Construction of Grids

Construction of Grids

Before you can apply a grid you must understand the requirement of the grid for the work to be produced. Typefaces, text & illustrations, print method and paper quality must be confirmed beforehand.

Always start with small sketches... 

thumbnail sketches will make your job of final layouts easier & productive. The thumbnail should be proportionate to the final formats.

The overall reason of a grid at thumbnail size is to make your job of final layouts easier & productive.

Before drawing your sketches, consider the number of columns needed:

1column give you little freedom of the layout. And also restrictions of making illustrations small, medium & large.

2 columns give you more scope so can get one for illustrations one for text. Two columns can also be mixed together with 1 column having text & image within it.

3 columns this gives us opportunities for arranging & accomodating text & illustrations in numerous sizes, you could then subdivide these into 6 columns.

Disadvantages of 6 column systems are:

 Lines of text will be narrowed & small typefaces will have to be used

BUT...

This solely rests on the function that it is formed.    

For statistics, figures, graphs & trend line publications:

Use 4 column per page.  

There for it makes boring information look more interesting.

The width of a column dictates the size of the typeface.

The RULE: The narrower a column is, the smaller the typeface.   

This is because its no longer aesthetically pleasing

Thumbnails in Design Process

Make a variety of thumbnails of layouts/designs.

Do not rely on just one set of thumbnails. 

Enlarge a small selection of appropriate thumbnails by 1:1.

Compare them and select & repeat process until you are confident with your design.

 Apply Type to Columns

    

How should text fit a column?

The first line must fit flush on the top limit of the column grid.

The last line must stand on the bottom limit.

Keep calm, it is difficult to find a solution the first time round - Right point size? Leading?

Keep calm, it is difficult to find the right solution straight away.

It could mean that your grid field is too high or too low, too long or short.

Need to get it right so you can aline your images with your type without it looking wierd.

The RULES to start with are:

10 point type

15 point leading

Column length 15cm  

 

Font Heights

    

Caption Heading

4 point type

6 point leading  

Header & Footer

7 point type

10 point leading  

Body Text

10 point type

13 point leading 

Headline

40 point type

Subheading

20 point type

Type & Picture...

8 Field Grid

8 field grids are used more for advertising material & brochures.

They can be subdivided into 16 grid fields.

8 & 16 grid fields give you a range of possibilities. 

The line of type must fit nicely in the gutters of the grid.

8 grids fields show various sizes of illustrations to be portrayed.

You can use with or without text.

You need to have a good perception of composition.

The grid is only an instrument in which you the design can make interesting & make it work.      

It all depends on your text.

New techniques in InDesign on how to make a grid. 

 This is a quick way to divide text box & image boxes up. All you have to do is make the box to the size you want to be broken down within. You just have to use the up arrow & across arrows.

 

Also using the make a grid & column by manual option and then you can choose within the margin or within the page.