Design and Layout

Desktop Publishing Basics

Basics Content dictates design. The designer should have a plan for

the final product. Sketch a plan or use a storyboard to

achieve a well-designed final product.

Page Elements Three Basic Elements

Text (words set in type) Graphics (photos, artwork, lines) White Space (blank areas on a

page)

6 Basic Principles of Design Dominance Unity Contrast Repetition Balance Consistency

Dominance Every page should have one dominant

element. The dominant element should be at least two

times as large as other elements on page. The dominant element serves to bring in the

reader’s eye.

Unity Consistency in design, such as repeated

elements. Fonts Colors

White space can unify a spread.

Contrast Contrast is one of the most important

elements of design. Contrast is the use of opposites in size, shape,

weight, and color or tone. Different typefaces create contrast, but can

also create a disorganized, random look. Rule – Don’t use more than two typefaces. Preferably typefaces from the same family.

Repetition Involves duplicating a color, graphic, or

typographic element to hold a design together.

Examples: A specific headline design could be repeated in a

smaller, modified version for all captions on the spread.

Color could be repeated to create unity.

Balance Formal

Pages that are balanced formally can be folded in half vertically with each half mirroring the other half of the page.

Informal Pages that are balanced informally feature weight

distributed unevenly. Either is fine, but have a PLAN – not a

random design.

Selecting and Using Type Choose a font that is easy to read.

Serif fonts are sometimes difficult 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 an unorganized random appearance to the pages.

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

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

Selecting and Using Type Leading – (pronounced ledding) - The white space

inserted between the lines 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.

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

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)

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.

Don’t place type in a place where it is hard to read. Avoid placing type diagonally or vertically unless it

has a distinct purpose in the overall design.

Broken Rules All rules can be broken under certain

circumstances. Be sure that you have a reason or purpose for

breaking the rules.

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 reader’s eye first?

Have others look at it critically as well.

Graphics Graphics must have a specific reason or

purpose. Purposes of graphics –

To Unify Elements To Separate Elements To Call Attention to Elements

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 reader’s eye in.

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.

Most Common Mistakes Use spell check. Don’t stretch a photo. No faces in the gutter (fold). No boxes around captions. Don’t put too many pictures from one event

on a page unless you mean to create a collage.

Most Common Mistakes Spell out numbers nine and under for both ordinal and

cardinal numbers. He made nine goals. She was the seventh applicant. He made 13 points. She was the 13th applicant.

Spell out any number that begins a sentence. Seven is considered a 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.

Most Common Mistakes Commonly misspelled words

There = Place Their = Ownership They’re = They Are Weather = Rain Whether = or not

Go to the following website and make of list of ten other commonly misspelled words.

http://www.yourdictionary.com/library/misspelled.html

Check Everything! Check your facts. Check twice. Check three times. Follow the rules of good design. Produce a professional looking design.