In your last design project, Weather Forecast, you began to become aware that attention to message hierarchy, visual syntax and typographic craft through composition (visual alignment and structure), can help a designer create a visual typographic message that can transcend beyond the merely inherent meaning of a word within the mind of the viewer.
By emphasizing the visual aspects of the word and its position in a spatial context, a design can also engage both the eye and the body, in addition to the mind, so that the interpretation of a message becomes more viseral and involves all of the conscious selves – mind, eye and body.
This class exercise is to a continuation of the exploration of typographic layout.
Its intent is to show you the power of layout—composition and the visual alignment and structure of type and space—in conjunction with message hierarchy, visual syntax and typographic craft, to visually express a typographic message.
_________________________________________
For this this exercise you will need to set up a 6 column grid with a 1/2" margin on a vertical 8.5" x 11" page.
Setting up a Type Grid in Illustrator
New Document
- set up: size, orientation, inches, cymk, title
Show Rulers
- set up border/margin
Draw a Rectangle
- inside margin
- no fill
- 1pt black rule
Object> Path> Split into Grid
- 6 columns
- 1/4 to 3/8" gutters (0.167 P)
View> Guides> Make Guides
- setup as first layer, title Guides
- lockSave Document
Begin Design
- start on second layer
_________________________________________
For this exercise, we will create two, single page layouts communicating three important guidelines for making typographic decisions, using this text taken from the class blog post entitled, Sample Layouts: Centered & Flush located under Class Content.
_____
Typographic Guidelines Everyone Should Know
Typography is one of the most important components of graphic design. Regardless of how good a designer you think your are, the best know and apply the principles of typography. Here are three of the most important guidelines for good typography.
Take Note of Font Communication
There is a psychology linked to certain typefaces and when designing you need to make sure your type is connecting to your audience.
Bring Visual Hierarchy into Play
Typographic hierarchy is the way you stress significance of certain lines of type as opposed to others. As a result, you establish and move the order in which the audience receives information from the design.
Always Work with Grids
Working with a grid helps ensure that everything on the page is put in relation to something else to produce logical and visual harmony.
_____
Create the following layouts:
• Layout a classically centered alignment of the message on the page using a serif type.
• Layout a contemporary (New Typography) flush left alignment of the message on the page using a sans serif type.
Post these layouts on your blog under the post heading E5 - Message Layout and link it to your Assignments and Exercises. Due the beginning of class, Thursday, Februrary 28th.
