ah teaches graphic design (SD-36) (Layout Construction lecture)
Layout Construction
Lecture outline
Composition and organizing content across a series of pages. Lecture slides will be made available on the day of the lecture (Oct 2).
In preparation for lecture...
Please close up any laptops, cellphones, Telstar Arcades, Playdates and other 'beep-boop' devices.
P1 Grading
Grading of P1 is in progress. I will have your grades back to you by next class.
Should you have any questions or concerns with your grades once released, email Andrew.
Swiss Design
Audience = everyone
"Objective-rational design means legible design, objective information that is communicated without superlatives or emotional subjectivity."
Josef Müller-Brockmann
Swiss symbols
Swiss Design
Josef Müller-Brockmann
Composing Type
Considerations for composing type:
Point-size
Alignment
Kerning, tracking and leading
Paragraph breaks, widows and orphans
Line-length
Point Size
You want to set point size to clearly distinguish hierarchy between elements and achieve good readability in your body text.
Headings should clearly stand-out
Subtitles should still stand apart from body copy
Body-copy should be a nice and readable point-size. Not too big as to feel uncomfortable, but not too small as to be unreadable. In print, this is typically between 8-11 points (depending on the font).
Left Alignment
A natural or expected alignment, though concerns can arise with the ragged right edge and ensuring a nice rag.
Right Alignment
Unfamiliar (in English), so be particularly careful about the punctuation along the right edge.
Center Alignment
Easy balance, though problematic for body-text as there are two ragged edges.
Justified Alignment
A clean shape, but watch out for rivers.
Kerning
Only kern type when balance within a word is concerning. You should not be kerning body type.
Leading
aka. line-spacing
Tight line-spacing means type can be hard for us to visually track, loose line-spacing separates paragraphs into lists.
Minister George said he's not surprised by the results.
"We have had and felt the pressure to get a settlement since last September, I feel no more pressure tonight after this than I did yesterday," George told the news.
The minister also issued a statement reacting to news of the vote.
"While the leadership received the mandate they sought, no one should interpret this as any kind of enthusiasm on the part of them to shut down," said the statement.
Passive Whitespace
Important for helping balance and hierarchy.
'Let's stay at the table'
Minister George said he's not surprised by the results.
"We have had and felt the pressure to get a settlement since last September, I feel no more pressure tonight after this than I did yesterday," George told the news.
The minister also issued a statement reacting to news of the vote.
"While the leadership received the mandate they sought, no one should interpret this as any kind of enthusiasm on the part of them to shut down," said the statement.
Active Whitespace
Useful for focusing attention or clarifying hierarchy.
'Let's stay at the table'
Minister George said he's not surprised by the results.
"We have had and felt the pressure to get a settlement since last September, I feel no more pressure tonight after this than I did yesterday," George told the news.
The minister also issued a statement reacting to news of the vote.
"While the leadership received the mandate they sought, no one should interpret this as any kind of enthusiasm on the part of them to shut down," said the statement.
What is a Grid?
A grid is the underlying structure of a document which helps organization of content in a coherent pattern.
Purposes of a Grid
Grids assist in:
Organization of text and imagery
Providing consistency
Clearer communication
Expediting layout exploration
Setting a Grid
First we would establish page edges.
Next we establish margins.
Margins can be even or uneven.
Next we set columns.
When flowing type, it should clearly begin and end at the edges of columns.
This text will flow across a couple of columns and should clearly begin and end at the edges of the defined columns; which is entirely fine.
Type should not end in a gutter or the middle of a column.
This text will flow across a couple of columns and should clearly begin and end at the edges of the defined columns.
Type should not float freely in columns.
This text will flow across a couple of columns and should clearly begin and end at the edges of the defined columns.
Type should clearly snap-to and work with the grid.
This text will flow across a couple of columns and should clearly begin and end at the edges of the defined columns.
Any alignment can work within the grid.
This text will flow across a couple of columns and should clearly begin and end at the edges of the defined columns.
Another type of alignment that can work within the grid nice and easily.
Even center alignment can work within a grid structure.
We can make a grid modular by adding vertical divisions.
A bleed defines space outside of the printed page.
This text will flow across a couple of columns and should clearly begin and end at the edges of the defined columns.
Images can make use of a bleed to span off the page, and then be cut to size.
This text will flow across a couple of columns and should clearly begin and end at the edges of the defined columns.
Now set your own!
Page dimensions
Margins + Bleed
Columns + Gutters
Modular
Flowing type
Composing Without Grids
Composing without grids is not an excuse to do whatever you want.
Considerations include:
Making a center of interest
Directing the eye and rhythm
Balance, unity and harmony
Center of Interest
A strong center of interest often involves use of contrast and balance to focus our attention.
Directing the Eye + Rhythm
Using position, emphasis, and the visual cues within your composition can help direct the eye through.
Photos as structure
Remember that the photos you choose can strongly suggest a structure.
Balance, Unity and Harmony
Ensuring that we perceive the composition as one piece.
