Max Arnold’s Portfolio
Design
Often, during my time on my school's newspaper staff, my advisor would remind us that it will alway be visuals that first catch a reader's attention. Not a quirky title, not a brilliantly crafted lead, or a killer quote, but rather the visuals. At first I disagreed with this. I have never been an artistic person, and I pushed back against the idea. However, as time passed, and I grew as a journalist, I kept this thought in the back of my mind and paid close attention to how I, and others, consumed media and found his statements to be more accurate than I had ever imagined. After this realization, I began to attack design like I never had before and found it fun, satisfying, and rewarding. Over time, design began to become one of my favorite parts of journalism, as I began to learn its importance in storytelling. During my time with the Mill Stream I have learned to use many different software programs to help convey the visual aspect of storytelling. Some of the programs we use include Adobe Indesign, Photoshop, Lightroom, and Procreate. Below are examples of some of the designs I have made during my time with the Mill Stream.
"Keepin' It Old School"
“Keepin' It Old School” is a story centered around NHS staff Member and NBA champion, Frank Kendrick. The piece works linearly, telling the story of his rise into the NBA and the success he found once he made it. This story's design was modeled after mid-2010s “Sports Illustrated Kids” publications with its bright and noisy colors and its frequent use of cutouts to grab the readers’ attention. This design took longer to create than any other I've worked on by far, and it was still worth every second. It is the design a story like this deserves. For a closer look, click on the images to the right.
"This... is Indiana"
“This... is Indiana” is a story previewing the College Football Playoff matchup between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Using visual design, I was able to give the story a sporty feel due to our choices of display fonts and the cut outs I used of both coaches. I also designed the story in such a way that readers are able to know the direction of the story before reading a single word due to. For a closer look, click on the images to the left
"From A-To-Z(elaya)"
“From A-To-Z(elaya)” is a story about a young, new English teacher at Noblesville High School who is bringing an energetic and youthful approach to teaching. When designing the story, I knew that I needed to incorporate something that could best represent his unorthodox attitude. After talking with Donnie Zelaya, I decided his tattoos not only were a good representation of his personality but also showed some of his passions. By incorporating this into my design, I was able to show readers who Donnie Zelaya is. For a closer look, click on the images to the right.
"Toboggan Travels"
“Toboggan Travels” is a story from Mill Stream’s most recent issue. When beginning the design process for this story, the message I wanted to convey most was the close-knit strength of the boys’ relationship. Through my photo selection I was able to show two different examples of the boys together, one celebrating and one proudly displaying the product of their hard work. Another thing I was able to incorporate into this design was the link to the boys’ GoFundMe. I chose to include this as a major component of this story, highlighting the community aspect of the boys' hard work. Another carefully selected aspect of this story was the color choice. By using a light purple box color, paired with images with primarily blue and white background, I was able to create a wintry feel, perfect for our February issue.
"This Is May"
“This Is May” is a four page spread covering the month of May in Indiana and all the 500 festivities that come with it. The story covers many aspects leading up to race day, including the Indy Mini-Marathon, Indy 500 Qualifying, and even talking with a member of a pit team on race day. This story's design uses colors from the official Indianapolis Motor Speedway seal as well as showcasing many iconic scenes at the Motor Speedway. For a closer look, click on the photos to the right.
