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Design 4: Visual Organization and Information Design
Introduction
Reading
Class Project
Week 1: Jan 28
Week 2: Feb 4
Week 3: Feb 11
Feb 18
No Class President's Day
Week 4: Feb 19
Tuesday make up class
Week 5: Feb 25
Week 6: Mar 3
Week 7: Mar 10
Mar 17
No Class Spring Break
Week 8: Mar 24
Week 9: Mar 31
Week 10: Apr 7
Week 11: Apr 14
Week 12: Apr 21
Week 13: Apr 28
Week 14: May 5
Week 15: May 12

Week 7: Grids, Ratios and Hierarchy

  • Critique of Instructional and Statistical Information Graphic
  • Discuss the use of hierarchy and typographic grids in the design of effective communications
  • Class work create a modular grid to be used in a multi-page booklet and use this to incorporate information graphics and text
  • Save all your electronic source files for the class activity into a folder and place them in the class drop box on the network before you leave today. Remember to use the naming conventions outlined in the introduction section about How to prepare your work for submission.

Class Notes: Why do compositions "feel" right?

The golden ratio

Many theories on aesthetic measurement have their basis in numerical patterns that occur naturally such as the proportions of the human body, for example the distance between your elbow and the tip of your fingers compared to the distance between your elbow and your wrist. Renaissance artists such as Leonardo da Vinci used these ideas when addressing proportion in architecture, painting and sculpture.

The golden ratio is the ratio between two segments such that the smaller (bc) segment is to the larger segment (ab) as the larger is to the sum of the two segments (ac), or bc/ab=ab/ac=0.618 The golden ratio is irrational (never-ending decimal).

Theories, such as the golden ratio (also known as the golden mean, golden number, golden section, golden proportion, divine proportion and section aurea) arise from natural patterns and they are applied in the visual and creative fields to create "beauty" by way of considered composition. The Golden Section is found throughout nature, mathematics, architecture, art and design. It is derived from a naturally occurring number, called Phi (1.618), which has intrigued humanity for thousands of years.

How do you use the golden ratio in your work?

For the sake of discussion, let’s say that you have an area of 10 inches by 14 inches within which to compose a design.

If we multiply the width by the number associated with the golden ratio .618 then you may identify how to apply the golden ratio to a two column modular typographic grid.

10” X .618 = 6.18”

You can also use this technique to locate an important focal point within a grid by multiplying the height by .618. The intersection point of the two perpendicular lines will reveal an important focal point within the golden ratio of the design area.

14” X .618 = 8.65”

This was used often in portraits where the center of the face or one of the eyes of the subject would fall on this point. It can be a very arresting visual tactic. Here is an example of how it might be approximately applied to a painting by Gian Lorenzo Bernini "Self-Portrait as a Young Man" circa 1623, Oil on canvas, Galleria Borghese, Rome.

 

Grids and the rule of thirds

Grids have long been used by designers to aid and measure composition and to create a framework with which to construct the design.

Grids come in many shapes and sizes, and generally they're not much to look at, just a bunch of lines. But it's the relationship a designer has with this grid that makes them so much more than just lines. They are the framework of possibility. It's only when a designer sits down and correctly designs a grid that these possibilities reveal themselves.

One of the most effective principles in grid design is called the Rule of Thirds, also known as the golden grid rule. The Rule of Thirds is a technique which is applied by dividing a space into thirds, both vertically and horizontally, creating a grid of rectangles. It is perhaps most widely used as compositional theory in photography and film.

 

Anatomy of a typographic grid

Recto vs. Verso - Right vs. Left

Manuscript Grid

Modular Grid

Examples of Grid Systems

A chart illustrating some of the American National Standards Institute paper sizes.

Jimmy Kontomanolis: Museum of Modern Art - Fall 2005

Brietta M. Yung: South African National Foundation
for the Conservation of Coastal Birds - Fall 2005

Sophia L Campana: Keith Haring Foundation - Fall 2005

Ely Latner-Assaraf: My Skinny Black Jeans - Fall 2006


Paula Scher's poster for Bring in ’Da Noise, Bring in ’Da Funk for the Public Theater, ’95 season. Note you can see this poster at the Museum of Modern Art design gallery.

Jessica Meek

Andrew Nilsen

Michael Ruehlman

Structure and cultural preference

As humans we structure sensations through the use of learned logical systems.

These logical systems are not physiological, but cultural. As such, learned logical systems of perception vary from one culture to another. A very primary method of structuring sensations through logic is the perception of symmetry. Symmetry is a learned natural way of imposing order upon chaos.

We can find many examples of symmetry in nature. In fact, symmetry is so often seen in nature that we come to expect it. Symmetry comes in many forms, including asymmetry.

Common types of symmetry include:

  • bilateral
  • radial / rotational
  • translational
  • dilatational

Learn more about these gestalt concepts that we learned about in Design 3.

Visual hierarchy: dominant, subdominant and subordinate

By definition, visual hierarchy means a group of visual elements arranged according to emphasis. This emphasis is achieved through contrasts which stress the relative importance and separation or connection of design elements (the gestalt principles of proximity and similarity). The study of visual hierarchy is the study of the relationships of each part to other parts; and to the whole. Visual hierarchies emphasize the relationship of each element to the expressed content of the page. This emphasis can be broken down into three levels; dominant, sub-dominant, and subordinate.

A visual hierarchy is partly governed by punctuation. As a writer uses standard punctuation marks to separate words and clarify meaning, a designer introduces visual punctuation (space intervals, color, graphic forms, or pictorial elements) to separate, connect, and emphasize words, lines or images. Visual punctuation stresses a rhythmic organization that clarifies the reader’s or viewer’s understanding of the content and structure of an arrangement.

If visual punctuation helps to clarify the meaning of the intended message, visual accentuation is the stressing of particular qualities important to the structure of that message. The concern is really about relative emphasis: the properties of an arrangement that creates a visual hierarchy of dominant, subdominant, and subordinate.

Examples of modular typographic grids in the news

New York Times, United States

Le Devoir, Montreal, Canada

An-Nahar, Beirut, Lebanon

Sabah, published in Istanbul, Turkey

 

Asahi Shimbun, published in Tokyo, Japan

Folha De São Paulo, Brazil

 

La Opinión, published in Los Angeles, CA USA

 

Diario de Morelos, published in Cuernavaca, Mexico

 

The papers below have been redesigned.
In all three cases the newspaper designers have used a five column modular grid.
Each achieves a wide variety of visual efficiencies using very different tactics starting with a systematic approach to the management of visual hierarchy. First a typographic grid is implemented into the design, then a heading system using scale, type variables, color, line and graphic emphasis and imagery.

New York, The Wall Street Journal, United States
Read the blog post about the Wall Street Journal Redesign

 

London, The Guardian, United Kingdom
Read the blog post about the Guardian Redesign

De Morgen, Belgium (Interior page spreads)
Read the blog post about the De Morgen redesign

You can see more examples of a variety of newspapers updated daily at the links below.

Assignment: Propaganda Booklet

Create a booklet which incorporates information graphics and text about an issue. The goal is to design a booklet that will influence the opinion of your target audience and align them with your point of view.

When designing your booklet consider how you will inform and influence the opinion of your readers. Use a typographic grid to incorporate your text and information graphics. Design elements of hierarchy to manipulate the eye and implied editorial point of view. Your design should explore juxtaposition, grids, type size and leading. They should also incorporate full color imagery and elements common to "readable" printed publications such as running headers, footers, image credits, footnotes, etc.

For the body text of your brochure use an existing article or text about your issue. You may use any source (please attribute your sources with footnotes). As a suggestion check out the New York Times electronic database via the New School library online. Go to my.newschool.edu (sign in) > library > browse databases by title > New York Times Historical Archive (ProQuest)

File Specifications
  • Your modular grid layout should be developed using Adobe Indesign. Use Adobe Illustrator to create your information graphics.
  • Format: The format and dimensions are variable and to be determined by you and should be informed by the specifications of your content and target audience. (see Process below for more information).
  • Number of pages: 6 - 8 page spreads (i.e. page 1 is the cover pages 2-7 are the interior and page 8 is the back cover) Note that you may use various folds of your booklet rather than page spreads. A good example of this might be a 16 panel French fold, etc.
  • Incorporate the two information graphics that you have already designed.
  • Create three more information graphics that support a particular bias or point of view with respect to your issue.
  • Juxtapose the source text and your information graphics as well as any supporting photography or graphic imagery.
Due Dates

This is a three week project. For each class bring with you all of the electronic source files on a thumb drive.

  • Mar 24 Working draft: print out (black and white) your typographic grid with the integrated article text and two information graphics incorporated into the design. Also bring in sketches of your three additional information graphics. We will be working on these designs in our next class.
  • Mar 31 First draft: print out (in color) your booklet which should now have all five information graphics, photography, and text layouts roughly designed into your booklet. We will continue to work on refining and revising your designs in class.
  • Apr 7 Final booklet presentation. Print (in color) and construct your booklet for presentation and critique.

Process

Before we even put pen to paper, let us ask ourselves some questions about the project, the answers to which will inform the grid and our design.

  1. Content: Familiarize yourself with the content as much as you can. If you are designing a book, read the manuscript if you have the content or if you are researching the content then know what the over all message you are trying to deliver. The content can always inform the grid design.
  2. Audience: Consider what the audience will be using the book or design for. If it is a guide book they will no doubt be using it for quick reference and will be task focused. Guide books are not coffee table books. Grid design can help increase legibility and the access structure.
  3. Illustrations / Photography / Icons: Does the book make use of a wide variety of illustrations and photographs? What about icons? If this is a guide book there will probably be maps and associated icons. The grid must be designed to make sure they are as usable as possible.
  4. Format: Once you have a good idea of the content, photographs and intended audience you can begin to make informed choices about the format of the book. You should also consider the usage of the book. A guide book will be carried around in a backpack or a pocket. It should be easily handled and not too large, comprehensive, but not expensive.
  5. Typography: Typography is another important consideration. Clear, concise typography using legible typefaces is extremely important in any book design. The typography shouldn't get in the way of the word. For example the reader shouldn't notice the typography in the book, the typography exists purely to help separate and categorize the information. A well designed book, doesn't look designed.
  6. Grid Structures: Once you have answered most of the questions regarding the content, format and typography, you should begin sketching out grid structures based on the appropriate page sizes and formats. You should first begin by defining the Type Area. The Type Area is the area where your grid will be contained. It is surrounded on all sides by margins and in some cases running heads and page footers, numbers, marginalia, etc.

Research/Journal:

Research

Collect ten examples of "subjectivity" in editorial design. You may look at books, news, magazines, websites, posters, brochures, etc. Look for how the designer is using design to emphasize a feeling, emotion, bias, belief system, and/or point of view.

Related Resources
Andrew Cornell Robinson acrStudio © 2008

Sources: