ASSESSMENT TWO | TASK FIVE
UNPICKING THE GRID USED IN PICASSO & HIS COLLECTION PUBLICATION
Question One | What typefaces were used? How do they relate to the function/message?
The document uses a combination of san serif and serif fonts. The body text uses a simple, lightweight, serif font. The designer then uses a soft, lightweight san serif font for the image/artwork captions. The captions use a combination of italics and bold version of the font to establish titles and artwork names. The typography is sleek, simple, and modern giving it that clinical feel like the art gallery space.
Above | Picture of pages 54 and 55 of PICASSO & HIS COLLECTION (2008), the spread I studied for this task.
Question Two | What is the hierarchical structure and what were the markers used?
The hierarchy in this textbook is very simple. These pages in particular champion the artworks, they are at the top of the page surrounded by white space, inviting the natural tracking of the eye. The body text is intentionally structured on the lower half of the page, when there's lots of small text this structuring makes the text seem easier to tackle and more approachable. The rest the book is largely structured the same way, the eye sees the artworks first, then reads the information.
Question Three | What kind of grid was used (single-column, multi-column. Modular, baseline, other)?
For most of this task I believed the grid used to be a multi-column grid (6 columns) but the images didn't fit right and I thought it must have been intentional. As it turns out, this design is deceptive! It poses as a two column grid, though upon further studying and watching more of the weekly content I figured out that it in fact uses a 12 column modular grid. To really understand what was going on in the grid I recreated the spread in InDesign. This was really helpful because I am not so good with math and grids etc. I worked out that it is a 12 column modular grid with 10 rows and 5mm gutters. The first four rows are dedicated to images and captions, the fifth row is white space only, and the body text begins on the sixth row.
Above | Re-created spread using the 12 column modular grid with 10 rows, I decided to do it this way to learn how to properly set up a grid system and to better understand why the designer used this grid. Note that this is not my work and was used for educational purposes only.
Above | Re-created spread using the 12 column modular grid with 10 rows (screenshot)
Question Four | How do you think the design works overall? What could be improved?
At first I didn't think much of the design because it's pretty sparse in content and seems very simple, however after studying and exposing the grid that was used I understand why the designer set it out this way. The design overall works well for it's intended purpose and the book as a whole has a minimalistic rhythm to it. I can't think of any way to change it in my mind, though I can't see myself actually reading it considering it's been in my room for 5 years untouched now (guilty).
I honestly thought this task would be boring but it really helped me understand the grid so much more and I feel ready to put it to use for the next tasks and in my other projects.
REFERENCES
French, N. (2019, 06, 19). Designing With Grids in InDesign [Video]. LinkedIn Learning. https://www.linkedin.com/learning/designing-with-grids-in-indesign-2/setting-up-a-modular-grid-part-1?autoSkip=true&autoplay=true&resume=false&u=57080313
Picasso. (2008). Picasso & his collection. Art Exhibitions Australia.
