Today is the deadline for each student of MA PR class of University of Westminster, Harrow campus to produce an aesthetic four-page newsletter after a whole week exercise and training in graphic design, formatting and style. The module seems to be what in Nigeria we call ” a crash-programme” with learning of various techniques using the Adobe Indesign software and Photoshop within a shortest time.
We learn some tricks with Photoshop to manipulate original figures or pictures to project other image. We discover how propagandists utilise some of such tricks to propagate some images to the joy of their sponsors and to fool the target audiences.
While our tutorial is based on latest software for newsletter production which is Adobe InDesign, we learn that other programmes are available and used by reputable publishing institutions for the production of journals, magazine, newsletter and even websites. The software includes Microsoft Publisher for PC or Mac, QuarkXPress, Adobe PageMaker and CorelDRAW.
Though the original (authentic) programmes are very expensive in the market, we learn that there are discount windows for student to enable them afford them instead of patronizing pirated versions.
I am surprised to observe that many of my colleagues are able to produce highly aesthetics, colourful and pictorial newsletters loaded with texts of information, making one to guess how they could have been able to accomplish the task in one week. The trick is further studies in hostels and most especially in the library where computers are available 24/7. This convenience makes it is necessary for full term students to have accommodation on the campus or in the vicinity close to the university.
The dilemma of everyone is how to create news or features on the images chosen for individual newsletter. For a story teller, like sensational journalist it may be simple: Just concoct a story or imaginary interview… and BAM the publication is ready.
-YAShuaib
yashuaib
