A visit with the design staff al msaeya in Cairo
Today I met with designers and editors of the al msaeya newspaper in Cairo. The staff spent a few hours sharing and learning how to plan and edit more story layers for their news, sports and entertainment pages.
Technique, not technology
I am working with the Media Development Project in Egypt to bring more training resources to the nation’s newsrooms. MDP is funded by a grant from USAID.
Today was a great visit - we talked about technique, not technology. The critical step we identified that will quickly improve their pages will be to incorporate more visual editing discussions with their fellow editors before passing their page dummies along the chain.
They draw beautiful page dummies, BTW.
I brought along a copy of Corriere Della Sera that I had picked up in Amman, Jordan and I showed how that paper uses their page two and three spread to tell the big story of the day. That day the paper used multiple layers, great photo edits and smart graphics to explain complex relationships.
It also showed and how effective and engaging it is to move a story across the fold. After that, we grabbed our pencils and full-size dummies and I asked them remake a page from their paper using these principles. I was impressed by how quickly they could sketch pages that incorporated layered storytelling and better photo usage in just that short of a time.
Not actually, the designers and layout editors at al msaeya only work in pencil.
Their beautifully-crafted dummies are sent to another building where the pre-press department builds the pages on computers. A lot of work yet to do in Egypt, but getting stories planned and packaged better in pencil is still a valid way to improve the visual editing of your newspaper.
From pencil to press
I noticed the editor had the page one dummy from last night in the meeting room. Interesting to see how they translate the pencil dummy to the printed edition of the paper’s front page.
(Click to enlarge)
Conference: Impact of innovation and competition on the press
Tomorrow, I have been asked to give the keynote address at MDP’s
An amateur journalist/poet, seeking writing assignment across the globe, wishing to share learning experiences, also believe in the power of The Pencil.In fact I am a Collector.
Forwarding my article on ‘ Pencils’
Have you ever thought…no, You must have, about how valuable pencils are? The pencil point
these days has become a flat surfaced button…well for me the long slim sleek colorful object
is a golden piece of eight. A priceless possession.
Ever since awareness of being alive touched my mind soul and spirit I found out that my
closest friends and companions were materials for writing coloring and drawing …pencils of
all kinds, not often new, but reduced in size, chewed a bit at the end. They would be small
color pencils mostly because the larger ones were expensive. Another awareness!! Pencils
made in USA which somehow always reflected yellow color and had a deep red eraser at the
other end. Faber Castell HB 2 Drawing pencil and then came Dear….OH Dear , OH Dear,
Korean multi colored , transparent AH ! What a thrill to see the lead inside. What is it that
writes? What is it that creates those lovely patterns? What is it that traces the mystic mazes
on the empty spaces?
And then….
Pencils in front of me
Pencils beside me
pencils to the left of me
pencils to the right of me
A pencil in my hand , all the time a diary within reach
I think I dream I talk I speak I write and I love to Teach;
Once illness made me still, I could not move my body I was so weak, but I could hold a pencil
and I had strength enough to slide it across the page while I was glued to the bed. I found
out that a pencil would take less energy to write and what was written could be changed.
When there was no one, there was my pencil. It gave me security. It gave me courage. It kept
my mind alive. I thought with it. I spoke to it, it spoke to me. It gave me ideas. It made me
move on in time. As the days passed, my illness slowly faded away; the pencil under my pillow
said ‘I will be well’ see how I am? a little bit is used at a time and then refreshed, turned,
twisted,
forced and sharpened and shaped , ready to begin work again.
Slowly I play my part and fade away; as I grow little I am then put away in a box. I am now
small and thin.
I look around and I see at least four pencil containers. They are two each on my two writing
tables..yes two ..the third table is for the computer , and all have my pencils, all are braving
the world with me.
So keep……
· more than one pencil container, preferably mugs, they look nice and have attractive
pictures designs and quotes on them
· your pencils sharpened , a ready pencil saves time and ideas;
· mixed color pencils in one container. .they inspire and encourage;
· pencils with erasers..they keep your mind focused;
· light and dark pencils give variety of style and development of variegated thoughts
My stories are many,as many as my pencils, I have a Teachers pencil and a Dreamworks LLC
Aardman pencil, ever heard of this one? I am well now and have begun my travels. From USA
to UK , that reminds me of the precious pencil from UK, from the land of Robin Hood
Nottingham. I can see the green cap with the feather on it.Lovely!
The other from England is shaped like a STOP sign at the end and is red and white in color,
a reminder of Conservative Traditions Rules and Regulations. It is a good sign , keeps us
disciplined. So the journey continues, and I sing as I write, ‘My heart will go on, My pencil
will go on…….on”’…..
More on pencils and pens to come……