1. Basic Design Principles and Hazards to Avoid
Desktop Publishing
Basic Design Principles
and
Hazards to Avoid

2. Desktop Publishing
Ability to design and develop publications by combining text, graphics, and design elements.
The purpose of design is to help convey a message.

3. Basic Design Principles
What you should do!!

4. Basic Design Principles
Focus
Balance
Directional Flow
Unity
White Space
Borders
Choosing Type

5. Focus Use contrasting size, density, and page position.
An element to which the eye first moves.
Use contrasting size, density, and page position.
Use large, bold display type or graphics.
Use elements with visual weight.

6. Balance
How elements are distributed on a page.
Formal Balance--centers all design elements around the visual center.

7. Balance Informal Balance--arranges design elements off center.
It is achieved by contrasts of weights around a balance point.

8. Directional Flow
Created by lines that the eye follows on a page.
Create flow on the page with lines within illustrations, rules, and lines of type, and with visuals.
Use the “Z” pattern of reading to place important information.
Use left-to-right and top-to-bottom for graphic elements.

9. Unity
Create unity with the use of appropriate and consistent elements.
Use appropriate type, graphics, and color: be consistent!

10. White (Nonprinted) Space
Design the white space; do not overcrowd type and graphic elements.
20 to 25% of your documents should be white space.

11. Borders Borders isolate a page or a section of a page.
Borders can be light or dark or on all sides or on selected sides.

12. Typography

13. Anatomy of Text

14. Choosing Type
The type must contribute to the message, not detract from it.
The type must match the message.
Use the same typeface for the same elements. Vary the size to change the look.
ABC
a b c

15. Body Text Choose a serif typeface for body text.
Body text should be from 9-12 points.
Leading should be at least a point more than the type size.
Avoid excessive hyphenation and too much space between words.

16. Serif Fonts

17. Headlines Use a sans serif typeface.
Make headlines larger than body text--14 points or more.
Use all caps only for short headlines; otherwise use uppercase and lowercase.
Be consistent with headlines throughout your document.
NEWS

18. Sans Serif Fonts

19. Desktop Publishing Hazards
Things to avoid.

20. Desktop Publishing Hazards
Forgetting your audience
Irregularly shaped type
Excessive underlining
Too many fonts
Grammar and spelling errors
Inappropriate borders
Inappropriate headlines
Violating the copyright law

21. Forgetting Your Audience
Don’t let your graphic design overwhelm your message.
Spend as much time on content as you do on design.

22. Irregularly Shaped Type Excessive Underlining
Irregular line shapes take more time to read.
Irregular line shapes are confusing to the reader.
Too much underlining confuses the reader.

23. Grammar and Spelling Errors Too Many Fonts
Proofread carefully after the computer does!!
Too many fonts creates a disorganized appearance and labels you as an amateur.
Limit fonts to 2-3 per page.
Use special effect fonts to attract extra attention--but only for a few words.

24. Inappropriate Borders
Borders can be functional or decorative.
The border should fit the nature of the product and the intended audience.

25. Inappropriate Headlines
Be careful how the lines end--you could give new meanings to your words.
Don’t use ALL CAPS if the headline is long.
Shorter is better!
City Dumps Mayor
Calls a Shame or
City Dumps
Mayor Calls
a Shame

26. Violating the Copyright Law
Copyright laws give owners exclusive rights to their works.
To use copyrighted work, you must get permission and, possibly, pay a fee.
Clip art is OK!!!!!

27. The Final Steps Print a sample copy. Proofread it carefully.
Make adjustments.
Print your final copy or publish to the Web.

28. References
Textbook
Lake, Susan. Desktop Publishing-10 Hour Series. Ohio: South-Western Publishing
Reference Books
Blanc, Iris. Desktop Publishing Activities. Ohio: South-Western Publishing
Davis, Graham. Quick Solutions to Great Layouts. Ohio: HOW Design Books
McWade, John. Before and After Page Design. California: JMS Publishing
OPAC Office Proficiency Assessment & Certification Software. Biddle and Associates, Inc., California.

29. References
Websites