• Gridify Our Page

  • This is the text for the deck for the magazine assignment.

Criteria for your pages

Your pages must:

  • use the A4 page dimensions.
  • have all elements aligned to column guides.
  • either left-aligned or left-justified text.
  • have all body copy aligned to the baseline.
  • have adequate margins, inside, outside, top and bottom.

The Modular Grid

Our magazine dimensions are going to be A4 size, that’s 21cm x 29.7cm. Read more about ISO A page dimensions here. This is our canvas. The grid needs to allow for:

  • Margins
  • Top: Running Headers
  • Outside: Thumb space
  • Inside: Binding
  • Bottom: Folios
  • Columns
  • Reasonable line length
  • Gutters
  • Breathing room between columns

Pinterest Board with page layouts on grids.

Your Grid

I suggest you use 6 columns on most of your pages. A few of them will work better with an 8 column grid. That way, you can mostly use them as a three or four columns, with halves built-in.

Six Column Page Layout Grid

Eight Column Page Layout Grid

Bleeds

When you place text and artwork on the page, it either needs to be within the margins or reach out to the bleed line accurately. The bleed must be ⅛” or 0p9, which are equivalents.

Page Bleeds

Don’t leave any artwork beyond the bleed line.

Text Alignment

Your text can either be left-justified or left aligned. Choose one alignment for all your pages.

Justified Type

Baseline Grids

You must align your body copy to the baseline grid. The baseline grid is a set of guides on which can align body copy so text baselines align from column to column. It makes the pages look a lot cleaner—more orderly.

Baseline Grids

Video Tutorial

We can have text aligned to the baseline whether it’s left-aligned or left-justified. You do not need to align titles or any other text to the baseline grid.

Sketching Pages

You’ll need to sketch page layouts. I usually print pages with a grid on them to guide me in my sketching. It also helps that the proportions are the same as my final printed piece.

Video Tutorial