Design Elements of DTP - Day One
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Transcript Design Elements of DTP - Day One
Design Principles:
Keys to DTP Success
So What Is Good Design?
There are certain qualities that every printed
document must have, regardless of its
purpose or form
Use what we learn over the next two days as
a safety checklist, not rules
I’ll also expect you to start explaining items
using the terminology and design skills we
discuss
Design Concepts
Proportion
Contrast
Balance
Rhythm
Restraint*
Unity
Detail*
* Not in Lichty
Proportion
Design Principle #1
Proportion
How well does each piece of
the puzzle relate to the other pieces
Hold the layout at a distance and concentrate on
the Total Picture
– is it pleasing to your eye?
Proportion Obtainers
– Importance
– White Space
– Margins
– Grids
Proportion - Importance
The size of an element should be
determined by its relative importance to its
environment.
The larger an element, the more important it
seems to the reader
– Works with graphical or textual elements
– Stair-stepping elements
• Like this
– Or even this
Proportion – White Space
Areas of a page without text or graphics
Structured Order White Space
– gutters, leading, indents, etc.
Less Structured White Space
– drops, empty left/right column, bands of white
White Space is very inexpensive to use
Readers welcome it as a place to rest their
eyes (or a place to take notes)
Proportion – White Space
Too little
– Can look hard to read
– Overwhelming & confusing
Enough
– More inviting
– Less intimidating
How to attract readers
HOW TO REPEL READERS
Proportion – White Space
Plan for it - Treat white space as an element
on the page
– equal in importance to text and graphics
– shouldn’t be seen as “leftover” space
– should be organized
Use it along the outside edges of a page
Use it in unequal concentrations
– Margins, drops, etc.
Proportion – Trapped WS
Space trapped on all 4 sides
– Fails to realize its potential
One of the biggest no-no’s in DTP
Distracts the reader’s eye
Seems to push away other
elements on the page
Looks like a mistake
How to avoid creating
trapped white space
Proportion – Equally Divided WS
When you have an item that doesn’t fill the
space, don’t “float” the item by splitting the
space evenly
Group WS together
White space,
White space,
White space
White space,
White space,
White space
Proportion - Margins
Defined by the grid, which describes the
proportion and placement of the margin
Should occupy about 50 percent of the page
Margins should always be unequal – equal
margins breed monotony
– Should use progressive margins
Proportion – Margins (Simplex)
Proportion – Margins (Duplex)
Proportion – The Grid
A series of non-printing horizontal and
vertical guidelines on the page.
– Guarantees consistency throughout the
document
– Identifies margins
– Determines orderly placement of columns and
illustrations on the page
Using the golden section
Proportion – The Grid
Birds of Paradise
Polly the Parrott
The
Norwegian Blue
Proportion – Page Structure
Laying out various text columns that
account for appropriate white space
You can interchange the page structures, but
remember to keep consistent margins
throughout a document
Roughly 8 ways to structure a page
Proportion – Page Structures
Proportion – Page Structures
Proportion – Columns in Grids
Balance
Design Element #2
Balance
The weight of the objects on the left side of
the page equals those on the right
Unbalanced objects make us uneasy
Balanced objects look proper and secure
Balance – Optical Center
To obtain balance, you
work with the optical center
The spot the eye sees when it first
encounters a page
Slightly above the mathematical
center of the page
Similar to where we look on the
face when we talk to others:
the eyes
Balance – Formal Balance
Symmetrically formatted
Balance is evident along
the optical center
Provide feeling of formality,
precision, and reserve
Examples: wedding invitations, title pages,
business cards, etc.
Balance – Informal Balance
Asymmetrical format
Balance is dynamic instead
of static along the optical center
Reader adjusts the balance in own mind
More energy, more vigor, more enthusiasm
Adds interest to the page and sparkle to the
presentation
Restraint
Design Element #3
Restraint
Strive for simplicity in design
DTP gives you so many tools
Straight-forwardness is a virtue
– Effective design is invisible to reader
Restraint is achieved by sticking to a few
carefully chosen typefaces, styles, and sizes
A good carpenter doesn’t use every tool in
his kit on a single task; neither should you
Restraint
If you draw attention to too
many items on the page,
the result is nothing will
stick out
Excessive use of emphasis weakens your
publication to the point of losing all impact
Overuse of graphic gimmickry results in a
cluttered look
That’s all for today…
More to come on Thursday
Quiz on Tuesday
References
Looking Good in Print, Roger C. Parker
The Non-Designer’s Design Book, Robin
Williams
Desktop Publishing Design, Kristine Moore
Design Principles for Desktop Publishers,
Tom Lichty