When aligning all texts on a page/spread, should every element be aligned according to some sort of structured grid? (pg. 118-199)

Working on the book cover design drafts made me realize (via Professor Dell’Orto’s correction marks) how important it is just to move the title a few points, just to align with the texts on the side flaps. This has gotten me to think, when designing a layout, does every single element have to be aligned according to some sort of structured grid?

I found this fantastic tutorial on typophile, with instructions on how to create a baseline grid. In it, even each line of the different columns (of different sizes and weight) still aligned to each other– something I haven’t really thought about before:

In other exercises, I don’t think I’ve ever really aligned blocks of texts (of different sizes/weight) because I didn’t think it really mattered; plus, with the different sizes, I would think it’s tricky to align the different elements perfectly anyway!

As you can see in the image above, everything is aligned perfectly on a baseline grid. Simply by aligning everything, the whole layout has so much structure and legibility. It also looks effortlessly clean!

Although this topic seeps into the “GRID” section, there is a close relationship between grids and alignment. If you have a grid envisioned for your layout, you will have elements aligning nicely on the page.

This was designed by Lisa Hedge, for the International Culinary Center. She uses an exaggerated “2” as the main focus of the page, making it the biggest thing on the page. This works very well because the design is very clean and sleek, and if it were food, you would feel inclined to eat it! Every other character is in text size (below 14+), making it not too complicated and messy. If any other text was in display size, it would be competing with the “2”.

This “2” looks like it is announcing either a chapter, a step, or an important point. If it was in text size, it would not do it’s job in announcing whatever it is announcing. This difference in scale and size helps bring attention to what’s important, and eliminates a need for extra unnecessary ‘fluff’ (e.g. extra bolded characters, underlined words, etc).

Martha Stewart’s design style is very American classic–from that cozy, inviting warmth, to the playful nature of her use of colors. Many of her food cookbooks use strong type, from bold, thick sans serifs to intentional serif strokes:

(sans serifs)

(serifs)

On the majority of her publications, she includes her name in the title. I believe this is not only to sound personable and relatable to the average woman cook (e.g. Here’s a recipe from your good friend, Martha!), but also because her name has become her brand. Also, an image of Martha Stewart is on many publications, and this definitely helps her image because she is an attractive, slender woman. More people are more likely to reach for her cookbook (and feel good about what they’re cooking) over a cookbook with a larger figure– regardless of how healthy Stewart’s recipes may or may not be.

Stewart also makes sure that her food images look good–from lighting control to decorations, she always makes sure to have people craving her food. Even if her foods may be heavy, she always counter-balances this with light-colored clothing (if she’s in the image) or table setting.

On the inside of her cookbooks and/or publications, her recipes are always clear and simply organized:

These recipes are always organized cleanly to make the recipe easy-to-do. Even if the instructions are actually complicated, there is nothing fussy about the layout that makes cookers and bakers want to cringe. The focus is one one beautiful photo of the food that the cooker/baker may be motivated by, and the directions are written in light type.

1. Great typeface mixing:

1. Great kerning and tracking:

1. Great line spacing (leading):

1. Great marking of paragraphs:

This documentary highlights the special characteristics of books, compared to the ‘robotic, soullessness’ of digital reading devices like the Kindle, Nook, iPad, etc. To make the personality and significant presence of books stand out, books of different sizes and shapes and weights and colors are shown in collections and stacks and on shelves– with reference to their unique smells (from their physical and mental travels) and to historic feels (from the physical paper with creases and wrinkles and folds, to the cultural feeling of community). The creators attempt to really capture the importance of physical books, especially with their interview inserts with writers and bookstore owners and book readers.

Although books are incredible experiences for many older generations and/or true “book lovers”, because the digital age has only recently begun to transform the “normal” way of reading, I believe that in a few decades, electronic reading will become the “new normal”. For example, the documentary opened up with a typewriter being used, but in a way, this once “normal” machine, now gives way to faster printing presses and Microsoft Word. In other words, this “normal” thing is not considered so normal anymore and the majority of people probably do not think about the ‘horrific’ death of the typewriter. We can apply this same understanding to why society will continue to transform and grow into a truly electronic reading community–because it is becoming the new “normal”. Furthermore, in a few hundred years, another new way of reading may be introduced, and it will probably feel confusing and disappointing to today’s or tomorrow’s “e-reader lovers”. You never know.