The Art Department has always held a pivotal position in any media organisation. A newspaper may live by its reporting, but it breathes through its design. The layout of pages, the presentation of headlines, the balance between text and white space, the placement of photographs, and the strength of graphics and illustrations all depend upon the professional skill, creativity and judgment of the Art Department's artists. If the newsroom gathers the raw material of history, it is the Art Department that gives it shape, colour and emotional impact.
When The News was launched, it brought not just editorial energy but a technological revolution. For the first time in Pakistan, Apple Macintosh computers were introduced into a newspaper organisation. At a time when layout work was still done manually cutting, pasting, typesetting and working on art cards we suddenly found ourselves in front of glowing screens, learning software that felt both intimidating and magical.
I still remember the anxiety of designing logos for the classified section when my training had been entirely manual. My friend and class fellow A.G. Khalid known to all as AG had brought me to The News and entrusted me with the assignment. I had drawn the designs on paper, but transferring them into software seemed beyond me. Abrar Karim, then in-charge of classifieds, would ask daily about my progress. Overwhelmed, I left and returned to my advertising agency. The next day, AG called and persuaded me to come back. I returned - and there has been no looking back.
What once required blades, wax machines and tracing sheets now demanded digital fluency. Gradually, fear gave way to confidence. PageMaker and QuarkXPress became our new drawing boards; Photoshop and Illustrator replaced ink pens and Rotring sets. The transition was not easy, but it marked the beginning of a new era.
I still recall Ghazi Salahuddin, our first editor, bringing visitors to the Art Room and saying, "Come with me and I will show you the magic." One unforgettable moment was watching the veteran artist Gulgee write "Bismillah" for our inaugural issue. The scholar sheet seemed too small, so we joined computer tables together and laid out multiple sheets to create a 14-15-foot canvas. Within seconds, he completed it. Witnessing that mastery remains one of the greatest experiences of my life.
Over the years, I worked with editors from Ghazi Salahuddin to Imran Aslam, Gul Hameed Bhatti, Quatrina Hussain, Hummaa Ahmad, Talat Aslam and now Bahzad Alam Khan. Working with Imran Aslam was particularly memorable. His ideas were bold and imaginative. For a Kashmir report, he asked us to draw a lake filled with blood instead of water. For a budget lead, we designed Dadi Amma's paandan, with financial figures written across it. His confidence in our skills was evident whenever he said, "Give it to Tanvir, he will do it."
There were moments when design demanded presence on the ground. When a policeman, Bahadur Ali, was gunned down during the '90s operation, we visited the site, observed bullet marks and reconstructed the scene through graphics. We did the same for the PIDC blasts, the Metropole incident and other major events. Visual storytelling made complex events intelligible.
Supplements and special reports, once considered routine, became distinctive because of presentation. An attractive layout and thoughtful design gave them identity. The Group Art Department Khurram Mehmood, Arshad Saeed, Salman Mehmood (RIP), Irfan Ghauri, Dara Zafar, Obaid Ansari, Hanifuddin, Khizer, Mohammad Aamir and our designer Mohammad Sadiq (he has retired now) work tirelessly to ensure that every element sits exactly where it should. Accuracy is not merely aesthetic; it is responsibility.
Over decades, transformation accelerated. RAM that once stood at 2MB is now measured in gigabytes. Complex rendering and high-resolution graphics are handled in seconds. Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator define our workflow. But the most profound shift today is Artificial Intelligence.
AI now assists in layout suggestions, spacing optimisation and automated adjustments. Image enhancement tools can correct exposure, remove noise and refine details in moments. Generative systems can create illustrations, infographics and conceptual visuals far faster than before. Data visualisation tools transform statistics into compelling graphics within minutes. We are not using these softwares in our office, but these are used in the global media industry.
Yet speed brings new responsibility.
In earlier times, our chief concern was placement and print quality. Today, authenticity is equally critical. AI-generated images and deepfakes have blurred the line between reality and fabrication. A photograph may appear flawless but is it genuine? Has it been manipulated? Was it created artificially?
For a newspaper, credibility is sacred. Fact-checking now extends beyond text to images. An Art Director must verify metadata, examine digital footprints, cross-check sources and guard against manipulation. Printing a false image can damage trust overnight. Vigilance is as important as creativity.
Technology has also altered employment patterns. In the early days, manual artists crafted illustrations painstakingly by hand. Wire photo services were indispensable. Today, much is available instantly online, though that abundance demands caution and ethical use. While machines increase efficiency, they cannot replace judgment.
The art of newspaper design is not simply about arranging text and images; it is about understanding mood and responsibility. A national tragedy demands restraint. A terrorist attack cannot be sensationalised. A sporting triumph calls for energy. Emotional intelligence something no algorithm fully possesses remains the human edge.
To remain relevant, an Art Director must keep learning: digital ethics, copyright awareness, AI bias, cross-platform publishing and emerging visual tools. Adaptability is essential. The fear I once felt before a Macintosh screen mirrors what many feel today before AI tools. But just as we adapted then, we must adapt now not by surrendering to technology, but by mastering it.
The principle remains unchanged: proficiency with efficiency.
The Art Department still works under pressure late nights, breaking news, last-minute changes. Whether designing this 35th anniversary report, an education special report, a political transition or an India-Pakistan cricket match, coordination between editorial and design determines how effectively news reaches readers.
After decades in this profession, I see continuity within change. From art cards to Macintosh computers, from paste-up sheets to AI-assisted design the journey has been extraordinary.
The Art Department remains the silent force behind the stage. The newsroom gathers facts; design ensures they are seen, understood and remembered.
Artificial Intelligence may reshape our tools, but it cannot replace integrity, judgment and imagination. The future of newspaper design belongs not to machines alone, but to those who use them wisely.
And that, perhaps, is the enduring magic of the Art Department.
The writer is working as Group Art Director in this newspaper.
