Grid Systems

According to Brockmann a grid system is an ordering system that expresses a certain mental attitude that a designers work should have a clear object, function and aesthetic quality in line with mathematical thinking. This is because the use of a grid system should imply systemised clarity, concentration on the essential parts of the design, objectivity instead of subjectivity, creative and technical processes, the integration of colour, form and materials and a positive attitude. Grid systems are important as the grid creates a constant set of dimensions within a space allowing for designers to work precisely,  the rule is the few the differenced in size the quite the impression created by the design. The main reason for the use of a grid is so that simple and complex problems can be solved in a uniform style and by using a grid a designer can decided where to place their work with objectivity and functionality.

According to Brockmann a suitable grid in visual makes it easier to:

• construct an argument objectively 
• construct text and illustrative material systematically
• organise text and illustrations in compact arrangement with its own rhythm
• put together visual material so its structured with a high degree of tension. 

Grid Systems 

Figure 1

Modular grid (see figure 1) is a more complex form of the column grid as it consists of multiple horizontal flow line that divide the columns creating cells called modules. Consequently each module contains a small space for information which when grouped together are called spatial zones where specific roles can be assigned.  Control within the grid depends on the size of modules within the gird, smaller modules provide greater precision and flexibility however too many subdivisions can become unnecessary. Module proportions can be considered in many ways, the most common being in relation to the image being used or to the designers individual preference. However during this processes the designer must also consider the margins proportions in relation to the modules and gutter as module girds are often used throughout extensive publications therefore need to be laid out correctly in order to be user friendly. The standardised nature of the modular grid and its link to ideal social or political order has lent itself to be particularly popular with the rationalist thinking of the Bauhaus and Swiss Style which celebrate reduction to the simplest form.

Figure 2

The hierarchal grid (see figure 2) is a more instinctive approach to a grid system as they conform to the information that will exist within the system making them very flexible as the alignments are customised to the various proportions of the different element within the grid causing column widths and guttering to vary. Consequently when developing a hierarchical gird attention must be paid to how the information interacts in order to spontaneously create a system which will coordinate all information. Close attention must be paid to the weighting, size changes and position so that a structure can be developed that can be repeated over multiple pages.  Web pages are examples of hierarchal grids as due to the dynamic nature of the information they hold need flexibility in depth and width which isn't included in a traditional modular grid but still requires a template to organise information.

Figure 3

Structurally the Manuscript grid (see figure 3) is one of the most simple, consisting of  a main box for large bodies of text and two small boxes for the header and footer. The manuscript grid is mainly sed for large bodies of text, commonly in book and has developed from traditional hand written manuscripts before the invention of moveable type. Despite it's simple nature care must be taken when using the grid so continuous type can be read comfortably without the readers eye getting tiered too quickly. This can be achieved through altering the margins proportions in order to give the readers eye a rest and to avoid the type disappearing down the gutter of the book.

Figure 4

The Column grid (see figure 4) is one of the more versatile grid systems which can be used to break up large bodies of texts in different ways such as a column per topic or to give the readers eye a break and prevent the reader from becoming tired quickly.  The width of the columns depends on the size of the body text in order to get the right number of words per line to allow for comfortable reading as a narrow column may result in excessive hyphenation or a column which is too wide may make it difficult to identify sequential lines of text. In traditional column grids the gutter between column is usually half the width of the margins. In addition within a column grid there is also flowlines which allow designs to accommodate breaks in text and image to create a horizontal bands across the format.