Using Other Design Tools (Design Principles) (Digital Desktop Publishing) Part 3

Layers

Layering is a design technique in which one element is placed over another. The layers are placed carefully so that both elements are still clear to the reader. Layering is an anchoring technique that can tie together many parts of a page, creating a sense of page harmony.

When using layers it is important to keep in mind the foreground and background elements. The background layer is sometimes locked to prevent it from being changed accidentally. This layer is the one on which all others are built. The foreground layer is the topmost layer.

You are not limited to just two layers. You may create a multilayer document that stacks several layers. Often it is necessary to move one layer above or below another to get the effect you want. This movement is called arranging in Adobe InDesign. Figure 7.12 is a good example of the use of layers.

The use of layers on a page adds an extra dimension of depth, making the page more interesting.


Figure 7.12

The use of layers on a page adds an extra dimension of depth, making the page more interesting.

The use of layers in design is becoming more popular. As readers come to expect multidimensional experiences, they also expect that the documents they read will provide a similar feel. As a result the use of drop shadows and layers to create a multilayer look is important. Learning to see a page as a series of layers rather than a single flat sheet of paper is a design tool that can serve you well.

Notice the background image of the white water. Layered on top of it is the image of the topic with another layer of water on top of it. The text becomes the foreground layer.

Attaching a drop shadow to an image is a technique frequently used when layering images onto text. The shadow has a slightly blurred edge called feathering. You will learn more about feathering in a later topic. Drop shadows give a three-dimensional effect to the image, making it appear to float above the layer below it.This made it appear as though the sun was shining from the right side, creating a shadow. This effect makes the layers more apparent.

Web Layers

Borders, bleeds, and margins are seldom used as web design tools, but layers are frequently applied. With the use of layers on a web page, designs can be created that are far more interesting and multidimensional than those created without them.

Page Design Options

A desktop publishing document often includes more than just a single page. As you design a page, you must keep in mind the other pages that will make up the entire document. This includes two-page spreads and front and back designs.

Master Pages

One way to design multiple pages is to use the master page option available in desktop publishing software. With a master page as the background, you can then add different elements for each page while still maintaining a consistent feel. Master pages also speed up the design process because you do not have to add that part of the design to each page.

Arranging is the term that Adobe InDesign uses to describe the process of moving a layer up or down.

Drop shadow is a dark blurred edge around an image to give it a feeling of depth.

Feathering is the blurring of the edge of a graphic or text.

Two-Page Spread Design

Often two pages in a document are viewed as a single page. This is called a two-page spread. Two-page spreads occur in topics and newsletters when one page is across from another. Even folded brochures can be read as a spread once the entire brochure is unfolded. Novices often forget to consider the design impact of the second page as they are designing a document.

During the setup process, desktop publishing software asks if you are designing a spread. This allows the pages to be arranged so that you can see which pages will be viewed as a whole. It is easy to design two individual pages that look great separately but clash when viewed together.

In Figure 7.13 it is apparent that the designer worked on both pages together since text and images flow across the page spread. It is not necessary to design pages that are so closely connected. Figures 7.14a and 7.14b also make up a two-page spread. They can be viewed separately, but also work well together.

By using the two-page spread as a single design, the Rule of Thirds becomes visible.

Figure 7.13

By using the two-page spread as a single design, the Rule of Thirds becomes visible.

Two-page spread is a design that incorporates both sides of a layout.

The bars at the top and bottom of this page could be designed as a master page.

Figure 7.14a

The bars at the top and bottom of this page could be designed as a master page.

The top bars are identical but reversed. As a result the pages appear different but still consistent.

Figure 7.14b

The top bars are identical but reversed. As a result the pages appear different but still consistent.

Front and Back Designs

Another problem that novices sometimes run into is the design of a document on which the front and back are both printed. Postcards and other single-page documents need to be designed with both sides in mind. While the reader will not view these as a single page as in a two-page spread, they will turn it over immediately. Documents that are designed with each page independent of the other can create a jarring effect when seen sequentially.

One way to create harmony between the two pages is to use consistent elements on both sides. An interesting technique is to use a bleed from one side to the other, creating a flow between the two sides of page.

Figures 7.15a and 7.15b are two sides of the same mailer. Notice that the use of the black and green bar at the top carries you from one side to the other. The use of consistent colors also creates harmony between the pages. Although both sides have different details, the layout has a consistent connected feel.

This page uses the Rule of Thirds and layering to create a harmonious design.

Figure 7.15a

This page uses the Rule of Thirds and layering to create a harmonious design.

This page is quite different from the front. Its design is more in halves than thirds. The plus sign in the background builds in consistency.

Figure 7.15b

This page is quite different from the front. Its design is more in halves than thirds. The plus sign in the background builds in consistency.

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