Grid System descriptions

GRID SYSTEMS

Multi column grids

While single-column grids work well for simple documents, multicolumn grids provide flexible formats for publications that have a complex hierarchy or that integrate text and illustrations. The more columns you create, the more flexible your grid becomes. You can use the grid to articulate the hierarchy of the publication by creating zones for different kinds of content. A text or image can occupy a single column or it can span several. Not all the space has to be filled.

Design with a hang line

You can divide a page horizontally by using images and captions across the top of the page in reverse. You can the hang text from a common line such as a hang line underneath the images and captions. Hanglines are not actually a grid system, however, they are used within grid systems to split sections up in reference to layouts. Hanglines are used within multi and single column grids and are used to divide columns. When a hang line is in use they often create clarity within layout and uniform information on a page.This is due to all content being dictated by the hangline due to following it. Often hanglines are stacked within layouts and are frequently used within web design.

Modular Grid

A modular grid consists of horizontal divisions from top to bottom along with vertical divisions from left to right. The modules also work for the cropping of the pictures as well as the text. Modular grids are created by positioning horizontal guidelines in relation to a baseline grid that governs the whole document.

Golden Section

The Golden ratio is a special number found by dividing a line into two parts. This means that the longer part divided by the smaller part is also equal to the whole length divided by the longer part. For example the ratio of 1 to 1/2 (√5 + 1) is supposedly pleasing to the eye.

Muller- Brockmann: Grid systems

Brockmann claims ‘The grid system is an aid, not a guarantee. It permits a number of possible uses and each designer can look for a solution appropriate to his personal style.’ Brockmann’s way of working was to translate and give shapes to ideas using a no-nonsense grid system approach before being ‘artistic’ within his work.

Van De Graaf Canon

The van de Graaf canon grid system is geometric and has divided book pages into pleasing proportions throughout history.  Research shows that the Van De Graaf Canon works for any page width:height ratio, this enables the book designer to position the text body in a specific area of the page. Using the canon, the proportions are maintained while creating pleasing and functional margins. Van De Graaf Canon is the result of looking and understanding information it was also inspired by the page layout of medieval texts. Research claims that the Van de Graaf Canon aims to construct a pleasing page layout by creating an area for content to be placed. Although the grid works on pages of any scale it particularly works best at the page proportion 2:3. In theory contents of page is restricted to a certain area, therefore, this method is commonly used in books along with publications. Due to Van De Graff Canon working a lot with the contrast of negative space it provides a point of focus for the reader.  

Tschichold: Octavo

Tschichold developed Van de Graaf Canon system further and added to these ideas making him able to explain them clearer to the audience in a simplistic way. Within his work he highlighted the importance of clarity and when presenting information.The text area and margin proportions are determined by the starting page proportions.

Tschichold: Golden Canon

The Golden Canon is based upon geometric proportional rules. Several properties are held within the Golden Canon such as the text area always has the same proportion as the page. Also the text area is distributed within the page therefore the outer margin is twice the width of the inner margin, and the bottom margin is twice the width of the top margin.Lastly, the ratios of the inner margin to top margin, and outer margin to bottom margin are the same ratio of the width of the page along with its height.  

Baseline Grid

According to research the Baseline Grid provides a guide in order for elements to be positioned whilst using accuracy which is proven to be difficult when done by the eye alone. Horizontal lines are set across the page whilst being equal distances apart from each other. Supposedly on each row either one line of body text, three lines of caption text or two lines of body text can be used and is positioned on the bottom line.