Tanya Sokolovskaya's blog: posts tagged Advice

Text formatting: essential tips for everyone working with text

Sun, 04 Aug 2024 21:18:32 +0100

A well-formatted text is pleasing to the eye and easy to read. This post covers the basics of text formatting and when to apply different elements. It’s useful not only for designers but for anyone who works with text or writes regularly, whether it’s for emails, business correspondence, or documents.

Paragraphs

In print, paragraphs are typically indented on the first line to improve readability and conserve paper, a practice originating from typographers. In web formatting, where saving paper isn’t a concern, paragraphs are usually separated by spaces. It’s unnecessary to use both methods; one is sufficient.

For print: use indentations for the first line. But remember, you don’t need to indent the first paragraph. There’s nothing to indent it from.
For web: separate paragraphs with spaces.

Word breaks

When breaking text onto a new line, prepositions, initials, phone numbers, dates, and units of measurement should be moved together.

A non-breaking space keeps words linked – related words are carried to the next line as a single unit. Use non-breaking spaces to ensure prepositions or pronouns stay with the words they modify. Although there is no specific rule in English about orphaned prepositions, I believe they should not be left at the end of a line, as they disrupt the flow of reading and are visually unappealing.

Compare the two paragraphs, one with orphaned prepositions and one without:

Dashes, unlike prepositions, are not split across lines.

Correct:

The event –
a grand success.

Incorrect:

The event
– a grand success.

HTML: &nbsp;
Mac: ⌥ Option+Space
MS Word: Ctrl+⇧ Shift+Space

If you cannot use a non-breaking space, you can use a non-breaking range (nobr) as an alternative:

<nobr>123–4567</nobr>
<nobr>New York–London</nobr>

Dashes, hyphens, and minus signs

There are four commonly used horizontal line symbols:

Em Dash (—)

HTML: &mdash;  
Mac: ⌥ Opt+⇧ Shift+-  
MS Word: Ctrl+Alt+Num -  
Windows: Alt+0151

En Dash (–)

HTML: &ndash;  
Mac: ⌥ Opt+-  
MS Word: Ctrl+Num -  
Windows: Alt+0150

Hyphen (-)

HTML: &#x2010;  
Available on the keyboard.

Minus sign (−)

HTML: &minus;
Windows: Alt+8722

These symbols differ in length and usage:

If you line up the symbols on a single line, you’ll notice that the minus sign, like the plus sign, sits slightly higher than the others. They’re aligned relative to uppercase letters and numbers:

Dash, en dash, hyphen, minus sign, plus sign

The em dash is used to clarify sentence structure, to express a more pronounced break in sentence structure than commas, and to draw more attention to the enclosed phrase than parentheses:

The party lasted—we knew it would!—far longer than planned.
Going—going—gone!
There is nothing—absolutely nothing—half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.

The em dash may be used to introduce a phrase at the end of a sentence or replace an introductory colon:

She has but one hobby—chocolate.
In England, justice is open to all—like the Ritz Hotel.

Most British publishers instead of the em dash use the en dash with space on either side:

But he didn’t know any magic yet – what on earth would he have to do?

Also, the en dash is used to denote ranges (e. g., dates, times, numbers) and connections between words, especially in compound adjectives:

The train runs from London–Edinburgh.
The conference is scheduled for June 1–5.
The 9:00–11:00 meeting.
The New York–Los Angeles flight.
2015–2017.
Monday–Saturday.

The hyphen is used to join words in compound terms, split words at the end of a line, and connect parts of words:

A high-quality product.
A well-known author.
The fast-paced movie.

Use hyphens in spelt-out numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine (twenty-three, four hundred and sixty-eight, fifty-three thousand), and in fractions, unless the numerator and denominator are already hyphenated (one-half, two-thirds, three thirty-seconds, four and five-eighth).

Hyphens may also be used in a sequence of non-inclusive numbers:

ISBN 0-123-45678-9

It’s important not to use an en dash when you need a hyphen and the other way around.

The minus sign is used in mathematical contexts to denote subtraction or negative values:

The result was −5°C.
The stock price dropped to −$20.
10 − 3 = 7
7 − 2 = 5

Ellipsis

An ellipsis indicates an omission in the text, an unfinished thought, or a pause, and is represented by three dots: …

An ellipsis is different from simply typing three dots in a row:

An ellipsis and three dots

Sometimes, an ellipsis is used along with a question mark or an exclamation mark, in which case the ellipsis is before the question or exclamation mark: ...? or ...!

Are you really sure about this…?
You actually did it…!

It’s incorrect to write two dots (..) or more than three dots (…...) – this is considered poor grammar.

Ellipses can show the omission of one or more whole paragraphs of prose. This passage, for example, contains two ellipses:

The fact is, Lady Bracknell, I said I had lost my parents. It would be nearer the truth to say that my parents seem to have lost me... I don’t actually know who I am by birth. I was... well, I was found.

In the following extract, the square brackets make clear which are in the original and which have been added subsequently:

The fact is, Lady Bracknell, [...] my parents seem to have lost me... I don’t actually know who I am [...]. I was... well, I was found.

Brackets

Parentheses or round brackets ( )
Parentheses are used to include supplementary information, explanations, or clarifications that are not essential to the main text:

The project was completed on time (despite some minor delays).
She arrived late (after the meeting started).

Square brackets [ ]
Square brackets are used to insert editorial comments or clarifications into quoted text or to make changes to a quotation:

He said, ‘She [the manager] will handle the request.’

If both parentheses and square brackets are used in the same text, the parentheses are typically used inside the brackets for nested information:

The email [which I received last week (on Friday)] was quite detailed.

Angle brackets < > and curly brackets { }
These brackets are mainly used in technical, mathematical, and programming contexts. They are not commonly used in regular text.

Quotation marks

British English: ‘Single quotes’ for primary use, “double quotes” for quotes within quotes. Commas and full stops go inside only if they are part of the quoted material.

‘I can’t believe it’s raining,’ she said.
‘She said, “I can’t believe it’s raining.”’
Look at the letters ‘A’, ‘C’, and ‘M’.

American English: “Double quotes” for primary use, ‘single quotes’ for quotes within quotes. Commas and full stops go inside quotation marks.

“I can’t believe it’s raining,” she said.
“She said, ‘I can’t believe it’s raining.’”
Look at the letters "A," "C," and "M."

Question marks and exclamation marks are placed inside if they are part of the quoted material for both British and American English; otherwise, they go outside.

‘Are you coming?’ she asked.
Did he really say, ‘It’s raining’?
“Are you coming?” she asked.
Did he really say, “It’s raining”?

Single quotation marks:

&#8216; and &#8217;

Double quotation marks:

&#8220; and &#8221;

Guillemets (« ») are used in several languages for quotations and direct speech. Their usage can vary, so it’s important to follow the conventions of the specific language or style guide you are using.

Russian: «Привет, как дела?»
French: « Bonjour, comment ça va ? »
-In French typography, the non-breaking space after the opening guillemet and before the closing guillemet is essential for maintaining the text’s visual balance and readability.

Quotes

When including quotations in your text, you typically use standard quotation marks to set them off from the rest of the content. However, to draw more attention or add a stylistic touch, you can use decorative quotation marks:

Feel free to experiment with decorative ones to fit your design needs.

Lettering

Uppercase letters are great for headings or short quotes, but they shouldn’t be used for body text. They tend to shout and grab attention, so use them sparingly. Make sure to add extra letter spacing to ensure they remain legible.

Without proper spacing, uppercase letters can merge and become difficult to read

Lowercase letters should not be spaced out. Text with wide tracking is harder to read and looks untidy:

Text with wide tracking on the right

To highlight a word in lowercase, use italics or bold instead.

Italic type is used to indicate emphasis or heavy stress in speech; to style titles, headings, indexes, and cross-references generally; and to indicate foreign words and phrases.

I don’t care how you get here, just get here.
Such style, such grace, is astounding.

Bold is used to attract attention and is ideal for headings.

Small caps are perfect for abbreviations, Roman numerals, or highlighting names. Like uppercase letters, small caps should have extra spacing. They differ in height from regular uppercase and lowercase letters:

Avoid using small caps for body text, as they can be challenging to read.

Lists

A list is made of an introductory paragraph followed by a series of points. Here’s a quick guide to ordered and unordered list types.

Ordered lists

Use numbers or letters when the sequence is important, or when many items need referencing.

A numbered list is ideal when each item is a complete sentence.

To make a delicious eggs in three steps:

Place a knob of butter in a pan on a high hit.

Once the butter is melted, crack eggs into the pan and reduce the heat to medium.

Wait until the white of the eggs is fully cooked. Enjoy!

You can also use Roman numerals (I, II, III) or capital letters if preferred (A, B, C).

Ordered lists with right parentheses are useful when the items are part of a single sentence. End each item with a comma or semicolon, and finish the last item with a full stop.

There are four terrestrial planets in our solar system:
1) Mercury,
2) Venus,
3) Earth,
4) Mars.

Before leaving the house, don’t forget to:
a) turn off all electrical devices;
b) take your phone and headphones;
c) close the door and take the keys out of the lock.

Unordered lists

Use bullet points when the order isn’t important. Items can end with a comma, semicolon, or full stop, depending on whether they are complete sentences. Traditionally, the black dot (•) is used as a marker in bullet point lists.

Apple produces and sells:
• laptops,
• phones,
• desktops,
• tablets,
• watches.

You can also omit the bullet symbol altogether and use indentation for a cleaner look:

Apple produces and sells:

laptops,

phones,

desktops,

tablets,

watches.

Other symbols like dashes (–), circles (◦), squares (▪), or arrows (→) can be used, though it’s best to stick with traditional bullet points as other symbols can be distracting and clutter the text.

Numbers

In English text, numbers can be written in words or numerical form. Here’s how to choose the appropriate format:

Writing numbers in words
Write numbers in words when it makes the text easier to read or understand:

We bought four bottles of water for the hike. (Instead of: We bought 4 bottles...)

Write out simple numbers, especially when they are under ten or when clarity is important:

I saw seven birds.

Using numerical form
Use numerals for more complex numbers, particularly with units of measurement or monetary amounts:

The Christmas tree cost £345, but we got a 50% discount.

Separate thousands with a comma for clarity:

12,000

Decimal points and fractions
Use a decimal point to separate digits:

1.25

Fractions should be written with a horizontal line, or in some contexts, use a forward slash. Do not use the word ‘part’ or ‘fraction’:

½ of the area (or: 1/2 of the area)

Range of values
Use en dash (–) for ranges or spans, such as dates, numbers, or time periods, an en dash is commonly used:

The event runs from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
The years 2000–2017.

Use plus-minus (±) to show acceptable variation in measurements:

20±3 units (means the value is between 17 and 23 units, including the margin of error or tolerance).

Use ‘From’ and ‘To’ when writing ranges in full sentences or when clarity is needed:

The store is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The temperature will be between 30 to 70 degrees.

Phone numbers

In phone numbers, hyphens and spaces are commonly used to enhance readability.

UK format:

Standard: 020 1234 5678
International: +44 20 1234 5678

US format:

Standard: 123-456-7890
With area code: (123) 456-7890
International: +1 123-456-7890

When a phone number includes a memorable or advantageous combination of digits, such as a repeating sequence or a pattern, it’s often highlighted for marketing or branding purposes:

0780 2222 444

Dates and times

British English date formats
Day-Month-Year:

4 August 2024
4/8/2024

Day of the Week, Day Month Year:

Saturday, 4 August 2024

In formal contexts, writing out the full month is preferred:

4th of August 2024 (not 4 August, 2024 or 4/8/2024)

American English date formats
Month-Day-Year:

August 4, 2024
8/4/2024

Day of the Week, Month Day, Year:

Saturday, August 4, 2024

In formal contexts, writing out the full month is preferred:

August 4, 2024 (not August 4th, 2024 or 8/4/2024)

When it comes to formatting decades and academic years, both British and American English have specific conventions:

the 1980s – the ‘80s
the 1990s – the Nineties
2023–2024 academic year
2023/24 tax year

Time formats are similar
12-Hour clock: Commonly used with ‘am’ and ‘pm’:

3:30 pm or 7:15 am

24-Hour clock: Less commonly used, except in certain contexts like timetables:

15:30 (3:30 pm) or 07:15 (7:15 am)

Use ‘o’clock’ when writing time in words:

The meeting is at three o’clock.

Symbols in text

Use the correct symbols in the text instead of letters with parentheses.
Incorrect:

(C) 2017 Tanya Sokolovskaya(R)

Correct:

© 2017 Tanya Sokolovskaya®

Links in text

When including links in the text, it’s a good idea to highlight them with colour and underlining. If colour isn’t suitable, just underline the links to make them stand out.

Currency formatting

The currency symbol is placed directly before the number without a space:

£100
$100
€100

Use a comma to separate thousands in large numbers for clarity:

£3,000

Use a point to separate the whole number from the decimal fraction:

£3.14

The currency code (e. g., GBP, USD, EUR) is placed before the amount, with a space in between.

GBP 3,000

Titles

In both British and American English, titles such as Mr, Mrs, Miss, and Ms are used to address individuals with respect.

Ms a neutral option used for women regardless of marital status:

Ms Sarah Johnson

Mr for men, regardless of marital status:

Mr John Smith

Mrs for married women:

Mrs Jane Smith

Miss for unmarried women:

Miss Emma Brown

Titles for professional use, related to a person’s profession or status:

Dr Robert Green
Prof. Helen Carter
Ph.D. Jane Doe

In British English, a full stop is used only if the abbreviation differs from the full word. For example, Dr (Doctor) has no full stop, but Prof. (Professor) does.

In American English, a full stop always follows abbreviations:

Miss. Emma Brown
Dr. Robert Green

Address formatting

In British English, write each part of the address on a new line: Name, House number and street name, County (if applicable), City, and Postcode:

Mr John Smith
123 High Street
Springfield
Essex
SS1 2AB
United Kingdom

When an address has additional details such as building names, blocks, or units, it should be placed before the building name or street name:

Mr John Smith
Flat 4, The Grand Building
123 High Street
Springfield
Essex
SS1 2AB
United Kingdom

American English
Name
Street address (including house number)
City, state, ZIP code

Mr John Smith
123 High Street
Springfield, IL 62704
United States

Sources

Oxford Guide to Style by R. M. Ritter: A comprehensive guide on style conventions, including those relevant to typography and publishing.

The Form of the Book and Treasury Of Alphabets & Lettering by Jan Tschichold: Essential works on book design and typographic lettering.

How to prepare monochrome photos for print

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 21:24:00 +0100

Following the post about preparing images for offset printing, I want to show how to prepare monochrome photos to get a beautiful rich black colour in print.

I have a picture in the RGB colour model:

Let’s convert it from RGB to CMYK and compare:

First — RGB
Second — CMYK

We can see that the black colour has become paler, but it’s okay, the main problem lies in the channels.
Let’s look at the Triad and Black channels separately:

The triad colours kept all the details of the photo

The black colour gets a ‘skeleton’ of the darkest shades

The problem here is that there is always the possibility of colour variations when printing, which will result in a corresponding shade. Let’s look at an example using curves. I moved the Cyan and Magenta curve up and down:

More blue paint
Less blue paint
More purple paint
Less purple paint

Any jump in colour will tint the picture, and to avoid this, you need to transfer most of the detail in the photo to the Black channel. To do this, go into Photoshop and duplicate the image, as we will perform colour separation twice in different channels and then merge them.

We’re working with the first copy now. Convert the picture to CMYK and create a Channel Mixer adjustment layer to move the Triad colours into the Black:

The values I have set are average and may vary. They can be tweaked at the end

Turn off the Black channel and see what we get at the Triad:

The first photo — before, second — after

The Triad underlay became lighter and less detailed.

Open a second copy of the image and convert it to CMYK but with maximum black generation. To do this, you need to create an appropriate colour profile — go to Edit → Color Settings and create a new CMYK profile with the settings:

Convert the picture to CMYK with maximum black generation — Edit → Convert to Profile → select the created profile and look at the picture in the black channel:

You can see that the entire picture has gone into the black channel. Now we need to merge it with the already prepared triad substrate. Open the first file and create a new layer there. Go to Image → Apply Image and copy only the black channel from the second file:

The result is a black mess, and to fix it, you have to enable this layer to be displayed in the black channel only:

Let’s compare the result with the RGB picture:

The first is RGB, the second CMYK

You can see that in CMYK, the picture has a brownish tint, but this can easily be corrected in the Channel Mixer adjustment layer that has already been created:

I reduced Magenta and Yellow slightly and added a little Cyan

For interest, I move the curve to see how the picture changes with paint fluctuation:

The prepared picture hardly changes its hue, and I move the curve quite a lot — in printing it’s unlikely that such a fluctuation of colours will happen. To compare it with the second picture, which I simply converted from RGB to CMYK

So, you get an image with saturated black that looks as good in print as it does on the screen.

Some may decide to print monochrome in one colour with pure black but do not do so. The result will be a pale and most likely grainy image.

This treatment is appropriate for monochrome and mixed images with a colour part and a large monochrome area. In that case, combine the Channel Mixer adjustment layer and the Black Channel layer into a single folder and set it to only display a mask on the monochrome parts of the image.

How I prepare magazine images for offset printing

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 11:26:00 +0100

This video contains updated and more relevant information on preparing images for offset printing. The post itself needs an update, so make sure to check out the video for the latest tips and techniques.

Images in a multi-page publication must be prepared to look good when printed. Typically, print shops have different requirements for offset printing, but the general principle of preparation is pretty much the same for all of them. I’ll give you an example of my work for Agroinvestor magazine so that the print shop accepts the layout for the first time and the images remain high quality.

There are four essential points in image preparation: the resolution (300 dpi), the colour model (CMYK), the colour profile (for our print shop, this is ISO Coated v2 300 % (ECI)) and the sum of the colours (no more than 300 %). At first glance, nothing complicated: take a picture of a suitable resolution, do colour separation in the right profile, and that’s it. However, apart from these points, there is an essential aspect of offset printing that I want to talk about, but let’s go through it one by one.

layout stage

During the layout stage, I use low-resolution photos. Most of them even have the watermarks of photobanks, and it doesn’t matter at this stage. This is what the linked files look like in the document:

The two right-hand columns show the actual resolution (left) and the effective resolution (right)

As you can see, all the images are in an RGB colour scheme, and most have a resolution of 72 dpi. This resolution is optimal for screens but very low for printing. And the effective resolution, in general, jumps around a lot. Let me explain, the actual resolution is the actual size of the picture, while the effective resolution is the size of the picture in the layout. If the actual resolution is 72 dpi and the effective one is 117, the layout picture is reduced by half. And vice versa, the picture is enlarged if the actual resolution is higher than the effective one. In the finished layout, their values should be the same.

Exporting images

I prefer to prepare the images for printing once the layout of the whole issue has been approved. That has its advantages:

Things can change in the process: an article is replaced, strips are removed or added, pictures are sent in differently, ads are unexpectedly up, and so on.
The original images are collected and sent to the photo editor, so it’s more convenient for me to get all the pictures at once rather than after each approved article. Also, if a photo from a photobank is suddenly replaced and has already been bought, then the money is spent for nothing.
At any time, the chief editor can remove or add a piece of text within an article, which means that the size of an image will have to be changed because space on the page is limited. If the images were already ready to be printed, this work would have to be done again.

When all the articles are collapsed, I proceed to process the images. As you may remember, the images are of poor quality, and to send them to the photo editor for redemption, I need to gather all the images of the issue into one folder. To do this, I pack the files in print:

Next, check Copy Linked Graphics. No other checkboxes are needed:

The result is a Links folder with all the images, which I hand over to the photo editor, who sends me the original high-resolution images.

I also create three additional folders: PSD RGB, TIF Lab, and TIF CMYK.

Links contain all the images in the issue; Photos — the images to be redeemed; Photos Original — their originals. The PSD RGB, TIF Lab and TIF CMYK folders are needed so that I can return to them at each stage of processing the photo and, if necessary, make changes. I’ll go into more detail about these stages next.

Resolution

Next, pay attention to the resolution. There are several sources of images: for example, pictures from photobanks are of high quality, but pictures from agro-companies or their websites are often in low resolution, and it’s almost impossible to get the originals.

Let’s say I was sent a photo at 72 dpi, but the picture itself is quite large 67×38 cm:

I unchecked Resample and changed the resolution from 72 to 300. The image size is now considerably smaller — 16×9 cm:

Ideally, this picture at 100% should be no larger than 16×9 cm in a layout. But what if I need it in a larger format? In such a situation, I enlarge the image by 15-20%. If an even larger format is required, the photo editor asks for the source, and if it’s not available, we look for a replacement image.

It may also be that an image is sent with a dpi value between 200 and 300. In that case, I increase the dpi value to 300, which will also not appear in the printout. When the dpi is less than 200, it’s not worth enlarging the picture, we will not see pixels in print, but there will be some graininess.

Colour profile and ink sum

Our print shop has a requirement to use the ISO Coated v2 300 % (ECI) colour profile. This profile makes my job easier: by running the images through it, the sum of the colours in the overprints automatically becomes less than 300 %. The ink sum is the amount of ink applied to the paper. The image will be pale if the value is less than 300%. If the ink sum exceeds 300%, the sheet risks soaking through and staining the adjacent pages.

You can determine the amount of colour in an image in several ways in Photoshop, but I find it much more convenient to do it through Indesign. Go to Window → Output → Separations Preview:

And in Ink Limit mode, select the desired percentage:

Red spots in the image indicate that the colour limit has been exceeded in these areas. This way, even at the layout stage, I can quickly check all the images in the article.

I have the required CMYK profile in Photoshop by default. This is done in the settings: Edit → Colour Settings:

I downloaded the profile online beforehand

From RGB to CMYK

All images can be divided into simple and complicated.

Simple— converts from RGB to CMYK with no problems:

The first picture is RGB, and the second one is CMYK. There is practically no difference between them.

Complicated — includes unprintable colours that are lost in offset printing:

The first picture is RGB, and the second is CMYK. As you can see, the bright green and red are “eaten away” in the second one, and the detail and volume in these areas are lost. You can solve this problem by contaminating the colours.

Open our photo in Photoshop and work in the RGB colour model. To quickly see if there are any unprintable colours in the picture, go to View → Proof Setup and select Working CMYK (you already have the right colour profile for it):

And with the Proof Colours command, we can switch between modes:

Reminder: work in RGB. To get rid of the unprintable colour, create a Selective Colour adjustment layer:

We have two unprintable colours — red and green, so it’s these that we will “pollute”. And we do it with opposite colours — for red, we raise Cyan, and in green, we increase Magenta:

Let’s compare the three pictures now:

The first picture is RGB.
The second is direct conversion to CMYK.
The third one is converted to CMYK with an adjustment layer Selective Colour. Our picture is a bit darker, you can fix it if you want, but the tomatoes are still rich, and the leaves show details.

Let’s look at another example:

This is where I contaminated yellow and red:

The first picture is the original.
The second picture is the Proof Colours view. You can see how the brightest areas get soapy, and the smallest details disappear.
The third picture is corrected. It’s not as colourful and bright now, but printing such colours is impossible. I think it’s more critical to preserve details.

Feature of offset printing

The sharpness of offset printing decreases quite dramatically, which means it should be compensated technically. This is done in Photoshop with Unsharp Mask and must be done in several steps — separately in the Lab Lightness and CMYK Black channels.

I’ve taken a rather dark picture with a black object to show the impact of the sharpening more clearly.

So, open the picture in Photoshop and create two duplicate layers:

I renamed them Lab and CMYK to make it clearer

Convert the image from RGB to Lab without merging layers. Go to the Lightness channel, apply the Unsharp Mask filter with an impact strength of 100, radius 3 px:

This is what we see:

Next, convert the image from Lab to CMYK without merging the layers again. Go to the Black channel and apply the Unsharp Mask filter with a value of 300% and a radius of 1 px:

The values for Unsharp Mask in the Lightness and Black channels may differ. I have taken the average as an example.

The picture looks like this:

A bright white border surrounds the black details, but you don’t have to be afraid to sharpen the black channel. The triad colours will underlie this white border, and the result will be a soft glow that will accentuate the darker objects:

You can optionally enable the display for Lab layers in triad only and CMYK in black only:

You can add a little transparency to this layer to soften the sharp effect

You may think the picture is heavily sharpened, but in offset printing, the sharpness will drop a lot, and this sharpening will make the picture clear. Also, remember that on the screen, we see an image at 300 dpi, in reality, it will be three times smaller. You can move away from the screen by 1.5–2 metres and look at the image. Everything will be okay in print if it looks good from a distance.

I’ll show you an example of a magazine photo that I processed. Here’s a sharpened photo:

And this is the photo in the magazine:

As another example, I’ll show you a piece of advertising that was sent in ready to print, and I can’t intrude on it:

On the left is a fragment of advertising layout, and on the right is a photo from a magazine. As you can see, the layout was not sharpened, and the output was blurred.

Do not sharpen an RGB image. Otherwise, you risk having white ghosting around dark objects, which will not disappear when printed because there is no triadic backing:

So please don’t do it

Another thing I want to point out is the exposure. The printed image will always be darker than what we see on the screen. So if the picture seems dark, you need to lighten it up a bit. Otherwise, it might turn out to be a completely black nothing. For example, I sent the picture above to print like this:

It’s darker in the magazine, but the grasses are still visible:

This is all about the basics of image preparation. There are nuances in converting monochrome images from RGB to CMYK, but we don’t see those in our magazine, so I’ve written about that separate post.

Stages of work and their automation

Now, point by point, what and in which order I do when I get the original photos from the photo editor, and the layout is approved.

1. Resolution and processing

I open my first image in Photoshop, check its resolution, correct it if needed and start processing. Processing can include anything: clipping, cleaning of unnecessary elements, sometimes I make a collage of several photos or changing the background, somewhere you want to pull the black point and correct the ragged horizon — in general, there are all the necessary aesthetics.

2. Unprintable Colours and Exposure

I use Proof Colours to check my image for unprintable colours and correct it with Selective Colours if necessary. I lighten the image a little. In my experience with our print shop, I prefer to lighten almost all images. Otherwise, even light images in print come out darker than the screen.

I save the Photoshop file in a PSD RGB folder when I am visually happy with everything. Now I have a finished image in full size that I can return to at any time.

3. Image size

In Indesign, I look at the actual size of the previously processed image within the layout:

I go to Photoshop, crop the image and resize it according to the layout:

All the images in the print-ready file must be at 100% scale, and the effective resolution is 300 dpi. Right now, the effective resolution of my picture in Indesign is twice as high:

It shouldn’t be like this

If you skip that step and leave the images at their original size, the resulting file will weigh a lot. It will be hard to work with, and the print shop will scold you :-)

And here is an important point, when the image size fits the layout, I create a new action in Photoshop and call it Sharp:

Now all my actions are recorded. I converted the picture from RGB to Lab, merged all the layers, and saved the file in TIF format in the TIF Lab folder.

4. Sharpness

I go to the Lab Lightness channel and sharpen the picture. Convert from Lab to CMYK, sharpen the black channel, and save the image in TIF format to the TIF CMYK folder. I closed the file and stopped the action recording. Now I have action, which I apply to all further images after their initial processing.

When all the images are ready, I go to Indesign and replace all the images with those in the TIF CMYK folder. At this stage, I review each image, and if I don’t like something, I can always go back to any stage of its processing and correct it. That’s why I save files separately in additional folders.

And this is what the linked files look like after their preparation for printing:

If you have any questions, let me know, I’ll try to help :-)

Pre-press in InDesign

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 11:30:00 +0100

Preparing a design correctly for printing is a time-consuming task. You need to check fonts, images, colours, and format, consider transparent elements, and adjust exports so that the print shop accepts the file for printing. Let me tell you what I do for the periodical Agroinvestor and how I do it.

Bleed parameter

The Bleed parameter must be set when creating a new document. The value can be obtained from the print shop, usually 3–5 mm:

This is to control the elements that go under the crop. In the document, Bleed is shown with a red border around the outline of the workspace. In the image below, you can see that the line in the header extends beyond the sheet and reaches the red border:

This means that in printed form, the page will look like this:

If the line is not brought to the red frame but left at the edge of the sheet:

In print, we run the risk of getting this result:

The fact is that there is always an error of 2–3 mm when printing undercuts, both in and outside the working area. The Bleed parameter helps to eliminate it.

Preview mode

During the layout process, I always switch between Normal and Preview modes. Preview mode helps to ensure that all the trim lines are trimmed and that the relevant elements stay within the printable area. In the images below, you can see that the lines in the header and footer extend beyond the printable area, which means they will be cropped correctly. The Preview shows how the finished spread will look in print:

Normal — Preview

High-Quality Display mode

To control the resolution of images, I work in High-Quality Display mode. If an image is blurry or pixelated, you must pay attention to it. I’ll talk about more precise control of images below, but for the layout phase, High-Quality Display mode is sufficient:

In High-Quality Display mode, you can see that the image is of high quality

Text and spelling

During the layout process, I always check the tails of text boxes. The red plus sign in the bottom right corner means that there is hidden text inside the box — this should be corrected:

To see how much text is hanging by the tail, you can click on the plus sign to create another text box, and you can also turn on the Story Editor:

A window will open with all the text in the frame. The grey horizontal Overset line and the red vertical line indicate a piece of text that is not displayed:

To control spelling, I switch on Dynamic Spelling mode:

It automatically underlines unfamiliar words and words that may contain an error, just like a text editor:

A red underline indicates a grammatical error. A green underline indicates that the word is preceded by a full stop, meaning it should start with a capital letter. In my case, it’s not considered a mistake :-)

If you select Check Spelling, you can manually go through all underlined words and replace them if necessary.

Image check

The High-Quality Display mode allows you to monitor the quality of images visually. I have a Links panel set up for more accurate monitoring:

I am comfortable seeing the following values:

This is how it appears in the working document:

You can see that the colour schemes of the images are RGB, and the quality is poor, so you can’t print them. After preparing the images for printing (there is a post about it), the values look like this:

I can now see that all the document’s images are ready to print.

Checking fonts

When I work on a periodical, I use text styles. I wrote about them in a post about optimizing for a magazine, so I always keep my fonts in order. But if the project is new, I always check which fonts are used in the document before sending it to the print shop. This is to avoid accidentally printing any incorrect font without the appropriate license. You can see the fonts in the document itself:

And if necessary, immediately replace the random font:

You can also view all the fonts just before exporting the file to print, which I will explain further.

You should also check whether the fonts are OpenType or TrueType. Some print shops may not accept a layout if it contains TrueType fonts, for example. Such fonts can be converted to curves.

Checking for errors

I keep track of errors in the file in the bar at the bottom left:

If I can’t find an error visually, the Preflight panel rescues me. It’s also handy to use if there are a lot of errors:

It’s OK when the indicator light in the bottom panel glows green:

The Preflight panel can be adjusted for each new project, but the basic settings are generally sufficient.

Errors can also be tracked right at the stage of packing files for printing, as I will discuss next.

Black control

The print shop requires that the ink sum for the black colour in the images should not exceed 300%. You can check this with the Separations Preview panel. I have set the Ink Limit to 300%. This is how I can see parts of the image that exceed the Ink Limit — they are highlighted in red:

To fix this, I saved the image in the ISO Coated v2 300 (ECI) colour profile, which our print shop uses. I’ll talk more about colour profiles in a separate post. I refreshed the image and looked again with Separations Preview:

If you have a solid black somewhere, it’s important to remember to make it composite, e. g. 50 50 50 100 (CMYK). If you take black with a composition of 0 0 0 100, i.e. 100% black ink only, you risk getting a poor colour in printing:

Transparency

Another point is to check the layout for transparent objects. This ensures that all transparent objects and the elements they affect are printed correctly — as the design intends. For example, I added a transparent rectangle to the layout. In Flattener Preview mode, all transparency is highlighted in red:

There you can also see all the transparent elements, i.e. those that are touched by the transparent rectangle:

It’s crucial to check transparency if the print shop requires a file compatible with Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3), as this version does not support transparent objects. All transparency will be rasterized when exported, and you must set export parameters. This can be done in the Flattener Preview panel:

This is how to create a preset with the right settings and use it when exporting. I know that “Agroinvestor” magazine has no transparency in its layout, so I don’t bother with the preset but use the built-in High Resolution preset:

Export

I use the Book format in InDesign in my periodical work (I’ll talk about it in a separate post), so I use the Package Book For Print command to export the file to print. A window pops up where I can tick all the checkboxes I want to get into the export package — I only want the PDF file, and I also select a pre-saved export preset for Agroinvestor:

The preset settings are like this:

Compatible with Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3) for print shop requirements and ZIP compression for images.
Use the blends installed in the layout.
Export images in the desired colour profile (this setting is just in case, all images I prepare in advance.
Use High Resolution preset for transparent objects.

And finally, a final check for errors:

Here you can see that there are no errors, the fonts are OK, the images are OK too

I get the file and send it to the print shop :-)

How to optimise work on a magazine

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 14:56:00 +0100

I recently told you how I completed a test assignment and got a job at a publishing house, and today I’m going to tell you about preparing my first issue of the magazine.

I looked at the previous designer’s source files and realised this format would be awkward. This is what a folder of one issue looks like:

Each magazine article is in a separate folder, and inside each folder are subfolders with images and fonts and a file with some instructions. It so happened that I was not handed the files correctly. I could not communicate with the ex-designer to clarify anything and could only guess at his processes.

So the first thing I did before starting work was to optimise everything as much as possible.

To do this, I created one InDesign file (ai_temp.indd) in which I configured the following:

page header templates,
paragraph styles,
GREP styles,
all the necessary graphics.

Let me explain each of these points in detail.

Page header templates

The periodical has two dynamic elements on all pages and needs to be changed in each issue — the issue number and the headings. These elements are located in the header and footer:

I saved the header in the A-master template, in which I will change the month and publication number. And based on this A-master, I created templates with a header in which I prescribed the possible headings:

So, when starting a new issue, I copy my ai_temp.indd file and change the month and number in the A-Master template. Next, I assign the header template to the pages when starting the new article.

Paragraph styles

To make it easy to work with the text and avoid confusing its layout, I have created all the possible styles in the magazine in the file ai_temp.indd. It looks like this:

Absolutely all styles are based on Basic Paragraph, in which GREP styles are prescribed for correct hyphenation within the text.

GREP styles

To remove dangling characters at the end of a line, I created five hyphenation rules:

for prepositions with a lowercase letter: (?<= )((в|во|без|до|из|к|ко|на|по|о|от|перед|при|через|с|у|не|за|над|для|об|под|про|и|а|но|да|или|ли|бы|то|что|как|я|он|мы|они|ни)( |\. |, ))+
for prepositions with a capital letter: ((?<= )|(?<=^))((В|Во|Без|До|Из|К|Ко|На|По|О|От|Перед|При|Через|С|У|Нет|За|Над|Для|Об|Под|Про|И|А|Но|Да|Или|Ли|Бы|То|Что|Как|Я|Он|Мы|Они|Ни) )+
for numerical values: (?<=\d)(.)
for the dash: (?<=) (—)
for units of measure: (?<= )((га|гг.|дм|долл|др.|же|кг|мг|мл|млн|млрд|мм|нм|с.|см|стр.|руб.|тыс.)( |\. |, ))+

It looks like this:

I add new values as needed

Graphics

In CC Libraries, I have kept the colour palette and graphic elements that are most common in articles:

There are also icons inside some of the headings. I’ve put them in a separate Illustrator file so that I can edit them:

This way, all the elements are at your fingertips, and you don’t have to search for them every time in old releases and go to the source files to copy them.

Next, I created a new book (New Book) in InDesign for the magazine’s new issue and named it AI_June-07.indb. I copy my file ai_temp.indd and give it the name ai_6-13_sobitiya.indd, where “ai” is agroinvestor, “6-13” — page numbers for a particular article, “sobitiya” — rubric. I added this file to the book and gave it the correct page numbering.

Then I assign the pages a template with the required header and proceed with the layout.

The book format is helpful for multi-page publications if they have chapters or headings. I will discuss this in more detail in a separate post.

How to improve layout typography in InDesign

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 23:50:00 +0100

How a page of text looks, whether a print publication or an article on a website, determines whether someone will read it. Typography in the layout is not just about aesthetics. It’s also a tool for managing attention. I’ve identified six basic principles of typography that will help make layouts more confident and readable:

Always mark paragraphs in your text.
Make the line length optimal for reading.
Choose appropriate alignment.
Type the main text in lowercase.
Keep an eye on the height of lowercase text by using different fonts.
Include optical margins alignment.

Always mark paragraphs in the text

Take a canvas of text:

Although not noticeable, there are paragraphs there. I’ll include hidden characters in Indesign for clarity:

The text is difficult to read and comprehend in this way. Paragraphs need to be clearly separated. There are two ways to do this — indent and break line.

Let’s add an indent:

That’s better. But remember, you don’t need to indent the first paragraph. There’s nothing to indent it from. The correct way to do it is this:

Let’s add a break line:

Paragraphs read even better this way. But you shouldn’t use both methods simultaneously — it’s overkill. Let’s remove the indent:

Now it’s perfect.

You can use both indent and break lines together if you want to separate an introductory paragraph from the bulk of the text. This would look like this:

Make the line length optimal for reading

It’s difficult to read text when the line is too long, and the font size is quite small. In the example below, we see that there are ~120 characters per line:

The text becomes easy to read if you increase the font size for the same line length. There are ~90 characters per line:

And if you reduce the line length, the text is hard to read. This may be justified when little text, for example, is in a footnote in the margin but not in typesetting. The eye jumps from line to line too often — it’s quite stressful:

I recommend a balance — aim for 45-90 characters per line:

The text is easy to read this way, the line doesn’t get lost, and your eyes don’t get tired from the constant bouncing.

Choose the appropriate alignment

Alignment can be left, centre, right, and justified:

Left align and left-justify are commonly used for typesetting. I like the left-hand margin. I find it most comfortable and aesthetically pleasing.

Centring can be found in headings, quotations or footnotes.

Right align is also used for headings, quotations or footnotes and rarely for typeset text.

Justify all lines is used quite rarely. I’ve seen it in PTYUCH magazine. Generally, it’s pretty hard to find anything resembling an adequate layout in that magazine, but that’s what PTYUCH is all about:

Issues No. 9 from 1996, No. 2 and No. 5 from 1998

I’ve also noticed that the Russian edition of Vogue also likes to justify all lines, especially the frequent use of it in the headlines:

I recommend not using justify all lines at all unless for some special effect.

I’ll elaborate on the right alignment and the left justification — these two options seem to be the most difficult.

Right Alignment

You can forget about indent by aligning the text to the right edge. They are not visible because of the torn edge:

An indent should be used:

And it is especially important to balance the lines by ticking the Balance Ragged Lines box:

Without this checkbox, the lines vary greatly in length, and dangling prepositions appear:

This is what it looks like when you increase the line length:

And here I’ve balanced the lines again:

Justify with the last line aligned left

It reminds me of a brick, so stable and serious:

Two main problems can arise with this formatting: holes in the lines and overly compressed lines:

I’ll switch on highlighting problem areas in the text in InDesign. This is done in the settings:

Almost everything glows yellow — this means the formatting is unsuccessful. The maximum and minimum values for Glyph Scaling in the paragraph styles are now 100%:

By changing these parameters, you can achieve a text that is easy to read:

As you can see in the image above, the yellow backlight is gone. According to InDesign, everything is fine now, although it’s still not perfect for me.

It is also essential to use hyphenation in format alignment. If they are switched off, words in some lines will stick together:

You can try to fix this in the Glyph Scaling parameter, but then holes appear:

All in all, it’s not that simple with this type of alignment.

Type the main text in lowercase

When you use uppercase letters for typesetting, you create a “scream” that is impossible to read:

You should also avoid capital letters if you want to highlight a word or phrase within the text:

Using a font style two steps apart from the main text is best. For example, if you have Light for the main text, you could use SemiBold for selection:

Watch the height of lowercase letters by using different fonts

Suppose you must use two different fonts in the same text — one with serifs, the other without. Try to use fonts from the same font family:

I inserted the word from the second paragraph into the first. As you can see, the letters are the same height:

When the heights of the lowercase letters are different, it doesn’t look good. The fonts don’t seem to be friendly. The font size is the same:

Switch on optical margin alignment

Use optical margin alignment regardless of whether text alignment. It can be switched on by selecting this check box:

With it, punctuation marks and some letters extend beyond the text frame, making the margins visually smooth.

Here the alignment is off. The right-hand edge seems perforated where the transfer signs stand:

And here it’s on, visually the edge has become even:

Take a look at the comparison:

Enable align to baselines

When you layout in multiple columns, enable baseline binding. This is done in the paragraph settings:

This is how the columns look without the binding:

And this is what the columns look like with the binding:

If you have any questions on the subject, feel free to post in the comments, I’ll be happy to answer them :-)

What is the difference between letters in a font and a logo

Sat, 27 Feb 2021 22:44:41 +0100

Sometimes clients don’t understand the difference between a font and a logo because both use letters. I’ll tell you what the difference is between them.

When working on letters, a typographer tries to achieve maximum harmony and combination of any letters standing next to each other. In contrast, a graphic designer creates letters for a logo that only works in a given order and arrangement.

Yuri Gordon writes very precisely about this in The Book of Letters (Cyrillic alphabet):

“A font is a unique art form, an endless puzzle where all the details in any combination must form a plastically complete whole. A logo needs maximum purity and the expressiveness of characters. Therefore, even if the letters are taken from a ready-made font, it’s always desirable, on the one hand, to remove everything superfluous from them and, on the other hand, to strengthen their conformity by adding rhymes. In addition, since the letters stand in strictly defined places, opportunities arise to rhyme them in various ways.

Illustration from The Book of Letters

A letter that is part of a logo is important where it stands. It’s made to work only at its position in a single word. In a font, the letters must hold any position in any word equally well.”

How I work

Read more about the process on the JOOF Mantra logo.

Most of the time, I draw the letters for the logos myself, and the result is a unique work. Like the logo for the music label JOOF Mantra, for example:

But this approach is not always necessary. In some cases, I take a ready-made font as a basis, modify it, refine the letters, and get a unique work. For example:

Read about the process on the Daniel Lesden logo.

Again, in both cases, the logos are unique. And even if it’s based on a ready-made font, it doesn’t mean the logo is inferior. Sometimes it’s easier to render it yourself than to look for the right font. In the case of the JOOF Mantra label logo, for example, I had no options. I would not have found a ready-made font that would reflect the idea. That said, the Daniel Lesden logo is based on simple letters, and there was no point in drawing them. The ready-made font did a great job of giving me the shape I needed to work with.

A logo is a single item that is convenient to use at all times and everywhere. On the other hand, a font comprises many parts, each of which is meaningful and has a finished form. These parts can be rearranged in any order, but the overall shape will always be equally good.

Objects inside a module

Wed, 19 Oct 2016 19:37:59 +0100

Many designers build layouts according to the modular grid, but this approach gives a bad result — pages turn out boring and difficult to perceive. The modular grid consists of rectangular modules. To make clear layouts, first of all, it is worth distributing the elements within the modules, and then with the help of the grid systematise them. The modular grid organises the objects within the space, creates an impression of unity, and gives order and clarity to the layout. And sometimes the grid is not necessary at all.

The modular grid is a tool that must be used correctly and on time. After all, you can not take a ruler and immediately draw a house in perspective, first you need to take a pencil and outline the main lines and points, after which the ruler will help to align the lines and composition.

In this post, I’ll explain how to organise the objects within the module so that the layout doesn’t fall apart and is easy to read.

Sketches of layouts using a 32-cell modular grid. Illustration from the book “Modular Systems in Graphic Design” by Josef Muller-Brockmann

A module and the objects inside it

The role of objects inside a module is played by illustrations, titles, logos, quotes, factoids, text blocks, captions, footnotes, in short — everything that is located in the module.

To prevent the module from falling apart visually, significant objects within it should gravitate towards corners, sides or the visual centre

Significant objects are located at the corners, sides or in the visual centre of the module

Rectangular objects are subject to the rule. If we talk about a circle, it can occupy any position inside the module. Circle is pleasant to the eye and easy to perceive, it contrasts with rectangles and attracts the viewer’s attention earlier.

Following this rule, the composition will always be balanced and easy to perceive. It is important that on the free sides, the object breathes. If the header stretches to the upper left corner, then there should be air to the right of it and below.

Air is negative space. The perception of the composition depends not only on the objects but also on the correct organisation of the air around them. In a layout you should try to minimise the amount of negative space, the less there is, the easier the composition is to perceive.

Take a look at the picture below:

Rectangular objects in the module. Weak variant

There are two mistakes here:

1) There is unused space at the top and bottom — the сomposition is unstable:

Unused space

2) The objects are scattered chaotically, as a consequence there are many blocks of negative space. The composition is falling apart:

Negative space

To improve the module, we need to get rid of the first and minimise the second. This is where the rule of arrangement of objects in the module helps.

A good module

Objects are organised into rectangles and gravitate towards the corners and sides of the module. The negative space has taken a simpler form:

The negative space of the good module

The composition has become organised, stable and easy to see.

Let’s add a circle to the module. Remember, it can occupy any position. A circle primarily attracts attention, so it can be used to direct the viewer’s gaze:

Circle in the module

A circle is a very selfish figure, it should be one. If there are two or more of them in the layout, the viewer’s attention will be scattered, it will be hard for the eye to catch. It is undesirable to do it this way:

Two equivalent circles in a module

Let’s assume that all the objects in the module are equal:

Now we are looking at the layout and there is nothing to grab our attention. We can attract attention by using colour or lettering:

You can also use a different font or increase its size:

Add a meaningful object and air around it:

Structure in a module

It is customary to divide objects in a module by importance. The first place is always occupied by an illustration. It is it that the eye on the page clings to. Then we look at the headline, move our eyes to quotes or factoids, and if we are interested in all this, we pay attention to the text block.

In order to look at the page comfortably, the collection of the layout should always begin with the most significant objects and lead the reader’s eye from one to another. People tend to read information in the course of writing: from left to right, from top to bottom. In a Hebrew-speaking environment, the direction is reversed — right to left, top to bottom.

One column of text

If the text is typed in two columns, we will start reading from the left column (or right column in Hebrew) from top to bottom, and continue at the top of the second column.

Two columns of text

If there are more columns and rows, the distances between the objects by proximity rule will help to direct the eye:

Horizontal distances are reduced on the left, and vertical distances on the right

The fact that the gaze moves from top to bottom remains unchanged. Therefore, objects should also be arranged in the module from top to bottom in descending order, starting with the most significant ones.

Modules in practice

Let’s break down an example:

The layout consists of a module, with another module inside it: the page itself and the white rectangle in it. See how the objects inside their modules behave:

There are two significant objects in the main module:

The “Time” header — is located in the top right corner, with plenty of space to the left and bottom of it.
White rectangle — in the bottom left corner, with opposite sides of it also breathing.

The second module is a white rectangle, with a text block of a large headline and subheading playing the role of a meaningful object. This block stretches to the left side of its module, with white space to its right to compensate for the unilateral gravity.

This free space around the objects allows them to breathe, increases their importance among other objects, and balances the composition.

Another example:

We see three key objects: large red characters in the upper right corner, a human figure along the left side of the module, and a text block on a black-grass patch at the bottom. All of them are located at the corners or sides.

Or here:

Significant objects are distributed at the corners and sides of their blocks, and the illustrations look harmonious.

Analyse the magazine spread:

The spread consists of two modules: the left page and the right page.

On the left page, a large headline rests in the upper left corner, while a column of text flows along the right side of the module. The headline, as the most significant object of the module, breathes on the right and below, the negative space giving it significance.

On the right page, the man in the black jacket is centred and gravitates downwards. If we consider the spread as a single unit, the headline and the figure, as the two brightest spots, pull towards the corners and balance the overall module. Note: the first thing we see on the spread is a face, i.e. a circle.

Another example with a circle:

Although in the layout there are two dark spots at the upper border of the module and the bottom left, first of all, we look at the circle, i.e. the girl’s face.

Often the circle is used for special offers, discounts, and promotions:

See how cleverly Jan Tschichold wields the composition:

He masterfully directs the reader’s eye from one object to another.

Here’s an example of a bad distribution of objects in a module:

Firstly, there are two circles here. Remember, a circle is selfish and should be one. Secondly — meaningful objects are arranged randomly. The layout is falling apart.

Another bad example:

Comments are unnecessary.

Placing meaningful objects at the top and bottom is common in operating systems:

macOS Sierra

Menus on many sites are tied to the top:

apple.com

And here’s an example of a centre position:

google.co.il

But this kind of symmetry is good once, otherwise, you can’t avoid chaos:

Site menu

Composition of modules

Now let’s look at how modules interact with each other on website pages.

The layout should be present in the main objects and additional objects so that the reader’s eye follows from one to another. If you build a layout monotonous blocks, the view will be nothing to catch on, to look at such a page is uninteresting and tedious. Information sites often suffer from this:

9tv.co.il

isra.com

See how the BBC designers solved the problem. There’s an alternating rhythm along the page: different sizes of modules, illustrations and headlines. The reader’s attention is not scattered and it is interesting to explore the page:

bbc.com

As a rule, all layouts are built according to the “sandwich” principle, i.e. rectangular modules are arranged on floors one after another. Designers like to separate the floors by background colour, but this technique is dangerous, especially if the objects within the floor are equivalent and follow symmetry:

digging.ru

In layout, dynamics are important. At first glance, it may seem that the example above is very dynamic, but it isn’t. This pseudo-effect is obtained due to a large number of different shapes and styles: there are squares, circles, schemes, tables, lists, and many icons, each floor has its background colour, plus about ten different font solutions. The layout is heavily overloaded, with objects in modules arguing with each other.

The simpler the layout, the easier it is to read. Dynamics is achieved by alternating rhythms. See how Apple handles a long page:

apple.com

We see the floors: there’s both symmetry and asymmetry, and they alternate between them. Each module has a large illustration. The design of the floors is very simple, so we easily glide our eyes over them, and the long page is easily perceived.

The rule of proximity

Fri, 30 Sep 2016 22:26:10 +0100

Designers often prioritise aesthetics and excuse any sloppiness by saying, ‘It’s a creative idea’ or ‘That’s the author’s intention’. However, a designer is not an artist.

Designer ≠ Artist

The Internet, print materials, and outdoor signage are visual mediums that convey information. Unlike works of art, people read websites and signs to learn something: how to buy a product, contact a company, or find their way to the library. Therefore, in informational design, the primary goal is not just to make things look good, but to clearly and effectively communicate information. Designers rely on rules and guidelines to achieve this.

In this post, I’ll discuss the main principle of how we perceive information and the rule that follows from it.

A little theory

The rule is based on the principle of proximity in Gestalt psychology – objects that are close to each other are perceived as a group.

The proximity principle: the right side of the image is perceived as three columns

Therefore, the conclusion is:

The internal spacing of an element should be smaller than the external spacing

The rule of proximity applies to all levels: words, sentences, paragraphs, and modular layouts. If this principle is ignored, elements may form unintended relationships, leading to confusion:

Consider a block of text. Word spacing is internal, while line spacing is external. Therefore, according to the rule, let’s increase line spacing:

On the right, line spacing has been increased. The block looks neater and lighter

Let’s add a title to the text. The gap between the text and the title, which is external, should be larger than the line spacing within the text, which is internal. Remember, the external spacing should always be larger than the internal spacing.

A block with properly spaced text is easier to read

If this block is placed on a background, its margins will be external, so they should be larger than the gap between the header and the text.

The larger margins of the background give the block more significance

Now, let’s look at some examples.

In letters and words

Let’s write a word for an example:

In the word, the inner distance plays the space inside the letter, and the outer distance plays the space up to the neighbouring letters. Now the rule of proximity is broken. The letters are cramped, it’s hard to read the words. The middle of the letter O looks like a hole.

Let’s increase the inter-letter distance so that visually the letter O will no longer make the word look like a hole:

A certain solemnity has appeared, the letters breathe, and the word is much easier to read.

Let’s add two more words, but leave the space between them as standard:

The phrase is hard to read, it feels like one long word.

Let’s increase the spaces between the words:

It’s better now, let’s continue the experiment. Let’s change the font to a more elongated one:

Since the letters are narrower, the distance between them is smaller, so we can reduce the distance between the letters themselves:

Done! The phrase is now compact, clear and easy to read.

This is how this inscription looks on the airport building:

Photo from the web

And this is what it could look like if the proximity rule was enforced:

The flag could also be aligned with the letters, but that’s beside the point

In a text block

While letter spacing and space play the role of inner and outer between words, space and leading play these roles in a paragraph.

Let’s look at an example from a paragraph with a heading. The paragraph and the header are two independent objects. The distance from the header to the first line plays the role of external for them. The distance between lines — text leading — plays an internal role.

In this example, we see that the distances are equal. Such text looks ugly and is uncomfortable to read. You can’t leave text blocks like this.

Let’s tidy it up. First, let’s increase the distance from the title to the text:

It’s better. The header has gained independence.

Now let’s increase the distance between the lines, but don’t forget that this distance plays the role of internal and should be smaller than external:

Done.

In a text block with an image

Now let’s consider a bunch of text blocks, titles and an illustration. For example, a screenshot of a website like this:

The blocks consist of three elements: an image, a title, and a description. We can see that the text descriptions of the three columns are dangling by themselves, and their titles are stuck to the pictures. This is wrong.

There’s another principle from Gestalt psychology at work here — the principle of similarity:

Elements that are similar in size, outline, colour or shape tend to be perceived together

Headline and text have a greater connection than picture and headline, so descriptions should be moved to their headlines:

Together they create a single block that comes into connection with the picture above it.

The proximity rule is followed at each level:

Another example. Let’s parse a block like this:

Before

We apply the proximity rule: increase the text leading and move the text away from the title. Increase margins on all sides. We removed the “Read More” button and moved its function to the header. Moved the arrow that points to nowhere to the header.

After

There are fewer elements, informativeness has not suffered, and the block has become cleaner and neater.

Another example:

Before

Align the distances in the text block. Shift the icon a little to the right, behind the text line, so that visually it appears to be at its level.

Already better

Combine the “More” with the block title and enlarge the icon.

Now

The block became more compact and attractive.

Conclusion

Don’t ignore the proximity rule. When assembling the layout, first of all, determine the outer and inner distances. Make sure that the first is larger than the second. And do not forget about the principle of similarity, otherwise, the result can be deplorable:

Read more:
On object spacing and perception in ‘Editing by Design’ by Jan V. White.
The rule of internal and external in Gorbunov’s ‘Typography and layout’.
On leading in Müller-Brockmann’s ‘Grid Systems in Graphic Design’, Tschichold’s ‘The Form of the Book’, and Korolkova’s ‘Living Typography’.
Capitalisation in Chichold’s ‘Treasury Of Alphabets & Lettering’.