Graphic Design That Works

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One Step Beyond

Grids and templates provide a way to organize information and to create balance,

unity, and visual rhythm throughout any communications piece. Whether the usage

is subtle or quite apparent, an underlying grid can be useful in keeping the reader

focused and the communications clear and consistent. “Throughout any piece there

has to be something that reoccurs for the reader. Things can vary as long as they

are in a common place where they can be found,” shares creative director David

Cannon. “I think it is important to have a grid system in place to anchor hierarchies

of information.”

Using a grid system does not mean sacrificing creativity or expression. Like music,

variety must occur within the overall structure to maintain interest. By slightly

varying the elements within a grid, the page or spread will come alive, creating

movement and pacing from one page to the next. Establishing relationships

amongst the elements within a layout is also important. By flushing elements to

the same grid line helps to establish order. Repeating or echoing similar shapes or

textures creates an overall rhythm in a piece. There is also a connection between the

outside shape and the interior space of a layout. When choosing an exterior format,

keep in mind how it will effect what is going on inside. Varying either one will

greatly change the flow, continuity, and organization of a piece. It’s best to

experiment to find just the right combination to most effectively communicate the

client’s overall message.

With the convenience and speed of the computer, grids and templates are easier

than ever to set up and use. “With the advent of computers, the design grid has been

brought to the masses. Now, setting up a grid is as simple as a few clicks of a

mouse,” offers art director Shawn Murenbeeld. “Knowing what to do once the grid is

established is another matter entirely.” With this technological advance, a certain

level of artistic sensitivity has been compromised, and many designers have lost

touch with the craft of constructing a page. The best way to counteract such a loss is

to examine the work of the old masters, the great designers of the past. They used

and experimented with all kinds of grid systems to produce their work. “Some exam-

ples of the earliest and best uses of grids were created by designers in movements

like Constructivism, Bauhaus, De Stijl, and later in the Swiss or International Style,”

adds Murenbeeld. “When you look at the works of Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, El Lissitzky,

Jan Tschichold, and Josef Muller-Brockmann, to name a few, you’ll see that as well as

being practitioners of the grid, they were also pioneers of modern typography.”

Going back to the basics not only can enrich your understanding of what is possible

but can also act as a springboard for your own creative exploration.

Using Grids and Templates

Graphic Design That Works

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CLIENT:

DWL Incorporated’s enterprise cus-

tomer management applications

consolidate fragmented customer

relationship management (CRM),

back-office, and e-business systems

into unified industry solutions.

FIRM:

DWL Incorporated

(in-house creative services)

ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER:

Shawn Murenbeeld

ILLUSTRATOR:

Shawn Murenbeeld

PHOTOGRAPHER:

Hill Peppard

COPYWRITER:

Leslie Ehm

LEFT: The customized three-ring

binder is adorned with cloth and

book tape and is debossed with an

overall pattern that is reminiscent of

the corporate head icon. The cover,

simple and subtle, is quite flexible.

Several color-coded stickers have

been designed to label the brochure

to meet the needs of the sales staff.

To ensure proper positioning, an area

has been debossed for the appropri-

ate sticker. Inside, the end papers

have been letterpress-printed with a

variation of the same icon pattern.

The brochure is housed inside a

white paper box.

RIGHT: On all of the main divider pages,

the header type and the various icon

designs are positioned in a consistent

arrangement. While maintaining a similar

overall shape, angle, and flow, the

position of the other elements varies

slightly within the horizontal format.

BELOW: Inspired by the look of an old

1940s trade catalog, the modular

brochure consists of geometric shapes

with rounded corners, which flow from

page to page. Each product section has

a unique four-column grid that varies.

The spreads are slightly different, but

maintain their cohesiveness. Having

a larger grid system in place provides

great flexibility and the opportunity

to move and alter elements within

the space.

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