Studio Brief 3: Joseph Muller Brockmann Grid Systems

We began looking at the diferent canons again, and was set the task of creating a Van De Graff page layout spread. The steps were as followed:

1. Determine type area.

2. Divide into two and (or more) columns,.separate columns, with as intervening gutter.

3. Divide text columns into 2, 3 or more fields. (For the purpose of this workshop use 3 fields).

4. Determine type size and leading.

5. Inset 'empty lines'. Field lines must be separated in order to accomodate gaps between images. Separate field lines must be the same width as one line and leading.

6. Each field should contain a number of lines of type while each empty line should be able to contain a single line of type. Images placed on the ajacent column will perfectly align with the type, as will the images.

What we have created is a Van De Graff layout spread whilst incorporating some of the principles that Josef Muller-Brockmann created which can be found in his book 'Grid systems in graphic design'.

Here is an example of his principles in use. Here a 3 column grid has been used, aligning all the text to the insides of the centre column.

He would leave a lot of decision making up to the designer: gutter spacing, amount of columns etc.

To see some layouts in action, I began looking at books, magazines and newspapers and outlined their grids to see how they were constructed.

This book uses a very simple two column grid but changes thought to...

...This asymmetric two column grid.

This magazine has used a 3 column grid and causes the page to look more cluttered.