Grid and Layout

In our workshop with Lorenzo, we began to understand further the details of type, grids and layout.

I learnt more about how to work out the point size and leading of a piece of text. 

To work the two out we used a paper measurer which you place at a drawn line the same height of the highest ascender. You then measure down the side until you reach the baseline. Taking the two numbers, such as 12 and 2, you multiply them together to get a 24pt text.  That gives you the actual point size. To get the leading of a piece of text, you then measure from the same line as before, but when measuring down, you go to the next lines ascending line, such as 12 and 3, which would be 36. Leading - 36pt - 24pt = 12pt leading.  

We then looked at grids and layouts in newspapers. To work out the grids used, you need to rule the columns and their gutters, but be aware of the fact that there may be more columns than is obvious at first. I chose to work with i newspaper. 

The columns measured 5cm each, and the gutter measured 0.5cm. 

 Point measurement of Letter from the Editor title - 16pt with a 4 pt leading (16pt on 20pt)

 Body copy - 8.5pt with 1pt leading (8.5pt on 9.5pt)

 Title - 11pt with a 5pt leading (11pt on 16pt)

Working out picas and average words per line was a little more confusing - to work it out, you use the measuring tool again, except on its side, using the 12pt line as the starting point. You work out the characters per line of 10 picas, such as 24 cpl, or 48 cpl of 20 picas. To get the average number of words, you then divide that number by 6, so you would have 8 words per line of 20 picas. 

From i newspaper, I got an average of 10.3 words per line of 20 picas, or 5 words per line of 10 picas.

This is the workings out, and the thumbnail layout mock up of a double page spread from Soap Choice magazine. 

Body copy is 7pt. 

Columns, although they range, are approx 4.1cm, with a 4mm gutter, although there are smaller columns running between, approx 2cm with a 2mm gutter. Titles are 48pt with a 6pt leading.