Design School: Layout: A Practical Guide for Students and Designers

319 Pages·2018·69.12 MB·English

by  Richard Poulin

Design School
layout
A Practical Guide for Students and Designers
Richard Poulin
Vitruvian Man
1487
Leonardo da Vinci
(Italian, 1452–1519)
Table of Contents
Introduction
1 Layout Fundamentals
Absolute and Relative Measurements
Proportional Systems
Golden Section
Fibonacci Sequence
Dynamic Rectangles
Related Systems
Van de Graaf Canon
Villard Diagram
Preferred Numbers
Renard Numbers
Special Numbers
The Rule of Thirds
Le Modulor
ISO Standard Paper Sizes
Standard Book Sizes
Test your Knowledge
2 Anatomy of a Grid
Margins
Columns
Modules
Spatial Zones
Flowlines
Markers
Gutters and Alleys
Fields
Terminology
Test your Knowledge
3 Grid Systems
The Modern Grid System
Manuscript
Symmetrical (Single-, Double-, and Multiple-Column)
Modular
Asymmetrical (Columnar, Modular)
Baseline
Hierarchical
Marber
Compound
Test your Knowledge
4 Compositional Principles
Balance
Movement
Symmetry
Asymmetry
Tension
Contrast
Figure-Ground
Test your Knowledge
5 Layout Characteristics
Pacing and Sequencing
Pattern and Form
Rhythm and Flow
Space
Alignment
Emphasis, Hierarchy, and Scale
Test your Knowledge
6. Layout in Practice
Test your Knowledge Answers
Bibliography
Index
Credits
Introduction
“Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add,
but when there is nothing left to take away.”
—Antoine de Saint-Exupery
L
ayout is one of the most powerful forms of visual expression and
communications. It is the descriptive term used for the organization and
placement of type, image, color, and other relevant design elements within a
composition. It is the method by which a graphic designer arranges, places, and
composes these visual elements which ultimately affects the understanding of,
and reaction to, this information by the reader. When a compositional layout
reflects a visual treatment that enhances both its narrative and visual meaning, it
can convey a memorable and timeless message that will always be associated
with a specific human emotion.
The goal of any graphic designer is not just to organize information on a
printed or digital page, but also to understand it and compose it in a manner that
facilitates and enhances understanding by the reader or user. The methods used
to create compositional layouts, as well as the design fundamentals of
measurement, grid anatomy and systems, compositional principles, and layout
characteristics, are critical considerations for a graphic designer.
Compositional layout, of course, is all around us. Since the beginning of
mankind, we have had a need to record and organize our stories for everyone to
witness and experience. After we learned to “speak” verbally, we then spoke
“visually” by leaving crude marks on walls and surfaces. From Sumerian
cuneiform inscribed on clay tablets and Egyptian hieroglyphics painted on the
walls of funereal tombs to carved Roman inscriptions on triumphal arches and
Renaissance illuminated manuscripts, composing and ultimately sharing those
experiences with one another has been a common feature of human interaction
throughout history.
As our world has become more diverse and complex, so has the means by
which we communicate our stories to one another in their many forms and
media. For centuries, the fundamental design principle of layout has been an
essential visual communicator that has always reflected civilization, culture,
technology, and the human condition at any given time period. Its evolution has
been shaped by the developments of human communication needs, from the
rudimentary hand and early print technologies to mechanical printing and the
rudimentary hand and early print technologies to mechanical printing and the
invention of desktop publishing and digital media. Many of the proportional
systems, page sizes, book sizes, grid systems, and compositional principles
explained in this volume and used today within the graphic design profession
have existed for centuries.
Layout in practice is the process of composing letters, words, and text for
almost any context imaginable, and it is among the most important design
principles you need to master for creating effective and meaningful graphic
design. Graphic designers learn the nuances of layout in order to use it
creatively, with imagination and a sense of exploration, while maintaining
respect for its rules and traditions.
Design School: Layout is a back-to-basics, practical guide to the rules and
practices of compositional layout. The foundation for any successful graphic
designer is an understanding of the fundamentals of layout, a crucial skill which
underpins almost every other aspect of graphic design. This book provides an in-
depth account of the basic elements and principles of compositional layout—
explaining what they are, why they are important, and how they can be used in
an effective manner.
Graphic design provides a means for you to “express” your own imagination
in ways that do not rely solely upon spoken or written language. Every element
used in graphic design, such as compositional layout, has the potential to
communicate something specific. Although the explanation and ultimate use of
design elements and principles may seem cut-and-dried, the quality of these
elements and principles is perceived solely through the expression of the total
message by a graphic designer.
Design School: Layout not only explores a graphic design student’s
experience; it includes work by some of the most successful and renowned
design practitioners from around the world and demonstrates how they have
applied these basic principles to their work. By examining both student and
professional work, Design School: Layout is also a more meaningful,
memorable, and inspiring guide for graphic design students, as well as for novice
practitioners starting their professional careers.
¶

Section 1
Layout Fundamentals
T
he foundation for any successful graphic designer is an understanding of
the fundamentals of compositional layout. Throughout a graphic designer’s
education and career, the basic tenets of compositional layout are constantly
referred to for inspiration, ideas, and as reminders of how they provide the basis
for designing memorable and communicative work.
Layout fundamentals, such as measurement and proportion, are the
framework for creating clear and meaningful graphic design in the most
appropriate and effective manner. These basic tenets and principles provide
structure and further enhance meaning in your work. Without a reliance on these
fundamentals, your compositional layouts will be ineffective, non-
communicative, and will not “speak” to any audience.
Absolute and Relative Measurement Systems
Measurement is defined as “the assignment of a number to a characteristic of an
object or event, which can be compared with other objects or events.” Since the
early eighteenth century, measurement has been based on universal systems and
standards that are solely dependent upon its context and discipline.
Measurement systems are an integral part of layout, from the spatial
dimensions of a page grid, to the organization and spacing of its visual elements.
Understanding various absolute and relative measurement systems will enhance
and broaden your knowledge of compositional layout.
In graphic design, graphic designers primarily rely upon two measurement
systems for the majority of their work; one is based on measurements of fixed or
absolute values and the other is based on a series of rational or relative values.
Absolute Measurement Systems
An absolute measurement system, such as the American–British Point System
and the Metric System, is always based on a standard, fixed value of units—
picas and points, and millimeters and centimeters respectively. The following
absolute measurement systems are always communicated in finite terms and
never change: