Class 5 – The Grid System and Why We Use It

Here’s a brief recap from last 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.

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.
  • 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.

Review pages 177-221 of our textbook for full details.

In InDesign we learned to set up columns for a grid, how to use a temple, and how to save a file as a PDF. We did this as we were introduced to the Type Book project.

Homework Due Monday, 2/22