Final Page Layouts

Below are my final layout designs, I am happy with the overall spreads as I feel that they have answered the brief correctly. The spreads are informative, but are broken up with useful images and diagrams so that they are not too text heavy. I wanted to keep the colour choice very minimal therefore all body copy is in back. My design decisions relate to my research, as I wanted to keep my layouts pretty minimal. I have chosen the typeface Helvetica, regular for body copy, and bold for headings and subheadings, I feel this is the best choice for my spreads as it emphasises the minimalistic design.

Further Development

With this spread I have decided to focus one page on purely image. Because the image is type, it keeps this spread looking neat and consistent.

Developing the double page spreads

Below shows the development of my double page spreads.

After mocking up the templates digitally, I selected a few of my chosen layouts and decided the best ones to choose and apply my final content to. 

This spread on the anatomy of type is one of my strongest as they stand. Because the body copy stays consistent and remains in the three column grid layout, but the images balance out the body copy as they break up the page nicely and include efficient white space.

The right hand page now includes body copy that spreads across two vertical columns. Despite the opposing page sticking to a three column grid for body copy, I think this still works as the images used need a clear statement next to them. This spread is successful so far, as it has the right balance of image, white space and body copy.

Grid layouts: InDesign

Page layout templates

I have taken my drawn out layout templates and made digital versions, which will provide a guide for me to start my final layouts. I will use these templates and add my final content and images to them. These layouts have been filled with placeholder text, as I have taken my templates and mocked them up digitally to get a rough idea on how my finalised layouts could look. 

This layout uses a three column grid, however the text boxes spread across two columns. I think that this works well as it is a simplistic layout and the final spread will not be too text heavy, it has the right balance.

I think this layout works well because the spreads are symmetrical which creates a very clean cut layout. However the text may be a bit heavy, this could be resolved by breaking up with more images.

This spread has a good balance, even though the layouts not symmetrical, it works as it has the right amount of images to balance out the body copy. This might work well for a spread about type, or lettering.

Out of all of the digital templates as they stand, I feel this is the clearest and strongest design as it is not too text heavy. I also think white space will be needed when designing the final layouts. Even though there is only minimal white space on this spread, I think this helps the spreads look less cluttered.

Grid System Research

Grid Systems

In graphic design, a grid is a structure which is usually two-dimensional, and it is made up of a series of intersecting straight (vertical, horizontal, and angular) or curved guide lines used to structure a content. A grid system is a framework that is supposed to help the graphic designers in the logical and consistent organisation of information on a page. Graphic designers have started to build a rigid and coherent system for page layout. Grid systems are an established tool that is often used by print and web designers to create well structured and balanced designs.

They enable the graphic designer to organise whatever content they are working with consistently onto a page, using any combination of margins, guides, rows and columns. Grid systems are commonly seen in newspaper and magazine layouts with columns of text and images. Grids can also be used across an entire project so that the structure is consistent throughout. The gird will not be noticed once the finished product has been printed, but before print, it enables a consistent design to be produced. When starting a project, using a grid system will help position the elements of your design on a page.

 "The grid system is an aid, not a guarantee. It permits a number of possible uses and each designer can look for a solution appropriate to his personal style. But one must learn how to use the grid; it is an art that requires practice." - Josef Muller-Brockman

• Single column grid - the most simple grid consists of a single column of text surrounded by margins. Layout programmes encourage you to design your page from the outside in. These work well for more simple documents.
• Spreads - books, magazines and newspapers should be designed in spreads (facing pages).
• Multicolumn grid - these provide flexible formats for publications that are more complex, some that integrate text and illustration.

Anatomy of grids: Depending on the content that they will contain, grids vary in size, shape and complexity. However, every grid is made up of the following parts:

1. Margins: The space that separates the content from the edge of the page.
2. Flowlines: Alignments that break the space into horizontal bands.
3. Columns: Vertical divisions of space on a page.
4. Rows: A series of flowlines that create horizontal divisions of space on a page.
5. Gutters: Space that separates rows and columns or two facing pages.
6. Modules: Individual units of space created from intersecting rows and columns.
7. Spatial Zones: Groups of modules that cross multiple rows and columns.

Types of grids:

Rule of thirds

There are several types of grid systems a designer can use. The simplest method is to use the rule of thirds. This consists of dividing a page into thirds with two equally spaced vertical/horizontal lines so that the important compositional elements can be placed along these lines or intersections. This is commonly used in photography. 

Golden ratio

The golden ratio is another popular method (approximately 1.618) for proportioning. The ratio has been studied by mathematicians. It has been used for centuries by architects, artists and book designers for its aesthetically pleasing qualities. 

Baseline grid
A baseline grid is commonly used in publications such as newspapers and magazines, the page is divided into several equal sized columns. This consists of a set of horizontal lines on a page, the baseline of all type sits on this. 

There are two main types of layout within graphic design, vertical and landscape. There are also only two types of grids. One has an even number of columns and one has an odd number. These diagrams below found online present examples of layouts using basic layout grids.

Vertical grids

one column vertical grid

two column vertical grid

three column vertical grid

Landscape grids

one column landscape grid

two column landscape grid

three column landscape grid

four column landscape gird

Page Layout Research

Choosing the right grid and layout system is crucial for the success of your finished design. If you don't keep the layout and grid system consistent it will be impossible to achieve the same look throughout your project consistently, and without a layout grid, graphic elements will not properly work together. 

Examples of page layouts

The designs below show effective examples of page layout designs, in the first design, the focal point is the word in the centre. The page dividers help distinguish differences between each section clearly. With the second design, the main focal point is the 'O' in the centre, this is a good example of a page layout design. The colour scheme of body copy surrounding the focal point directs the readers attention in a systematic order, as we associate matching colours to be part of the same topic. For example if the texts are the same colour, it may suggest to the reader that they are talking about the same point. Colours help the eye distinguish differences more quickly. Overall these are a good set of layout designs, as they are clean cut, the design is not too overpowering, as they direct the readers eye successfully around the page. 

A good example of a layout design I have found, is by the designer Enzo Li Vitoli.

His designs focus on the layout and the typographical elements, making sure that each section of his design is precise and consistent. The simplistic layout design is very effective, and the use of the two column vertical grid allows the designer to produce a clean cut web page design. Even though this design is very simplistic, it is aesthetically pleasing, and the colours work well together. 

Other good examples of clean cut page layout designs are by the modernist designer Neville Brody. Brodys designs include the use of type and imagery. He uses a wide range of visual communication media, his layout designs, especially type are strong, as they get the message across efficiently. When working with page layout designs, it is important that imagery and type do not overpower one another. The type for the mastheads or headings need to be both bold and legible, therefore so it will not overpower the body copy. The colours are also a very significant element to consider when designing page layouts, as they have a major impact, colours can help distinguish the main story from the advertisements. Brodys designs are very effective, they keep the type simple as he uses only few font families to keep his designs consistent. The bottom image displays an interesting use of type and image, even though the image is very dominant within the design, the size of the type balances out the combination.

Below is a series of page layout designs I have found on 'Designspriration' http://designspiration.net/image/3771628676691/

I think that this series of designs below illustrate effective exampled of page layouts. I think the way the designer has used a two column vertical grid system works well for these designs as it keeps them simple considering there is quite a large amount of body copy. The way that the designer has included the imagery within the columns so the columns are prominent works well, as it the overall set of designs show consistency throughout. 

Grid Layouts 2

Scaling up thumbnails to create layout templates

From the thumbnails I created, I scaled up a double paged layout size that I would want my finished spreads to resemble. I have chosen to keep my layouts quite simple therefore I have chosen to create a three column vertical grid. Now I have my final content, I have decided to do this layout as I feel my content would fit best within this format. Below are some larger scale versions of how my layouts could look, I have drawn out a few different layouts to try and see which works best.