Layout, Magazine Design, Design on a Grid

1. What is Layout?
Document/Page Design
The placement of graphic elements (images,
illustrations, drawings, and text) in a
presentation of pages. It most often refers to
document design.
Documents usually have multiple pages.
InDesignisaDesktopPublishingTool.

2. Print Issues
• Print publication (book/magazine/newspaper/
newsletter)formats are based on standard flat
sheet paper size, folded, bound, or saddle-stitched.
• Examples:
• 11 x 17 sheet double-fold (either 4 or 8 page
newsletter)
• 8 x 11 magazine in signatures (groups of 8½
pages)
• Decisions made about format affect cost
• Printers create in signatures of 8 pages or a codex
of 16.

3. Consistency
A pattern is established for the:
• Copy: headings/body text/captions/page numbers/pull-
outs/decks, etc. (including font, size, and style)
• Color scheme: for rules, boxes, perhaps headlines,
sidebars
• Arrangement: positioning/location (and size) of images,
blocks of text, and negative space on the page
Consistencyprovidesvisualcueswhichhelpthereaderto1)recognizethepublicationstyleand2)
followtheflowofinformation.

4. ∀Grids are standard practice in publishing.
∀Guidelines can be set up in InDesign to indicate your grid
pattern.
∀Vertical lines indicate columns of text.
∀Two, three and four column grids are typically used.
∀Items (including photos/art/heads) may span one or more
columns, but will fill the full width of the columns (not go
halfway).
∀Anchors are the guidelines that indicate horizontal lines in a grid
from which elements “hang” or rest.
Grids, Guidelines,
and Anchors
Agridallowsconsistencywithoutboringthereader.

6. Readability
• The human eye is most comfortable taking in 35 to 45
characters in a single line of type. This often rules out
using a one-column grid.
• Don’t put blocks of text (body copy) over images with lots
of contrast. Avoid “reverse” type.
• Remember colors are made up of screen combinations.
Colors other than CYMK for text are “pixelated” and
harder to read.
• Avoid use of TOO many fonts (style clutter).
• Serif fonts are easier to read than sans serif.
• Roman (normal) is easier to read than italic or bold.
• Upper and lower case is easier to read than all caps.
Reserve all caps for SHORT headings.
• Save specialty fonts for special instances/artistic
expression.

7. Magazine “Vocabulary”
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standing head
headline
subhead
offset lead-in
sidebar
Pull-quote
caption

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Magazine “Vocabulary”
headline
deck
Pull-quote
Initial Cap
Body copy
]Gutter[
] [ alley

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Magazine “Vocabulary”
headline
Deck 1
Pull-quote (in reverse type)
Initial Cap
Body copy
Photo
Credit
Byline
Deck 2
Photo Bleed

10. Bleeds, etc.
• It is important to keep in mind that what may be
an easy trial and error process for printing at
home becomes a costly transaction once it
moves outside of your control to other working
professionals.
• For this reasons, further study should include
not only mastery of the specific program you
have chosen to work with but also more
detailed information concerning prepress
preparation and printing technologies.

11. QuickTime™ and a
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SIDEBAR
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12. Points and Picas
Pages are measured in picas (column width).
Fonts are measured in points.
12 points = 1 pica
6 picas = 1 inch
Type Traits
Kerning: space between characters
Leading: space between lines of type
Tracking: space between words+characters
(how a line of text is spaced out at the PARAGRAPH level)
Em: one character space based on the font’s letter “M”
(for instance, hyphens are 1/2-em widths [also called “ens”]; dashes
are whole ems (2 hyphens)…or an editor may specify using a 2-en
[ie. 1-em dash])

13. People prefer organized
visual information
• When all text in an article has a
consistent look, including column
width, it enhances readability.
• Readers expect oft-repeated info
(such as page #s, sidebars,
informational text, captions) in the
same location on each page.

14. Even Corporate Marketers
Have Grid Standards
• As does any advanced institution such
as UM…
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15. • Grids can unify a series of
documents with varied content

16. The Grid
• Grids speed layout by taking guesswork
out of design consistency
• A consistent grid makes it easier for the
designer to provide the continuity
readers expect.
• However, a good grid system also
allows you to introduce variations
without forsaking readability or
consistency.

17. Flexibility
• A grid unit can be incremental--display text and photos
aren’t bounded by a single column width,for example, but
may extend across 2 or 3. The continuity is achieved with
an “invisible” line of alignment with text.
QuickTime™ and a
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