Lately we’ve been delivering quite a lot of articles wrapped around the field of page layout and design. There’s a very good reason for this. We’re improving steadily, and as such, we’re making a real effort to bring some of that advanced knowledge your way. So without any further ado, here’s our take on some of the classic page layout rules that you’ve likely already forgotten:
- Make the Text Flow: Our biggest problem within page design is that we simply forget how to work with text. We don’t really mean to – it just happens by accident. We work so hard on the graphics and other additional elements that we forget to treat text as its own unique item. This is a terrible way to do page layouts, which leads us to the point of this section. When laying out text, be sure to make it so that everything flows together. Wrap your text and lines in just a way that they flow from one page to the next, creating a momentum that sustains the reader throughout the whole document. Without this, you’re going to find yourself swimming in high water pretty quick with text that’s nigh unreadable.
- Keep a Metaphor: When working with page layout, there’s really only one thing you should keep in mind: take your design from blasé to truly spectacular. Keep that metaphor and motif alive! When laying out your graphics, ask yourself, “Is this complimenting the theme that I’ve already got going within the piece?†In other words, does this make sense for what you’re trying to accomplish? If your theme is “coffee shop†and you’re throwing in some kind of convoluted safari graphic, your readers won’t get it: And neither will we. As such, be sure to play within the confines of the presets that you have already put into action. Keep the reader engaged by creating a small, simple, and effective world for your designs to rest upon. That’s the only way to really get the ball rolling with your page layouts.