Working With Grid Systems
In this short article, I will share with you some ideas and advice about working with grid systems.
Grid systems can seem complex if you are new them.
In addition, some designers imagine that using grids will limit their creativity.
But the truth is that grids provide an invaluable constraint in which to maximize creativity - and they are only as complex as the layout demands.
The two basic facts we always need to establish when planning a new layout project are the communication goals and the tenor or style of that communication.
The goal often determines the format - a book, magazine, catalogue, etc.
From there, we have to determine the best document size for the project.
Style is a bit more elusive and ranges across disparate elements from type, paper to color to grid.
Other decisions from these two fundamental questions • Should we opt for traditional typography, letterpress, terminal? Serif? Sans? Slab? • A classic, modern or retro style? • How many columns are optimal for readability within the constraints of page numbers and copy volume? • What is the optimal font size for the column width? • What is the proper leading to provide sufficient breathing room while maintaining optimal contrast? • Do margins enhance breathability and readability? Advice Always print out drafts of your document using different leadings (and possible fonts) before settling on a size and weight - the computer screen is rarely a reliable indicator of what the print work will look like.
I advise that you trim the paper to the exact document size by including crop marks (set in Adobe InDesign).
Start playing around with the number of columns and widths.
Don't worry about defining the grid system just yet.
We need to design a sketch first.
A general rule of thumb is 7 - 10 words per column row, but in the end this number depends on column width, typeface, font size and leading.
It is extremely important that the flow of the text is smooth ("Gray"), not patchy in order to promote optimal readability.
Always use real text, not lorum ipsum.
Read the text - does it feel good physically to read it? If not, continue playing around until it does.
The next very important step is the leading.
If you have a tight leading (space between text baselines) the text will be hard for the eye, owing to the strong contrast between text density (color/contrast) and paper color; and difficult to read.
The more white space between the characters the brighter and easier to read it is.
Of course the leading can not be too wide as it will cause too much white space (or "striping"), and the eye will lose its focus.
A rule of thumb for leading is 20% - 25% larger then the font size, but the same rule as above applies: the exact percentage depends on a combination of factors: typeface, font size and weight, and column width.
Again, you should experiment with different leading sizes and print your document to see which one looks best.
Setting the leading Here I would like to mention an interesting idea regarding the leading, which might help you setup your document.
When planning the layout/design you should sketch on the main font size, headline, subheadline, caption text etc.
In my research I have found that 2 pt (points) usually works very well in many cases.
Let me give you an example if you set the main font size to 10 pt and the leading to 12 pt it will fit within the 2 pt leading.
For headlines you might want to use 24 pt which will also fit just perfectly.
For caption text (text under images) you might want to set it to 8 pt on a 8 pt leading (depending on font) which will also fit perfectly.
Having a good plan before setting the leading is important.
With columns, font choice and leading, you start with the big picture and work your way down to the smaller details.
One thing to keep in mind when creating your columns is the number of them, I would like to refer to the page 57 of the book: "Grid Systems in Graphic Design" by Josef Muller-Brockmann, I quote: "The disadvantage of the 3- or 6-column layout is that the lines of text become relatively narrow and consequently a small typeface would have to be selected.
" - Josef Muller-Brockmann.
I quickly like to touch the subject of margins.
Besides the design aspect there is also the technical one, for example the margins will in many cases be trimmed down by 1-3 millimeters.
When it comes to the design aspect of margins they are very important.
If you are creating a book, magazine or anything else with facing pages, inner margins that are too small it will be very annoying for the reader as the text will disappear into the middle.
If the outer margins are too small it will cause tension, when done right it can create an interesting effect.
To achieve a "proportional" space for facing pages one can create outer margins that are twice as big as the inner margins, as the two pages come together the total space on the sides of the type areas will be the same.
In classic typography it was common to have twice the size of the top margin for the bottom margin.
Having large margins often gives a feeling of extravagance, when the margins are too small the page will for the reader give an impression of being cluttered so if small margins must be used for some reason careful planning needs to be done so that the readability is not jeopardized.
If you have gotten this far in your layout decision-making it' I think you'll agree that you're always thinking in terms of a layout grid system whether you are conscious of it or not.
Far from limiting your creativity, a grid system enhances it by providing you the structure or frame for its optimal expression.
With Grid Calculator Pro Edition, we have taken the guess work out of the process so that you can get to work efficiently and confidently, knowing that you're working with the optimal grid system for your project.
Create a professional communication product to meet yours and your client's goals in a fraction of the time it normally takes.
Grid systems can seem complex if you are new them.
In addition, some designers imagine that using grids will limit their creativity.
But the truth is that grids provide an invaluable constraint in which to maximize creativity - and they are only as complex as the layout demands.
The two basic facts we always need to establish when planning a new layout project are the communication goals and the tenor or style of that communication.
The goal often determines the format - a book, magazine, catalogue, etc.
From there, we have to determine the best document size for the project.
Style is a bit more elusive and ranges across disparate elements from type, paper to color to grid.
Other decisions from these two fundamental questions • Should we opt for traditional typography, letterpress, terminal? Serif? Sans? Slab? • A classic, modern or retro style? • How many columns are optimal for readability within the constraints of page numbers and copy volume? • What is the optimal font size for the column width? • What is the proper leading to provide sufficient breathing room while maintaining optimal contrast? • Do margins enhance breathability and readability? Advice Always print out drafts of your document using different leadings (and possible fonts) before settling on a size and weight - the computer screen is rarely a reliable indicator of what the print work will look like.
I advise that you trim the paper to the exact document size by including crop marks (set in Adobe InDesign).
Start playing around with the number of columns and widths.
Don't worry about defining the grid system just yet.
We need to design a sketch first.
A general rule of thumb is 7 - 10 words per column row, but in the end this number depends on column width, typeface, font size and leading.
It is extremely important that the flow of the text is smooth ("Gray"), not patchy in order to promote optimal readability.
Always use real text, not lorum ipsum.
Read the text - does it feel good physically to read it? If not, continue playing around until it does.
The next very important step is the leading.
If you have a tight leading (space between text baselines) the text will be hard for the eye, owing to the strong contrast between text density (color/contrast) and paper color; and difficult to read.
The more white space between the characters the brighter and easier to read it is.
Of course the leading can not be too wide as it will cause too much white space (or "striping"), and the eye will lose its focus.
A rule of thumb for leading is 20% - 25% larger then the font size, but the same rule as above applies: the exact percentage depends on a combination of factors: typeface, font size and weight, and column width.
Again, you should experiment with different leading sizes and print your document to see which one looks best.
Setting the leading Here I would like to mention an interesting idea regarding the leading, which might help you setup your document.
When planning the layout/design you should sketch on the main font size, headline, subheadline, caption text etc.
In my research I have found that 2 pt (points) usually works very well in many cases.
Let me give you an example if you set the main font size to 10 pt and the leading to 12 pt it will fit within the 2 pt leading.
For headlines you might want to use 24 pt which will also fit just perfectly.
For caption text (text under images) you might want to set it to 8 pt on a 8 pt leading (depending on font) which will also fit perfectly.
Having a good plan before setting the leading is important.
With columns, font choice and leading, you start with the big picture and work your way down to the smaller details.
One thing to keep in mind when creating your columns is the number of them, I would like to refer to the page 57 of the book: "Grid Systems in Graphic Design" by Josef Muller-Brockmann, I quote: "The disadvantage of the 3- or 6-column layout is that the lines of text become relatively narrow and consequently a small typeface would have to be selected.
" - Josef Muller-Brockmann.
I quickly like to touch the subject of margins.
Besides the design aspect there is also the technical one, for example the margins will in many cases be trimmed down by 1-3 millimeters.
When it comes to the design aspect of margins they are very important.
If you are creating a book, magazine or anything else with facing pages, inner margins that are too small it will be very annoying for the reader as the text will disappear into the middle.
If the outer margins are too small it will cause tension, when done right it can create an interesting effect.
To achieve a "proportional" space for facing pages one can create outer margins that are twice as big as the inner margins, as the two pages come together the total space on the sides of the type areas will be the same.
In classic typography it was common to have twice the size of the top margin for the bottom margin.
Having large margins often gives a feeling of extravagance, when the margins are too small the page will for the reader give an impression of being cluttered so if small margins must be used for some reason careful planning needs to be done so that the readability is not jeopardized.
If you have gotten this far in your layout decision-making it' I think you'll agree that you're always thinking in terms of a layout grid system whether you are conscious of it or not.
Far from limiting your creativity, a grid system enhances it by providing you the structure or frame for its optimal expression.
With Grid Calculator Pro Edition, we have taken the guess work out of the process so that you can get to work efficiently and confidently, knowing that you're working with the optimal grid system for your project.
Create a professional communication product to meet yours and your client's goals in a fraction of the time it normally takes.
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