enlargement or reduction (100% if stays same size); and, 5) Cropping instructions.
Above all, always check your photos for crispness. If they look slightly blurry, or out of focus, on the original, you can bet they will look even worse after they have been printed in your newsletter.
EXERCISE:
Where do you find your graphics? Do you have a favorite software program? Or, have you found an online resource that meets your needs? Perhaps, you are an artist or maybe you are a photographer? Whatever your source is, submit the title of the book, software program or website (with URL), etc. and a brief description of why it is your favorite. Please send it to Ezines@bellaonline.com and we'll publish some of your examples. Thank you!
Don't miss Part 1 in this series: Starting a Newsletter - Why Publish a Newsletter
And Part 2: Starting a Newsletter - Anatomy of a Newsletter
Part 3: Starting a Newsletter - Naming Your Newsletter
Part 4: Starting a Newsletter - Hit 'Em Hard with Headlines
Part 5: Starting a Newsletter - Making a Commitment
