The 2009 A&M baseball preview

This is the spread I am referring to:

 

I love how this spread looks for several reasons, but the biggest is that it meshes the copy and images perfectly. Any paper can produce a beautiful section cover or poster page, but it takes a whole lot of talented people to make a double truck filled with type look good. 

Before delving into the design, just like to compliment Brad and Michael on their stories. Brad’s story, in particular, is a nice read.

What went right:

- The stylized arrows seem a little out of place on a gritty-looking baseball page, but the contrast inherent between them and the grittiness makes the spread feel modern but knowledgeable about the grime and dust covered era of early hardball.

- The lead photo is absolutely perfect in both composition and editing, so props to Natasha Sankovich and Jon Eilts for putting that together. It screams 1920s Yankees and having pitcher Alex Wilson stare down the reader while everyone else looks off creates a focus while filling the photo with personality.

- The pullout nicknames and scouting-report style infoboxes drip with style. 

- The player knockouts look good, with enough contrast in size on the ends to keep the reader’s eyes from glazing over.

What went less right:

- The lead hede doesn’t jive with the subject completely. Taken on its own, it’s pretty nifty, but it doesn’t look modern or vintage. 

- The column of type on the right side of the spread is significantly wider than it should be. It’s a bit heavy for a casual reader.

Overall, I’m pleased with this spread. It’s polished and pumped with enough style to compel readers.

Posted by Kevin Alexander

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~ by battdesign on February 24, 2009.