COLUMNS The foundation of design Sally Manke

COLUMNS Visually organize your content Columns are used to visually organize the content of your layout.

Why we design with columns Reflects magazine and newspaper design Helps readability Makes the content the primary focus Provides a guide/road map for the reader Why do we design with columns? Because it reflects magazine and newspaper design. It helps with readability. It makes the content the primary focus. It provides a guide/road map for reader.

Design Elements Photographs Copy Packages (Headlines, Secondary Headlines, Copy) Captions White Space/Negative Space Graphics/Art {Ask the audience} What design elements appear on a layout? Photographs, Copy Packages, Captions, White Space – also called Negative Space – and Graphics/Art.

Layout Basics Design double-page spreads Set picas as the unit of measurement Set adequate external margins Set one pica internal spacing Select number of columns Let’s start with the basics! First, we design in double-page spreads – two facing pages in the yearbook – because we view both pages together as one visual unit. In North America, the standard measurement in printing is called a “pica.” While page dimensions are measured in inches, all measurements on the page are calculated in picas. There are 6 picas to an inch. There are 12 points to a pica and 72 points to an inch. All type is measured in points. We need to set adequate external margins. External margins work like a frame around a picture. The Herff Jones template already has standard external margins set up. We keep a consistent amount of space between ALL elements – one pica. Finally, we select and divide the spread in a number of equal-width columns.

COLUMN LAYOUT Let’s build a 10 column layout (With a vertical dominant photograph) In InDesign and PageMaker, set the number of columns per double-page spread with one pica space between each column. If drawing by hand, start your columns one pica on either side of the gutter and work outward. Make sure all columns contain the same number of picas.

10 Columns across the double-page spread External Margins 10 Columns across the double-page spread 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Column Gutter One Pica Internal Margin {Point out each part of the invisible column framework} This is a good time to also point out that the EVEN page is ALWAYS on the left, and the ODD page is always on the right. Bottom External Margins 100 Even Page Odd Page 101 10 Column Layout Double-page spread

Add Folio Tabs and Eyeline The horizontal eyeline should be placed off center and should create linkage for the spread. It helps to visually unite the left and right pages into one “presentation.” The folios should be placed in the bottom margin, should not exceed 12 point and should include spread content info. Folio Tab Folio Tab 100 101 Add Folio Tabs and Eyeline

Add Vertical Dominant Photo A dominant element should be included on every spread. In beginning design, that element is usually a photograph. Dominance is achieved usually through size (two to three times larger than any other photograph on the spread) and/or shape. The vertical dominant photo should be placed off center, cross the gutter and touch at least one external margin. This is the one element allowed to cross the eyeline. . 100 101 Add Vertical Dominant Photo

Add Copy Package Headline, secondary headline, copy block Copy Package Copy Package Rests on Eyeline The copy package (headline, secondary headline and multiple-column copy block) should hang from or rest on the eyeline and be placed in one of the outside corners of the spread. 100 101 Add Copy Package Headline, secondary headline, copy block

Add Other Photos Different sizes and shapes Contrasting Shape Bleed One Pica One Pica Other photos should fill column(s) completely, maintain consistent one pica internal margins and cluster toward the center of the spread. They also should hang from or rest on the eyeline and include at least one contrasting shape of the dominant. Notice one photo extends beyond the exterior margin and bleeds off the spread. Bleeds are generally limited to one photograph per spread. Photos should not be placed in the corners of the layout. Consider including a candid photo in the same shape as the dominant photograph. This will work to make the dominant photo appear larger. Avoid candids of the same size and shape. 100 101 Add Other Photos Different sizes and shapes

Add Captions Placed next to each photo One Pica The captions are consistently one column wide, thus establishing the visual column width, and maintain consistent one pica internal spacing. Captions should be placed to the outside of the spread. It should be obvious to the reader which caption describes which photo because of placement. Do not “cluster” more than two captions together. Either stack them on top of each other or place them side by side. Notice that the white space is left to the outside of the spread and that at least one element touches each exterior margin. The photos and the type fill the width of the columns completely. 100 101 Add Captions Placed next to each photo

10 Column Layout With photos The photos and the type fill the columns completely, with the action of the photos moving toward the gutter. The spread includes a variety of head sizes, which follow roughly the same hierarchy as the photo sizes (largest heads in the dominant and smallest head sizes in smallest photos). 100 101 10 Column Layout With photos

10 Column Layout With photos and color headline Notice that the headline picks up the prevalent color in the dominant photograph. This is a simple, yet effective, way to tie the elements of the spread together graphically. 100 101 10 Column Layout With photos and color headline

Add Secondary Story Package If an additional story is needed on the spread, a secondary story package (also known as a sidebar) should fill column(s) completely. The sidebar should contain consistent type and graphics to match other elements on the spread – but in a smaller size. 100 101 Add Secondary Story Package Delete photo and caption to add additional coverage

Secondary Story With photos and color headlines As a final touch, the color of the graduate’s cap and gown is “picked-up” and used for the primary headline and the secondary story headline. 100 101 Secondary Story With photos and color headlines

COLUMN LAYOUT Let’s build a 10 column layout (With a horizontal dominant photograph) In InDesign and PageMaker, set the number of columns per double-page spread with one pica space between each column. If drawing by hand, start your columns one pica on either side of the gutter and work outward. Make sure each column is an equal number of picas.

10 Columns across the double-page spread External Margins 10 Columns across the double-page spread 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Column Gutter One Pica Internal Margin The number of columns stays the same whether the layout is vertical or horizontal. Using the same structure throughout the book or throughout a section gives consistency and unity to the overall design. Bottom External Margins 100 Even Page Odd Page 101 10 Column Layout Double-page spread

Add Folio Tabs and Eyeline You will have an eyeline with the horizontal variation as well. It serves exactly the same purpose, but you may need to drop it or raise it to accommodate a horizontal dominant. Folio Tab Folio Tab 100 101 Add Folio Tabs and Eyeline

Add Horizontal Dominant Photo The horizontal dominant photo should start or rest on the eyeline, be placed off center, cross the gutter and touch the top or bottom margin. The dominant could also bleed at the top to enlarge its size even more. 100 101 Add Horizontal Dominant Photo

Add Copy Package Headline, secondary headline, copy block Copy Package Copy Package Rests on Eyeline The copy package should hang from or rest on the eyeline and be placed to the outside of the spread. 100 101 Add Copy Package Headline, secondary headline, copy block

Add Other Photos Different sizes and shapes Bleed One Pica One Pica Contrasting Shape Other photos should fill column(s) completely, maintain consistent one pica internal margins and cluster toward the center of the spread. They also should hang from or rest on the eyeline and include at least one contrasting shape of the dominant. Photos should not be placed in the corners of the layout. 100 101 Add Other Photos Different sizes and shapes

Add Captions Placed next to each photo One Pica The captions are one column wide and maintain consistent one pica internal spacing. Captions should be placed to the outside of the spread. It should be obvious to the reader which caption describes which photo. 100 101 Add Captions Placed next to each photo

10 Column Layout With photos The photos and the type fill the columns completely, with the action of the photos moving toward the gutter. The spread includes a variety of head sizes. Anyone see any problem with this spread? Any concern about the dominant photo? {click} The dashed lines show where the gutter will fall. Now do you see the problem? Yes, the one student’s face will be lost in the gutter. As you design your layouts, always watch to make sure photos crossing the gutter will not result in faces or the center of action/interest stuck in the gutter. 100 101 10 Column Layout With photos

10 Column Layout With photos Here the dominant photo has been enlarged and cropped in an attempt to make sure that no face is lost in the gutter. Cropping is the process of editing out the background, foreground and/or sides of a photograph to remove parts that distract from the image’s center of interest. If there is still a problem with the photo’s cropping, it might be best to choose another dominant photo. 100 101 10 Column Layout With photos

10 Column Layout With photos and color headline Here on the finished spread, a new dominant photo has been selected and cropped to make sure that no face is lost in the gutter. 100 101 10 Column Layout With photos and color headline

10 Column Layout With photos and color headline Notice that the headline color matches the red shirt in the dominant photo. 100 101 10 Column Layout With photos and color headline

VISUAL VARIETY Reposition design elements to avoid visual redundancy Create different looks for the spreads by moving and changing the shape of the dominant photo, placing the copy package in a different corner, moving and/or creating different secondary packages and mixing the number of candid photos. Here are six different spreads. REMEMBER: Keep graphics consistent: type (font, weight, capitalization pattern), lines (weight, use) and backgrounds (color, pattern).

10 Column Layout Variations with color graphics Notice the headline picks up the main color in the dominant photo. The captions have a large initial letter in the same font, weight, capitalization pattern and color as the main headline. 10 Column Layout Variations with color graphics

10 Column Layout Variations What elements have changed to help avoid visual redundancy? {horizontal dominant, copy package moved to the lower left corner, secondary story added} Notice the headline picks up the main color of the dominant photo. The secondary headline and captions’ initial letters are in the same font, weight, capitalization pattern and color as the main headline. To visually set it off, a line in the same color has been added around the secondary story. (Remember all graphic elements, like line weight, should be used consistently throughout the section) 10 Column Layout Variations

10 Column Layout Variations What’s different here? {copy package moved to the lower right corner, secondary story moved to lower left corner} 10 Column Layout Variations

10 Column Layout Variations Another variation… {vertical dominant, copy package moved to the lower left corner, secondary story appears in upper right corner} 10 Column Layout Variations

10 Column Layout Variations Changes here? {horizontal dominant, copy package moved to the upper right corner, no secondary story} 10 Column Layout Variations

10 Column Layout Variations And a final variation… {vertical dominant, copy package moved to the upper left corner, secondary story added in the lower right corner} 10 Column Layout Variations

Things to REMEMBER Design double-page spreads Set picas as the unit of measurement Set adequate external margins Use one pica internal margins Select number of columns Fill columns completely with photos or type Place type to the outside of the spread Cluster photos toward the center of the spread {read slide}

in conjunction with Sally Manke COLUMNS created in conjunction with Sally Manke Herff Jones Special Consultant {read slide}

COLUMNS The foundation of design Columns – the foundation of design.

THANK YOU {Be sure to thank your audience for their attention}