Here’s a brief recap from  Wednesday’s class. One of the main things we covered was how to work with the grid system.

A grid is a non-printing system of horizontal and vertical lines which help the designer align the elements of the layout. This system of alignment helps to create a more organized layout. In multiple page documents, the grid assists in the consistent placement of design elements. Think of the grid as the skeleton of the layout—similar to the frame that you see on the construction site when a building or house is being built.

Vocabulary used:

  • text page – the area on a page, within the margins, where text appears.
  • margin – the area of the page around the text area. It creates a boundary to keep text away from the edge of the page.
  • folios – the page number. In most instances this is at the bottom of the page below or outside the text area.
  • header – the area at the top of the page, outside the text area. A running header is a header that is repeated across many pages
  • footer – the area at the bottom of the page, outside the text area. A running footer is a footer that is repeated across many pages.
  • gutter – the gutter separates the columns and rows from each other. It is also the area where two facing pages meet.
  • active corner – the upper left corner of any field in a grid system. This is where the top of the text is aligned.
  • passive corner – the bottom right corner of any field in a grid.

For additional information on using grids, read the online article 15 Reasons Why A Grid Based Approach Will Improve Your Designs

In InDesign we learned to set up columns for a grid, how to use a template, and how to name files before submission. We did this as we were introduced to the Type Book project.

We also covered using the line tool to create rules, strokes, and arrows in InDesign

 Introduction to Project #1 – The Type Book

The Type Book is a typography manual that you will create as we cover the basic principles of typography. Each student will choose a performer/famous person/fictional character who will be used for the Type Book assignment.

Homework Due Monday, 9/18

Do you have any questions about information covered during this lesson? Write them in the comments below.