OUGD404 - Grid Systems

OUGD404 - Grid Systems

Similarly to last week's project on colour theory, this week the task is to create a research publication, this time on grid systems. 3 or more grid systems must be a chosen and a body of research, examples of images and development work must be collated in a coherent and visual publication with the addition of around 250 words about each grid system. The 8 grid systems to be chosen from are:

·        The Golden Section

·        Multicolumn Grids

·        Hangline

·        Modular Grids

·        Van Der Graaf Canon

·        Tschichold: Golden Canon

·        Tschichold: Octavo

·        Muller-Brockman: Grid Systems

Also former features editor of It's Nice That and editor of the Rough Trade magazine - Liv Siddall - came in to talk through her career and process of creating and editing the magazine. Having a great interest in editorial design, I really enjoyed her talk because it gave a lot of context to how one might start a magazine and all the considerations that might need to be taken into account. I also really liked the layout and style of the magazine which was designed by Bruce Usher.

We then experimented with grid systems and layouts using collage and cut up magazines and newspaper. I experimented with the golden standard, modular grids and multicolumn grids and produced a cover and back cover for Rough Draft to match the aesthetic and themes of the magazine.

Out of all work people produced, here are the ones I thought had some particularly successful elements:

The typography, collaged aesthetic and bold photo-montaged imagery of this work creates a loud and stylish composition, reminiscent of 70's punk D.I.Y design. Seeing as Rough Trade take a lot of inspiration from retro magazines this would perfectly harmonize with its style.

In terms of layout and composition, this cover is successful in giving a nod to the diagonal grid systems first used by Swiss designers such as Josef Muller-Brockman. This paired with its imagery, fragmented type and use of a single colour make it a strong and coherent magazine cover as well as its stable structure.

The use of coloured paper stock for these layouts instantly add an air of quality to them. The imagery used is strong and works in harmony with the type, for example on the bottom layout were the headline covers the eyes of the figure. The addition of an extra layer with pattern and type on it makes this piece that bit more stimulating and engaging.

This collaged magazine layout is a really good example of how ripped paper and overtly collaged layers can look stylish. Though fairly simple, the type and image complement one another successfully and the layout is stable.

This spread offers a convoluted and loud aesthetic by printing a single coloured layer over a black layer. Precise adherence of the grid system can be seen in the interaction between the two layers.