1. What Goes in my Theme Design?

2. Concept/Title 1. What is your book going to be about this year? 2. The concept is not always the title. Magazine theme= Inside Edition (title) 3. Should not be something corny that could be a movie on the Oxygen or Hallmark TV channels! EX: Live like you were dying or life in the stars.

3. How does the book relate to us? As a school? As individuals? Is it a more graphic theme that we create a relationship for? (EX: Magazine theme) It should have some depth.

4. What is the book mood/environment? 1.It is important to pick an environment that matches the theme. 2.The environment must be consistent throughout the book. 3.Environment has to do with color, typography, photos, and graphics. 4.Some adjectives that describe a theme are clean, messy, simple, cluttered, artistic, complex, techy, personal. 5.A great way to think about environment is to compare it to stores. EX: Hot Topic, Nordstroms, Fridays, Hollister, Build-A-Bear.

5. Graphics Artistic backgrounds that can accent your pages. EX: Scratches, splatters, letters, signs, colors

6. Helpful Hints Copy parts of other books you like, but don’t copy the whole idea of another school. Be gender neutral. If it’s “cute” it’s probably too girly. Do do the obvious. Do a music theme without music notes. Do a red carpet theme without using a red carpet, Hollywood sign, or movie awards. Don’t be corny. Be edgy and trendy. Your theme design should carry through the cover, end sheet, title page, dividers, and lightly in the sections. Mismatching these is like mismatching your clothes!!