To do this, I found a stock back-of-postcard image (thanks, Google), cropped it, touched it up, added some color and reworked it with our text style, etc., and wham-o: instant banner. Cliff added the finishing touches and put me in mind to play with Photoshop and play with posterizing, going for a rough around the edges, well-worn look. I like how this one turned out; the simplest banners are often the best, I believe.

Further details as events warrant. Or when I can figure out how to get this stuff to work. But if you're an newspaper online sports editor/designer, let's chat.

Here's an example of a banner hed (.jpg) that a former co-worker put together for our Braves page online. She selected the photos, which I approved, but the overall design elements and chatter text are my concept. We currently use this design for all of our sports banners, which promo columnists, blogs, contests, special splash pages, etc:

… and the ultimate "less is more" concept I used for our Masters 2006 splash page banner:

NOTE: All images and designs (copyright 2005-06) on this blog are the property, intellectual and otherwise, of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Cox Newspapers, Inc.