The Grid
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- visual_infection
So here is my question.
I like the grid, I only really became consious of what the grid meant about a year ago. Since then I have been relying on templaes and most recently pdf gridder to create my grids for me.
The problem is while I am consious of what it is and how to use it, I don't completely understand the grid. I don't know how to make my own and when left to my own devices I create rather rudimentary grids.
Is it ok for me to rely on these outside sources to create a grid for me? Or should I take some time and actually understand the grid. Really dig in and get a firm understanding of it.
My school (which I won't name, but it should be named) never really went over the grid, which the more I look into it is a staple of design education.
- janne760
the grid is overrated.
- janne760
it is all about grit anyway nowadays.
- brandelec0
take the time to start learning
http://www.thegridsystem.org/- yes. excellent linkGucci
- nice link, thanks!visual_infection
- Gucci0
Read and understand it from the masters. Nothing like standing on the shoulders of giants, right?
There are no real "rules" per se, but it's good to know your way around things.
- Good point. I just don't want this to turn into a "trick" I rely on. I want to understand it fully.visual_infection
- Mal0
- yeah, i really like the use of the grid on that album art.baseline_shift
- Etype0
the grid is god... i would take the time to learn how to make your own... its not hard, just math. Sometimes i just design grids.... and save them until I think I can use them for different projects. once you have some... you can start to save a library of grids. If you really want to understand how type works, you need to know how to use a baseline.
They didnt really go into the grid in college for me either. I have no idea why though...
- Yeah, isn't that crazy? To me it's a very important part of graphic design. Even if you don't use it you still need to know about itvisual_infection
- Why is that? To me it seems important, whether you use it or chose to completely ignore it.visual_infection
- well when I went to school it was more about learning how to use the programs... I think it would depend on the professor... if they use grids or notEtype
- the professor... if they use grids or notEtype
- TheBlueOne0
You take the blue pill, you wake up in the morning, never knowing about the grid. You take the red pill, and I'll show you how the rabbit built his hole to exceedingly gridlike proportions all the way down.
- ukit0
People throw the term grid around like it's some kind of mystical science. It's not, just make a fucking grid. It's just a way of imposing structure on your work by dividing the canvas up into equal parts and adding margins.
- janne760
it's because designers find themselves to be intellectually significantly more irrelevant.
sort of the same thing as how clients don't give a fuck what the difference between tables and divs is. just do the fucking work, get paid, walk in the forest and read a fucking book.
- you have shitty clients if they done care about DivsEtype
- don't*Etype
- I don't care if my clients or bosses know about the grid, all I see is a way to make my workvisual_infection
- more visually interesting and usable.visual_infection
- visual_infection0
Etype, I think that is a great idea. I would like to understand the grid to the point where I can do that kind of stuff.
- Horp0
Best thing to do is to lay out the work how you think it looks nice, as a rough working layout, then try to rationalise what you have laid out and formulate a grid that snaps it all into a cohesive approach.
Rigorous adherence to a grid from the get-go is not the best way forward, but crossing the finishing line without one is not a great idea either. Its something that needs to be developed in synergy with all the other design considerations.
- Etype0
I make grids first then i worry about the other stuff after (typeface/ size relationships) once you get the hang of making grids you'll understand what works and what doesn't. I think if you try to create layouts without a grid first... you sometimes get hung up on typeface and styling