Using Other Design Tools (Design Principles) (Digital Desktop Publishing) Part 4

Curves vs. Straight Lines

You have been working with grids and straight lines in the last two topics. These are easy to line up and to position in relation to each other.

Figure 7.16

The use of the rounded rectangle in the lower part of the page adds to the curves on the page.

Desktop publishing software encourages you to think of grids when they provide frames as the primary design tool. This is a trap for designers that you need to keep in mind. The sharpness of frames and lines needs to be countered with the softness of curves. Curves add flow. Curves add harmony. Curves add comfort to a page. Remember this as you design your pages.

Figure 7.15a is a good example of the use of curves to soften a page. Notice how the curved text flowing from the computer reduced the sharpness of the other lines. Figure 7.16 also uses curves effectively. Notice that the overhang at the top is created with curves, as is the information block at the bottom. The design mixes straight lines with curves in a way that gives the page a less harsh feel.

Design Evaluation

Learning to evaluate a design is a part of becoming a good designer. Looking at the work of others and describing it to yourself or others is a way to build your own skills. Let’s look at some designs to see what you can learn from them.

Figure 7.17 uses a ruled line to enclose the information on the page. It acts as both a border and an anchor as it ties the details into the green rectangle. The letter "1" bleeds off the top of the page, also acting as an anchor.

Figure 7.17

This advertisement has been designed with a clear sense of harmony.

The word "tools" is right-aligned. The boxed text at the bottom of the page is centered.

Figure 7.18 is a two-page spread (notice the fold line in the middle) designed vertically rather than the more traditional horizontal layout.

The entire two pages are seen as a single page.The design is in two equal columns except for the column on the lower left. This column is narrower than the others to allow space for the postcard. The three article titles are identical in font size, type, and color, giving a consistent look to the page.An arrow without an identifying label acts as a callout to draw attention to the online image.

Figure 7.18

This flyer incorporates a number of design options.

Figure 7.19

This information page is easy to read and pleasing to the eye.

Figure 7.19 is a single page with two columns. Having one column narrower than the other creates a page design that adheres to the Rule of Thirds. The text is ragged right, providing some white space.

Now it is your turn. Go back to the other images shown in this topic and evaluate their design. Pick up a newspaper or newsletter and identify the design elements in use. Look around you for designs to see what others have done. You will begin to realize that there are no perfectly right or perfectly wrong designs. Some just work better than others. Incorporate those ideas into your work.

SUMMARY

In this topic you learned why greeking is used in desktop publishing. You explored the use of columns, attention-getting text, and anchors to build harmony in a page. You saw how the alignment of text can be used for different purposes. You learned the importance of curves in design choices. You also began practicing design evaluation.

KEY TERMS