Graphic Design Guidelines - Rules of Good Design and Layout
Learn the rules of page layout and graphic design. Here are the basics in a nutshell and guidelines to help with planning, hardware, software, and printing. Browse lists of things to do or not do in desktop publishing.
What Are The Missing Rules of Desktop Publishing?
My Rules: One space after punctuation; no double-hard returns; fewer fonts; appropriate text alignment; limit use of centered text; balance line length; limit all caps; typographical punctuation; use frames wisely; less clip art; more white space; reset document defaults... Your Rules: What else should be a rule of desktop publishing? What mistake do you see over and over?
My Rules: One space after punctuation; no double-hard returns; fewer fonts; appropriate text alignment; limit use of centered text; balance line length; limit all caps; typographical punctuation; use frames wisely; less clip art; more white space; reset document defaults... Your Rules: What else should be a rule of desktop publishing? What mistake do you see over and over?
Beginner's Series: 12 Rules of Desktop Publishing
This is a free 12-day email class. These rules are not just for those who do or plan to do desktop publishing professionally. They can help anyone turn out more polished pages. Don't want to take the class? The 12 rules are also all linked on this page, below the ads.
This is a free 12-day email class. These rules are not just for those who do or plan to do desktop publishing professionally. They can help anyone turn out more polished pages. Don't want to take the class? The 12 rules are also all linked on this page, below the ads.
Five Design Disasters to Avoid
Keep the mark of the amateur out of your desktop designed documents (even if you are a beginner) by avoiding these design mistakes.
Keep the mark of the amateur out of your desktop designed documents (even if you are a beginner) by avoiding these design mistakes.
Rule #1 Use One Space Between Sentences, Not Two
Always been told to put two spaces after a period? Rethink the rules when it comes to professional typesetting.
Always been told to put two spaces after a period? Rethink the rules when it comes to professional typesetting.
Rule #2 Don't Use Double Hard Returns After Paragraph
Stop spacing your paragraphs with double hard returns. Learn why using the paragraph formatting tools in your software is better and more professional.
Stop spacing your paragraphs with double hard returns. Learn why using the paragraph formatting tools in your software is better and more professional.
Rule #3 Use Fewer Fonts
How many fonts are too many? Learn how to tame down your type selections for a better reader experience.
How many fonts are too many? Learn how to tame down your type selections for a better reader experience.
Rule #4 - Use Ragged Right or Full Justification Appr
Explore why or why not to use left-aligned or fully justified text alignment.
Explore why or why not to use left-aligned or fully justified text alignment.
Rule #5 Use Centered Text Sparingly
There is nothing inherently wrong with centered text. As with ragged right or fully-justified text alignment, what works for one design might be totally inappropriate for another layout. There are simply fewer situations where centered text is appropriate.
There is nothing inherently wrong with centered text. As with ragged right or fully-justified text alignment, what works for one design might be totally inappropriate for another layout. There are simply fewer situations where centered text is appropriate.
Rule #6 Balance Line Length with Type Size
Almost any reasonable line length will work in a design if combined with the right size font. The trick is to find the right combination.
Almost any reasonable line length will work in a design if combined with the right size font. The trick is to find the right combination.
Rule #7 Use All Caps with the Right Fonts
All caps have their place but find out how to use the properly and what to avoid.
All caps have their place but find out how to use the properly and what to avoid.
Rule #8 Use Proper Typographical Punctuation
Keep the mark of an amateur out of your publications with a few simple typographical changes.
Keep the mark of an amateur out of your publications with a few simple typographical changes.
Rule #9 Use Frames, Boxes, and Borders Wisely
Boxes, borders, or frames are useful design and organizational devices. The problem is that they are just too easy to create. Discover when to banish the box and how to use them more effectively.
Boxes, borders, or frames are useful design and organizational devices. The problem is that they are just too easy to create. Discover when to banish the box and how to use them more effectively.
Rule #10 Use Less Clip Art
Less is more. Learn how and why to tame the clip art clutter.
Less is more. Learn how and why to tame the clip art clutter.
Rule #11 Use More White Space
Nothing improves a bad layout faster than a good dose of nothingingness.
Nothing improves a bad layout faster than a good dose of nothingingness.
Rule #12 Reset Software Defaults
Software preset defaults are seldom the ideal settings for most documents. Change them.
Software preset defaults are seldom the ideal settings for most documents. Change them.
Rules of Thumb
Browse easy to remember design guidelines - not hard and fast rules - covering page layout, typography, printing, dealing with customers, scanning, and more.
Browse easy to remember design guidelines - not hard and fast rules - covering page layout, typography, printing, dealing with customers, scanning, and more.
12 most common desktop publishing mistakes
Roger C. Parker describes areas of concern and ways to improve or avoid these common errors. Covers white space, overused elements, punctuation, and more.
Roger C. Parker describes areas of concern and ways to improve or avoid these common errors. Covers white space, overused elements, punctuation, and more.
8 Ways to Work Smarter
Hillside Printing suggests using templates and style sheets and other time-savers to speed up your desktop publishing.
Hillside Printing suggests using templates and style sheets and other time-savers to speed up your desktop publishing.
Design means Plan, not just Style
In an excerpt from TypeStyle: how to choose and use type on a personal computer, Daniel Will-Harris offers his take on facing a blank page and other issues of planning your design.
In an excerpt from TypeStyle: how to choose and use type on a personal computer, Daniel Will-Harris offers his take on facing a blank page and other issues of planning your design.
Desktop publishing evolves
The most interesting part of this Business Journal article is the definition of types of desktop publishing and how to tell an amateur from a professional.
The most interesting part of this Business Journal article is the definition of types of desktop publishing and how to tell an amateur from a professional.
Desktop Publishing Terms
Halftone dots, CMYK, printing presses and more explained by Ron Woolley for true novices to desktop publishing, with illustrations.
Halftone dots, CMYK, printing presses and more explained by Ron Woolley for true novices to desktop publishing, with illustrations.