Alignment, being possibly the most important function when designing with type, merits a page all to itself:

In the previous section we talked about space and how space can be at a premium when designing layouts, especially in real life situations. One of the best ways in which negative space can be increased and even the most cramped layout is made look "emptier" is by alignment. In the first example below (link 01) you can see that the two body text columns on the right aligned on the top, the starting paragraph is aligned with the bottom of the right hand body text column and the headline is not aligned with the top of the body text columns but its ending line is also aligned with the line within the body text. This latter is accomplished by calculating the leading of the headline. In the last sample below (link 03) the type is aligned to type even though the type that it is aligned to is no longer visible. Click on the first image to see what the end result looks like. This will bring us to an all important issue in page design, namely the grid.

The Grid is an invisible system of alignment that we draw up with the aid of the guides in graphic and multimedia design applications. All graphic software that is worth its salt has guides. These will be visible to us, when and as needed, but will not be visible in the final output. In other words, they are a design system only known to us, the designer. All design products that fall under the category of visual communication design posess such a grid - from web design to magazines and posters. In fact even video designers will enlist the aid of a grid when compositing.

The grid is not an arbitrary set of lines but consists of columns that are of exactly identical width and that are separated by white areas that we call column gutters. If we are designing the grid for material that is to be printed we also have to allow space for the page gutter (the center of a double page which can be concealed by the binding of the book) as well as margins, both sides and top and bottom. Margins were historically used to aid the cutting of the book after being printed. With computerised printing and bookbinding presses this no longer a technolgical neccesity, however we still continue to use margins in printed material since the margins are the area that we place our fingers on to hold the book. Needless to say, web pages do not need outside page margins, but otherwise heavily rely on a proper grid system.

Only very few communication design projects will consist of a single page or item, in fact hardly any ever do so. You will almost never encounter a situation where you are commisioned to design a website consisting of only a homepage or only one single poster or a catalog with only one page. Visual communication design products are almost always large packages consisting of multiple pages - be they computer based or printed matter. The grid ensures the continuity between the pages of multiple page products; in which case, along with other stylistic elements it is refered to as the matrix of a design product (more on this at # 07 above). Following are some samples of good grid usage , by Fatih Polat (link 01, 02), Orçun Göğüş (link 03) and Can Selimoğlu (link 04). In Can's interface the usage of the grided box on the bottom right in juxtaposition to the freeform, circular header on the left is particularly impressive:

Note: Do not confuse the designers grid with the"grid" feature found under the menus of most graphic design applications. This "grid" feature will subdivide your document into equal segments both vertically and horizontally. It has its obvious uses, however you cannot draw a designers grid with the "grid" utility, you will definitely need the usage of the "guides" for the task.

Yet another reason we align elements on a page is that aligning type with one another, as well as with strong axes that can be present in non-typographic material will make your page feel un-cluttered (link 01) and enforce navigational axes (link 02).

Ambiguity: As crucial as alignment is when designing tight layouts with little space to play around in, especially where projects with multiple pages are concerned, unalignment is also quite possible when you are working with a loose layout system and plenty of space - provided you know exactly what you are doing! We are going to take a quick look at 2 more posters by Fatih Polat, whose work we already know from previous links (link 01, 02), as well as the work of my former student Altuğ Şahin (link 03, 04).

The key to the success of these designs lies in their decisiveness. Ambiguity, the state of not fully developing a statement, of being timid and undecisive, of not carrying actions through to their conclusions is as devastating in design as it is in real life - if not more so... If you are going to be unaligned make sure that you are in fact totally and completely unaligned. The half hearted attempt with a tiny bit of type, or any other visual element hanging off the side is a sight that is truly horrifying to behold for any designer worth his mettle and should be avoided at all cost! Never do this (link 01). When unaligned, be unaligned (link 02). Similarly never have similar lengths of type when type is centered. This, too will give off an unpleasant "ambiguous" odour. When centering type, always start with long lines on the top and work towards narrower lines at the bottom (link 03), since this looks better somehow...