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Grid-Based Design Theory. Grid is an important tool for graphic design. Commonly people used to think that grid is related to engineering and architecture, but this is not true. Today the graphic designers use grid extensively for website design. It is a very popular tool in present times. Grid is not just about squares but proportion. This is the most important element of grid theory. Art historians are of the opinion that the famous Dutch painter Piet Mondrian should be regarded as the Father of graphic design because it was he who used grids in the most sophisticated way yet classical. Using the Golden Ratio a line can be cut by dividing its length by 1.62. But here the question arises as how does this ratio help in graphic design?

The Rule of the Thirds There is also a simplified version of the Golden Ratio. For a simple and quick layout experiment of the idea, let us start by drawing some simple rule of thirds grid with pencil and paper. The 960 Grid System 1) 12 columns 2) 16 columns and 3) 24 columns. Clean Up Your Mess - A Guide to Visual Design for Everyone. Clean Up Your Mess - A Guide to Visual Design for Everyone.

The Top 10 Secrets to Designing a Magazine. Each avenue in the design world has its own unique challenges and tricks, and magazine design is no different. From style guides and gutters to editors and entry points, designing for a magazine comprises its own set of rules and considerations. Before jumping head first into the text-heavy, deadline-driven world of magazines, take a moment to get your bearings and familiarize yourself with the terrain. Using the road map below, your creativity, and a bit of luck you’ll have everything you need to produce a top-notch, reader-friendly magazine.1. Style Guides and Templates In magazine design, consistency is imperative not only to branding but also to creating familiarity between the magazine and its audience. This familiarity breeds trust and loyalty, and ultimately keeps readers coming back for more.

One of the biggest misconceptions in design is that templates and style guides are restrictive. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. A Crash Course in Typography: Principles for Combining Typefaces - Noupe Design Blog. Apr 11 2011 When combining typefaces, there are a couple of important principles you’ll need to keep in mind, namely contrast and mood. Effectively combining typefaces is a skill best learned through practice, and trial-and-error. Once you’ve mastered the principles covered here, you’ll have the tools you need to try out combinations while making educated guesses about what will and won’t work together.

Here, we’re mostly covering combining two typefaces, as you would for body copy and headlines. Contrast Contrast is one of the most important concepts to understand when it comes to combining typefaces. But first, what exactly is contrast? Weight The weight of a typeface plays a huge role in its appearance. You’ll want to look for typefaces that have noticeable difference in weight, without being too extreme. Style and Decoration The style of a typeface has a huge impact on how it’s received. Style and decoration can also be used to create contrast within a type family or typeface. Structure. Massimo Vignelli OFFSET 2009. Frank Chimero. Anonymous asked: What advice would you give to a graphic design student? Design does not equal client work. It’s hard to make purple work in a design. The things your teachers tell you in class are not gospel.

You will get conflicting information. It means that both are wrong. Or both are true. Look people in the eyes when you are talking or listening to them. If you can’t draw as well as someone, or use the software as well, or if you do not have as much money to buy supplies, or if you do not have access to the tools they have, beat them by being more thoughtful. The best communicators are gift-givers. Don’t become dependent on having other people pull it out of you while you’re in school. Buy lightly used. Develop a point of view. Design doesn’t have to sell. Think of every project as an opportunity to learn, but also an opportunity to teach.

Take things away until you cry. Design is just a language, it’s not a message. Stop trying to be cool: it is stifling. Frank Chimero.