Design and Layout

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Design and Layout

• Basics

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Basics

• Content dictates design
• Designer must have a plan for the final product
• The designers job is to turn all of the pieces
  into a well-conceived final product

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Page Elements

• Three Basic Elements Combine to Create Desired
  Effect
• Text (words set in type)
• Graphics (photos, artwork, devices such as ruled
  lines)
• White Space (blank areas on a page)

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6 Basic Principles of Design

• Balance
• Proximity/Unity
• Alignment
• Repetition/Consistency
• Contrast
• White Space

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Balance

• Visual balance comes from arranging elements on
  the page so that no one section is heavier than
  the other
• However, designers may intentionally throw
  elements out of balance to create tension or a
  certain mood.

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Balance
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Proximity/Unity

• Items relating to each other should be grouped
  close together.
• When several items are in close proximity to each
  other, they become one visual unit rather than
  several separate units
• Helps to organize information and reduces clutter

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Proximity Unity
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Alignment

• Nothing should be placed on the page arbitrarily.
• Every element should have some visual connection
  with another element on the page.
• Creates a clean, sophisticated, fresh look

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Alignment
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Repetition

• Repeat visual elements of the design throughout
  the piece.
• You can repeat color, shape, texture, spatial
  relationships, line thickness, sizes, etc.
• Helps develop the organization and strengthens
  the unit

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Repetition
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Contrast

• Avoid elements on the page that are merely
  similar.
• If the elements (type, color, size, line
  thickness, shape, space, etc.) are not the same
  then make them VERY DIFFERENT.
• Contrast is often the most important visual
  attraction on a page

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Contrast
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White Space

• Cramming too much text and graphics onto the page
  are uncomfortable and may be impossible to read
• White space gives you breathing room

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White Space
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Selecting and Using Type

• Choose a font that is easy to read
• More novel type can be used for headlines
• Keep your target audience in mind
• Ex Children and Seniors larger type
• Using too many different typefaces in one
  publication creates a ransom-note appearance to
  pages.

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Selecting and Using Type

• Typeface (ex Arial or Times New Roman)
• Font a complete set of characters in one style
  or size of typeface such as 12 point Gills Sans
  Italic
• Family fonts closely related in style
• Roman characters that are straight up and down

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Selecting and Using Type

• Italic Characters slanted to the right
• Point a unit of measurement that describes the
  size of type
• Pica a unit of measurement in graphic design.
  (there are 12 points in a pica and 6 picas in one
  inch) 6 times 12 72 means that there are 72
  points in one inch.
• Example

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Selecting and Using Type

• Leading (pronounced ledding) - the white space
  inserted between the line
• Kerning is the adjustment of space between pairs
  of letters to make them more visually appealing.
  It is normally applied to individual letter pairs
  in headlines or other large type.
• Square Serif is characterized by block-type
  serifs. Conveys a steadfast and true feeling
• Sans Serif the word sans means without so a
  Sans Serif type has no serifs. It has a clean,
  smooth appearance

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Selecting and Using Type

• Serif Times New Roman, Century Schoolbook
• Sans Serif Arial
• Scripts and Cursives resemble handwriting
• Novelty typefaces should be used with care and
  only to convey or reinforce a message
• Storybook
• Game Night

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Rules of Typography

• 6 Point (used for indexes and photo bylines)
• 8 Point (used for captions)
• 9, 10, 11, or 12 point (used for body copy) one
  size used consistently throughout publication
• 14, 18, and 24 point (used for large initial
  letters, headlines, and subheads
• 30,26, 42, 48, 60, and 72 point type (used for
  headlines and display copy in ads)

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Pitfalls of Typography

• Using all capital letters lowers readability
• If you use all Capital letters, use them
  sparingly
• Avoid using large blocks of type in color
• High contrast between the type and its background
  is essential for good readability
• Dont place type in a place where it is hard to
  read
• Avoid placing type diagonally or vertically

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Broken Rules

• All rules can be broken under certain
  circumstances
• Be sure that you have a reason or purpose for
  breaking the rules

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Evaluate

• After designing a page, step back and look at it
  critically for design features.
• Ask yourself
• Is it appealing?
• Is it too cluttered?
• What catches the readers eye first?

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Graphics

• Graphics must have a specific reason or purpose
• Three purposes of graphics
• To Unify Elements
• To Separate Elements
• To Call Attention to Elements

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Good Design (Flyers, Newsletters)

• Create a Photo Pinwheel
• Place the dominant photo and cluster the others
  around it
• Place the headline directly above the copy or to
  the side to draw the readers eye in

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Layout

• Choose the best photo for the dominant position
• Best quality, greatest tonal range, and contrast
• Place other pictures on the page in pinwheel
  style
• Make sure all subjects in the photos face the
  center of the spread
• Avoid random use of clip art
• Have a purpose
• Avoid the heavy use of borders or rules

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Most Common Mistakes

• Use spell check
• Dont stretch a photo.
• No faces in the gutter (fold)
• No boxes around captions
• Dont put too many pictures from one event on a
  page unless you mean to create a collage

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Most Common Mistakes

• Spell out numbers nine and under for both ordinal
  and cardinal numbers.
• He made nine spelling errors. She was the seventh
  applicant.
• He made 13 spelling errors. She was the 13th
  applicant.
• Spell out any number that begins a sentence.
• Seven is my lucky number.
• Spell out any number that precedes another number
  expressed in numerals.
• Three 100-meter races
• Spell out indefinite numbers and amounts,
  including large approximations.
• Over a billion people live in India.

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Most Common Mistakes

• Commonly misspelled words
• There Place
• Their Ownership
• Theyre They Are
• Weather Rain
• Whether or not
• Recieved for Received
• Go to the following website and make of list of
  ten other commonly misspelled words.
• http//www.yourdictionary.com/library/misspelled.h
  tml

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Check Everything!

• Check your facts
• Check twice
• Check three times