Why we use grids

In order to provide a sense of clarity and direction in a layout, designers use a grid system. It has given a basis for which design has been changed and manipulated from. Without a grid system design would have no organization. We use design in everyday life to make things clearer and more understandable to everyone. With the use of the grid, designers can control how the viewer looks at a certain layout. We can decide where they will look first, second, third, etc. The importance of text or image can be understood by both the grid system and the style of the text. While it may seem most beneficial to always use a grid system in design, it can also be affective to break out of that grid system, and make your own rules. Putting an image across the gutter may not always follow the rules, but it can connect two pages and draw the viewer into the rest of what is on the spread. In my opinion, the most powerful design, is one that can follow the grid, but also break out of the confines of it. Design is about structure and clarity, but it also needs to be aesthetically pleasing and interesting to look at. 

   

making and breaking the grid

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