What is a colophon anyway? Publishers include this vital piece to record production notes and sometimes acknowledgments. Since your yearbook is a historical document, including a colophon adds professionalism to your publication. But it doesn’t have to be boring! Below are three examples of yearbook colophons that include theme details, shout-outs, and yearbook staffing information.
Essential Components for Your Yearbook Colophon
- Title of yearbook and theme information: include any behind the design information
- Book details: the number of pages, cover type, and paper weight
- Design specs: font names sizes and use cases
- Photography credits: Identify your portrait photographer, staff photographers, and any volunteer super parents who contributed
- Software tools: list which applications you used to build your book
- Publisher information: name of the publisher and the names of the publishing staff who helped
Thematic Colophons
Both of these colophons leverage their themes (Stay Gold and Speak Life, respectively) with the headlines as well as the graphics. (The actual copy of their colophons is below for you to use.)
A Bold Colophon
We love this one because it features the yearbook team, gives the book details in an easy-to-read format, and both editors have space to say thank you.
Yearbook Colophon Template
To create a quick colophon, copy and paste the following in your yearbook. Make it your own by giving behind-the-design details.
[Yearbook name] is produced by [School Name] in [City, State] and published by Treering Yearbooks in San Mateo, CA. The [hard- and/or softcover] yearbooks are [matte or glossy] finish [with upgraded embossing or foil]. The book’s [number] pages are printed in full color on 100lb. sustainably sourced paper—the Treering standard. We used the Treering app for the layouts; [if applicable, list software used to make photo illustrations]. The theme art is [theme name from Treering] and [name] designed the cover. Headlines are [font and size] with subheadings in [font and size]. Body copy is [font and size]. [Photographer] took the school portraits and [parents, coaches, non-yearbook students] contributed [team, event, and/or candid] photos.
