Best Practices for Graphic Designers, Grids and Page Layouts

Behind the Grid: Type & Column Widths 55

When setting up the grid system for a project, you

should consider the amount, type, and importance of

the materials to be communicated. These will go a

long way toward determining the basic structure of

your grid. However, when it’s time to start setting up

columns and flow lines, this information is still not

enough. The typeface, size, and style will all play a role

in determining the width of any area that is intended to

contain text. A measure of sixty-six characters is widely

considered ideal for legibility when looking at a single

column of serif text, while anything from forty-five to

seventy-