Kaleidoscope
Lugoff-Elgin High School, Lugoff, S.C.
Theme: “Streamline” (real simple)
Adviser: Jenny Proctor
Editors: Tyler Kirkland and Macaylee Jones
Yearbook representative: Jim Channell
The cover is as understated as the type on it: “streamline (real simple)” shows two fonts, one Helvetica and the other one a handwriting variation. The cover material is basic matte lamination with a cloud-like white and blue bottom border – real simple.
Sky blue and white clouds, along with a few curved lines, continue the sparse simplicity. On the left is a comprehensive table of contents that makes finding topics easy. On the right are the theme spin-offs into the various sections, with short, pithy phrases such as “life more efficient” explained by lead-ins, in this case, “trading in that gas guzzler.”
The title page harks back to the cover, with its black and hints of white. Textures and special effects provide interesting visuals and ask the reader to simply go with the design and see where it leads. The information listed is well organized and provides a nice contrast to the special effects.
A double-page photo of a bonfire at night bleeds off all sides. The opening theme copy details how the staff discovered and built the theme, noting the irony of the staff’s process: “So this is a story about simple. Everybody’s journey was different. We were just the ones lucky enough to put all of it together. Like our journey to choose this ‘simple’ theme — complicated. But maybe that was the way it was supposed to be all along. Kind of ironic isn’t it?”
The heavy, black background with white and blue accents helps draw the reader toward three extreme vertical black-and-white images of three students that serve as a dominant image. The three quotes from the three students are honest and forthright — all provide insights into how they made their lives simpler.
The most impressive parts of this book can be discovered on basic spreads rather than theme pages. Extended captions next to eight candid shots of students provide mini-stories instead of generic quotes. Typography in the lower left corner is colorful, eye-catching and uses consistent forms. A sub-headline, “those who are fashion-forward strut their stuff,” complements a main headline: “the it factor.”
Again, this “regular” spread is among the most impressive. Using filters and Photoshop effects turn the dominant image of a smiling girl into a piece of art. Layers of shapes and colors are in the background, with seven candids and subdivided copy blocks adding depth. Placement of type, images and art is simple and done using a grid. The staff at Lugoff-Elgin appears to be going for a classic, sophisticated look, and they have achieved it.
A double-page spread serves as the book’s closing. Heavy, black and orange hues bleed off all sides, and closing copy is chock-full of details specific to the previous year. The two-word headline is direct: “simply done.” But it’s appropriate.
This spread on art class activities could have become cluttered with so many elements. Instead, outstanding secondary coverage complements theme-based graphics such as breaking up the headline with two fonts and offering a mug shot with a quote from one of the main story’s participants. Several more photos are included with man-on-the-street style coverage and detail shots. It would have been easy to sacrifice caption details, but this staff does not. Continuing the personalized approach that is part of the theme down to the very last sentence is effective and revealing.
Using three pages in the closing is sufficient and the repetition of graphic elements helps tie the book together. The theme copy moves from individual perspectives to a series of detailed experiences from hypothetical people. But the details help make the approach work. Especially clever is the headline type on the last page, which is mirrored (appearing backwards). This seems to fit the theme’s challenge to “Look at it this way.”
