Presenters: Darryl Palmer and Tracy Bryant – University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, IFAS Communications It’s no secret that graphic artists and editors can take very different approaches to the same project. Add your client’s own vision into the mix and you have a prescription for chaos—or a synergy of talents that yields a creative breakthrough. This session will focus on the challenges and inspirations that result when word nerds and design geeks collaborate. We’ll discuss designing for different formats, using words and images to clarify and amplify your message, communicating with clients, writing with design in mind, and other strategies that can lead to effective, award-winning educational resources and promotional materials.

1. Where the Left Brain
Meets the Right Brain
Artists and Editors in
Collaboration
Darryl Palmer
Tracy Bryant

2. Introduction
! Darryl, UF Editor
! Tracy, UF Designer

3. Introduction
! Collaborated on a number of projects
! Brochures, flyers, banners
! Books, calendars, magazines
! Booklets, newsletters

4. Left Brain vs Right Brain
! Right brain: visually, spatially aware
! Left Brain: logically, verbally aware

5. Hat or Fork?

6. Left Brain vs Right Brain
! Hat: appearance, visual
association (right brain)
! Fork: function, logical
association (left brain)

7. Left Brain vs Right Brain
Cultural Cliches
! Right Brain People: artistic, warm, emotional
! Left Brain People: verbal, cold, logical

8. Left Brain vs Right Brain
New Research Findings
! BOTH right and left brains
involved in thinking
! Each side contributes a different
approach

9. Left Brain vs Right Brain

10. Left Brain vs Right Brain
! S : cumulative, big picture (right brain)
! F : particular, detailed picture (left brain)

11. Left Brain vs Right Brain
Speech
! Left: Grammar, word production
! Right: Intonation, emphasis

12. Left Brain vs Right Brain
Space
! Left: Objects at particular locations
! Right: General sense of space

13. Left Brain vs Right Brain
! Left Brain, Right Brain work together to
solve problems.
! Editors (left brain) work with Designers
(right brain) to produce publications.

14. Table Talk
! Designer, Editor, and Client: Each brings a
particular set of goals and needs to the table.

15. Table Talk
Design Goals
! Visually appealing,
engaging and well orgainized
Design Needs
! Design template, visuals, space

16. Table Talk
Editorial Goals
! Informative, clear, precise, dynamic style
Editorial Needs
! Information, details, not concerned with space

17. Table Talk
Client Goals
! Vision, reach audience, maximum bang-for-buck
Client Needs
! Effective, efficient use of words and visuals

18. Table Talk
The Audience
! Audience needs: visuals that attract, writing that
communicates

19. Filling the Page
! Every publication becomes a battle for space

20. Filling the Page
! The use of space usually determines the type of
publication
! Books = more text, fewer design elements
! Pamphlets = less text, more design

21. Filling the Page
At first meeting with Client, determine:
! Audience
! Purpose/message
! Format (size, use of space)

22. Case Study: Research Report
Background History
! 1999-2006: list of research projects and
pubs. (book format—much text, less design)
! 2007-2010: Promotional publication featuring researchers
(magazine format, 500+ words, more design)
! 2011: Promo pub featuring research (brochure format;
200 words; high design)

23. Case Study: Research Report
! Client s vision: showcase interdisciplinary research
! Audience
! 1) recruiting faculty and students
! 2) grant funds, legislature

24. Case Study: Research Report
! Communication s vision: showcase the world-class
research and show how it affects the lives of
Floridians
! Not do a fluff piece that only highlights the
researchers

25. Case Study: Research Report
! Expectations and Limitations
! Expectations: fewer stories, simple design and
text, focus on results, great imagery
! Limitations: space, original photos

26. Case Study: Research Report
! Work process
! Challenges for Designer
! Started with layout, not content to get word
count for writers
! Working with the photographer

27. Case Study: Research Report
! Work process
! Challenges for Editor
! 2 phases of editing; Word file and layout

28. Case Study: Research Report
! Editing for clarity and simplicity
! Cut repetitions, jargon, lengthy descriptions &
explanations, quotes, narrative
! Leave only gist of research, its significance,
institutions involved

29. Case Study: Research Report
! Working together to finagle content
! Things designer can do: kerning, scaling, reduce
image size

30. Case Study: Research Report
! Working together to finagle content
! Things editor can to do: merging paragraphs and
sentences, simplify titles and institutional names,
smaller words, cut unnecessary words

31. Case Study: Research Report
! Problems after layout
! Client requests additional elements
! Add researcher list
! add/change text in articles
! We worked together to adjust text and decrease
size of images
! Editor gave examples of how and why text should
remain or be changed a specific way

32. How we use our brains

33. Collaboration
Keeping the left & right brain in balance
! For editors: Seeing the big picture
! For designers: Seeing the details
! Compromise is difficult
! Compromise makes publications the best they can be

34. Conclusion
! Questions