OUGD404 - Construction of Grids

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

Thumbnail sketches will make your job of final layouts easier and productive. Thumbnail sizes should be proportionate to the final format, this will make your job of final layouts easier.

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

1 column only for text and illustrations give little freedom of layout.
Restriction of making illustrations small, medium and large.

2 columns, logically, gives you more scope:
1 column for text
1 column for illustration
they can be mixed together

2 column division can be subdivided to create a four column page.

For statistics, figures, graphs and trend line publications: use 4 column per page.

The narrower a column is, the smaller the typeface should be. 

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 and repeat process until you are confident with the design.

Apply type to columns..

The first line must fit flush to the top limit of the column grid.
The last line must stand on the bottom limit.
Keep calm, it is difficult to find the final solution the first time around.
It could mean that your grid field is too high or too low.

Example

10 point type
15 point leading

Column length 15cm

loosely means use 15 point leading.

at this length there must be 10 lines per field.

meaning 30 lines per every 15cm.

the depth of my fields ascertains how many 10point type lines I have.

text should be on, or just above field lines.


Making the gutter the same size as a text line is a good way of sizing.

Font Heights

Caption text
4 point type
6 point leading

Header and footer text
7 point type
10 point leading

you would use the fibbonachi sequence to work out the proportions.

Type and Picture

a4+ format.
8 & 20 grid fields.
8 grid fields are used frequently for advertising material and brochures.
If using 8 grid fields you can subdivide into 16 grid fields.
8 and 16 grid fields give you a range of possibilities.

8 grid fields allow various sizes of illustrations to be portrayed.
You can use with or without text.
You need to have a good perception of composition.

20 field grid has quite a large scope for idea solutions.
There is around 42 possible layout options.


InDesignThen we went into InDesign and started learning different ways of making grids.

You can add columns and gutters on the Document Setup page before you open a new document.

Or you go on Layout, and add Margins and Columns and Ruler Guides.

You can also go on Window < Utilities < Script, and a window comes up. Then you can add guides to boxes that you have made by highlighting them. You can also choose Make Grid to these boxes, and it makes them into proportioned grids. 

You can also choose the Rectangle Frame tool, and making a box, use the up and across arrows, which will then divide them into more boxes which can be used as a grid.


How do you work out the correct proportions for heading/bodycopy/leading. 
for a subheading do you use the space of the gutter for the space between that and the bodycopy.
how do you work out the point size a caption under a photo/space under a photo should be