Want to make beautiful cover pages for any of our publications or create stunning illustrations and graphics? Comp Design.
The Design comp is all about learning by doing. Whether you've had any previous design experience or not, you'll learn everything you need to know during the comp process. The Design Comp teaches some of the most marketable skills around:
- Layout with Adobe InDesign
- Photo manipulation with Adobe Photoshop
- Graphic creation with Adobe Illustrator
- Fundamental elements and principles of layout and design
This year, we’re offering a shorter, single comp that combines print design and illustration. Through the comp, you'll learn a broad skill set that will empower you to work on whichever projects excite you at The Crimson, including our website redesign. Regardless of your interest, the Design Board has a place for you.
Print design will teach you how to create an eye-catching front page or a gorgeous magazine spread. After the comp, you’ll be responsible for the professional presentation of The Crimson’s publications, including the front and feature pages of the daily paper, the arts supplement, and the FM magazine. We lay out pages and prepare all data visualizations and graphics.
Illustration gives artists a platform to create original artwork and enhance writing from across The Crimson with strong visual storytelling. Illustrators learn a range of skills and techniques, including digital illustration, watercolor, marker, pen, and animation. They exercise a lot of flexibility, whether they're creating standalone cartoons or working hand-in-hand with Editorial, Arts, and FM.
The comp will involve weekly meetings, training sessions with design editors, exercises, and social events within the Design Board and The Harvard Crimson. Compers will complete both exercises and projects that allow them to showcase their new design skills and knowledge, as well as real published designs with the guidance of editors.
The Design Comp is focused on you and on developing a great relationship between you and the editors on the board. You will not only gain practical skills, but also an immediate social and professional network.
If you have any questions about the comp process, feel free to reach out to our comp directors Julia B. Freitag (julia.freitag@thecrimson.com) and Stephanie Nguyen (stephanie.nguyen@thecrimson.com).