Yearbook Covers – Every Great Yearbook Needs A Great Beginning

The cover needs to be spectacular. This will be the WOW factor in your yearbook. It is also important that it captures the perfect mix of school spirit, your yearbook theme, creativity and cleverness.

So, how do you find that perfect yearbook cover? Here are some tips.

Choose a Style to fit your school year
From artistic to eclectic, or traditional versus minimalist, there are many styles of designs. Finding a cover that fits with your theme should be your first consideration. A yearbook that is consistent from cover to cover is professional, easy to follow and appreciated by your readers.

Aim For One-of-a-Kind Yearbook Cover
Before the Internet, researching creative ideas was pretty limited and design tended toward traditional. Schools tended to use logos, school colors, and incorporated the school name and year. Not much more.

Today, the world is your oyster. Individuality and creation of an authentic experience for your students is one of the most powerful elements of great cover design.

Run a Yearbook Cover Contest
You don’t need to look far for creative ideas. You’ve got a school building full of artists … look to them for your cover. How do you uncover those hidden talents? Have a contest. Here’s how:

• Give parameters like; what materials and media should be used, dimensions and word choice. You’ll at least want the school name, year and yearbook title included in the artwork.
• Consider an idea that incorporates the ideas of multiple students. It’s a great way to better represent your school community. For example, run a cover contest calling for art from students. If students submitted drawings in black pen, digitize them in Photoshop. Now you can use the drawings from multiple students! Give credit to students inside the front cover.
• Make sure to provide a deadline!

Stock Designs
You may select a beautifully professional pre-designed yearbook cover and use that design as a unifying theme throughout the book.

Design Yearbook Covers from Scratch
If you are designing a cover from scratch, you have a lot of options. There is so much inspiration available on Google, and now I suggest using Pinterest since it’s visually curated.

Turning Your Ideas Into A Yearbook Cover
Once you’ve researched and put together your ideas, it’s time to apply them to your actual design. If you don’t have graphic design skill, we can help.

• Find a designer at school or put the word out to your school community asking if there are any parents who might be graphic designers who can help.
• Photographers tend to have strong photo editing programs. Ask your school photographer, or see if someone on staff is a shutterbug in their free time.
• If you prefer, Sunset Yearbooks can design your cover free of charge.