Designer: Ronda Schierenbeck

When it comes to depicting the ocean, images of deep blue waters, rolling waves, marine life, and endless horizons come to mind. But Florida State University’s (FSU) Department of Oceanography newsletter lacked any visual graphic interest of this kind. DG designer Ronda Schierenback set out on a course to redesign it.

“They have way too much copy, and because of the tri-fold, there isn’t any need for page numbers. The activities page is hard to read and the type runs together,” Schierenbeck comments. FSU coordinator of Information and Public Services Rachel Smith concurs. “The headings are boring,” she says. “It’s too plain.” Smith wants to see a more interesting design to draw the attention of her current audience, which consists largely of scientists.

FSU offers Smith a limited budget for the newsletter. “I’m allowed two colors,” Smith notes. Straying from FSU’s prominent school color, red, Schierenbeck decided to use black and a green-tinged blue, more representative of the ocean and seas. Text, photos, and headlines are in black, while blue is used for the nameplate and to draw attention to certain headlines and ocean images within the pages.

Schierenbeck redesigned the newsletter’s title, Oceanography, with a unique, semi-opaque treatment, giving it a liquid appearance. She combined the very readable font Futura with ITC Galliard throughout the newsletter. “They like to use lots of photos of students, faculty, and alumni in the newsletter,” offers Schierenbeck. “The new layout allows for this, but they will have to be conservative with their copy. I also suggest using simple, appealing images such as water and sea life to gain additional attention. These can come from an inexpensive, royalty-free CD.”