Notes from ‘Layout Essentials’

I just finished reading Layout Essentials: 100 Design Principles for Using Grids by Beth Tondreau, and it’s a great reference tool for any designer specializing in print (and web) design. Tondreau builds her book around 100 rules for implementing grids with your design, and elaborates on each one. The book is not only visually fascinating, but it’s filled with interesting (and non-traditional) grid layouts, appealing color palettes, typographic inspiration, and tips on achieving balance between the elements on your page.

Here are two passages I’d like to share:

“Good design reflects and relates to the material and therefore, to the reader. Successful typography defines clear and understandable zones, no matter the publication’s purpose.”

“I believe that design and typography are like a well-tailored suit: the average person may not specifically notice the hand-sewn buttons (kerning); the tailored darts (perfect alignment); or the fine fabric (perfect type size)… they only know instinctively that it looks like a million bucks. – Marian Bantajes”

Layout Essentials: 100 Design Principles for Using Grids by Beth Tondreau is on sale at Qbookshop.com.