DESK TOP PUBLISHING
The first thing to do in preparing your document is to IDENTIFY THE
MARKET.
Ask yourself: What is the document intended for? and How is the reader
going to use it?
Here are some of the possible answers.
1. To provide information or entertainment in short digestible
passages.
Possibly read intermittently and sometimes on the move.
Examples: Newspapers, magazines, and house journals are obvious
examples.
The layout has to be active. Shorter passages of text permit narrower
columns. Typefaces can be varied. Boxes, rules, and tint panels can
all help. But, don't overdue it, keep a balance between variety and
confusion. Illustration is important as is the use of white space.
2. To provide reference material which the reader wants or needs.
Usually a short read after finding a reference.
Examples: Parts lists, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and timetables.
The first requirement is easy access to a key word, phrase, or number
usually followed by a short text or other information. Key words have
to be emphasized - usually in bold. Other devices such as running
heads can be used to guide the reader. Judicious use of illustrations
is in order. A timetable does not need illustrations, whereas a map
guide to local dining spots does.
3. To impart information which the reader doesn't care if he has or
not but which you want him to have.
May be read reluctantly or under compulsion.
Examples: A great many documents come into this category such as
advertisements, charity appeals, government regulations and signing,
and others of this ilk.
In a pamphlet or booklet design, the cover design is extremely
important. Readers will have to be persuaded to open it and then go on
reading. Inside the document emphasis will be vital to get important
points across. Useful devices are color, arrows, bullets, and tint
panels. For mandatory material the message should be kept short, the
layout clear, the style consistent, and the presentation confident.
4. A guide to reader participation.
Following a step-by-step guide, possibly under pressure.
Examples: Instruction manuals, forms, questionnaires, etc.
It is important to seperate "instruction" from "comment" by varying
both the type and the layout. Like information has to be grouped
together or identified in some way. If a form needs filling in by
hand, make sure you leave sufficient space for each entry. A form with
a simple layout gives confidence to the person filling it in.
5. To provide a simple link between the author and the reader in long
prose passages.
The reading will probably be sustained and in one place.
Examples: Books (textbooks, novels, etc.)
Fiction will probably be a leisurely read and if not compulsive,
certainly voluntary. The design can therefore be passive and
congenial, not coming between the author and reader. Everything
depends on legibility and comfortable reading.
Non-fiction may also call for sustained reading but it may not be
voluntary - it may be a chore with the reader's motivation much lower
than that for fiction. The very simple style used for fiction may be a
bit boring in this case. Variations on the layout will help to make
the text more digestible and give interest to the page.
PLANNING AHEAD
Your personal computer may be a very sophisticated tool, but you will
get the best results from it if you know what you want to achieve
before you start.
A rough sketch layout can save a lot of time. Trial and error at the
keyboard is expensive in time and frustration will you wait for the
machine to catch up with your thoughts. The process can be made much
easier by making a few tools of the trade yourself and using them.
All designers and printers rely on manufacturer's type specimens and
measuring systems to plan layouts for print. Anyone preparing a
document for desktop publishing needs the same sort of information.
There are literally thousand of typefaces available for personal
computers. Because the name of the typeface doesn't really tell you
very much, it is important to know exactly what each typeface you have
looks like and how much space on the page each will occupy.
Make your own type specimen book.
- Keyboard a complete alphabet of each font - capitals, lower case,
figures, and punctuation.
- Print it out in every size (that you intend to use) and weight.
(Such as normal, bold, italic, and bold italic). Identify each line
as to name, size, and weight.
- Keep each font on a separate sheet of paper and file them so that
you can refer to them when you are planning layouts.
- The same goes for rules and tint panels. Print out everything that
is available to you on your programs and label them for future
reference.
Just as typeface measurements need checking, so column widths are not
always what they seem. It is not unusual to find that in order to get
a 5 inch line, you must set your machine to 5 1/8 inches. In any case
it is wise to run off a few lines to make sure your measurements are
accurate.
Make your own line counter. (also called a page grid)
A line counter is a great help in sketching page layouts.
- Select the type size and line spacing you intend to use for most of
the text.
- Using an underlining rule, set up enough blank lines at that size
to fill a full column, numbering each line.
- Set a lowercase x at the beginning and ending of each line to
record the x-height.
SAMPLE
01x__________________________________x (make these lines the full
02x__________________________________x width of your column)
ETC.
With this line counter under a piece of tracing paper, rough but
accurate layouts can be tried out very quickly.
Make your own grid sheets. (also called layout grids)
It is helpful to have two of these for each type of layout you will be
using. One on heavy paper or card stock to put under tracing paper
when making pencil sketches, and one on film or plastic to lay over
the page printout to check alignment.
** SAMPLE of 8-1/2 X 11" page, 2 Column layout, 2 Page Spread **
5/8" 1-1/4"
6-15/16" inside margin outside margin
<----text width-------><-> <--->
+-------------------------------------------------------+
ª ª ª head
ª +--------------------+ ª +-------------------+ ª space text
ª ª : ª ª ª : ª ª 1/2" depth
ª ª : ª ª ª : ª ª
ª ª--------------------ª ª ª-------------------ª ª 69
ª ª : ª ª ª : ª ª lines
ª ª : ª ª ª : ª ª 9 pt.
ª ª--------------------ª ª ª-------------------ª ª on 10
ª ª : ª ª ª : ª ª
ª ª : ª ª ª : ª ª
ª ª--------------------ª ª ª-------------------ª ª
ª ª : ª ª ª : ª ª
ª ª : ª ª ª : ª ª
ª +--------------------+ ª +-------------------+ ª
ª ª ª Foot
ª ª ª space
+-------------------------------------------------------+ 1"
<--------> gutter 3/16"^ Each square = 13 lines
column with one line separation
width 3-3/8"
(I hope the illustration is intact! Let me know if it isn't.)
*note* As most of you are probably not professionals, I have used inch
measurement throughout this course even though the standard is pica
measurement.
ll break up the text into manageable pieces and act as signposts
which help readers to find their way about. The use of more than one
Type specimens, line counters, and layout grids make it easier to plan
the work. A record of the solution ensures that the time and effort
spent are not wasted.
ESTABLISH STANDARDS
Keep a written and illustrated spec sheet for each publication noting
the typefaces and size, column width, margins, grid, and sub-heading
system used. A standard form will ensure that nothing is forgotten.
Although such information may be stored in disk, it also helps to keep
a hard copy in a ring binder. It is also useful to record examples of
headings, quotes, and illustrations that might be worth repeating; and
where they are stored.
***SAMPLE SPEC SHEET***
Title: E-Mail Design Course
Format: 8-1/2 X 11"
Body text: 10 point type on 12 point body Times SAMPLE
Full page depth: 62 lines of 10 on 12 point
Full page width: 6-15/16 inches
Column widths: 2 col 3-3/8 inch with 3/16 inch gutter
Margins: Head 5/8 inch
Foot 7/8 inch (excluding folio)
Inside 3/4 inch
Outside 9/16 inch
Chapter titles: 18 point Times bold upper and lower case SAMPLE
Intro paragraph: 12 point Times 4-9/16" start line #9 SAMPLE
Chapters start: on line 17
Folios: (page numbers) in foot margin, full out left and right
1 line space between text and figures
Captions: 10 point Times
ETC, ETC
You get the idea.
***** A NOTE ON MARGINS *****
Classical book margins have their origins in ancient manuscripts.
In these the foot margin was about twice the head margin; the outside
was an average of the head and foot together, and the inside was half
the outside. Although these proportions are no longer adhered to, the
general principle still applies in book work. If the foot margin is the
same or less than the head, the text will look like it is falling off
the page. The two inside margins, seen together, will roughly equal
the outside. Such margins are well suited to the novel or other
continuous sustained reading but they do not permit the dynamic use of
type or space demanded for more general publications.
When planning margins:
Always consider the layout in pairs of pages - a spread.
When doing inside margins, consider how the publication is going to be
bound.
Remember to allow for folios (page numbering) and running heads if
they are to go into the top and bottom margins.
Now onto COLUMN LAYOUTS
+-----------------------------+
Single column, full page width ª +---------+ ª +---------+ ª
ª ªxxxxxxxxxª ª ªxxxxxxxxxª ª
Advantages: Usually gets in plenty ª ªxxxxxxxxxª ª ªxxxxxxxxxª ª
of unbroken text, economical ª ªxxxxxxxxxª ª ªxxxxxxxxxª ª
ª ªxxxxxxxxxª ª ªxxxxxxxxxª ª
Disadvantages: The very long lines ª ªxxxxxxxxxª ª ªxxxxxxxxxª ª
are likely to carry too many ª ªxxxxxxxxxª ª ªxxxxxxxxxª ª
words for comfortable reading ª +---------+ ª +---------+ ª
unless you use larger type and ª 2 ª 3 ª
extra interline space. +-----------------------------+
The solid mass of text gives less opportunity for sub-heads, secondary
text, and illustrations. The result may be dull and uninteresting to
the reader.
Most suited to continuous and sustained reading in a small page size,
for example a 5-1/2 X 8-1/2" page rather than a 8-1/2 X 11" page.
Typical proportions: 5-1/2 X 8-1/2" page
Text area - 4-3/8 X 6-7/8"
Margins - head 3/4", foot 7/8", inside 1/2", outside 5/8"
Typical Proportions: 8-1/2 X 11" page
Text area - 6-1/2 X 8-1/2
Margins - head 1, foot 1-1/2, inside 7/8, outside 1-1/8
column of text with the dynamic use of white space adds interest.
Illustrations can be used, particularly in the form of charts and
diagrams helps get the information across. Photographs give an
impression of reality but drawings allow particular points to be
highlighted.
(Continuation of Single Column Layout Grid)
Single column with large difference between side margins.
For the layout to be effective +-----------------------------+
the column should be noticeably ª +-------+ ª +-------+ ª
narrower than the whole page. ª ªxxxxxxxª ª ªxxxxxxxª ª
The choice here is whether to ª ªxxxxxxxª ª ªxxxxxxxª ª
put the extra space in the ª ªxxxxxxxª ª ªxxxxxxxª ª
center of the spread or on the ª ªxxxxxxxª ª ªxxxxxxxª ª
left hand margin of each page. ª ªxxxxxxxª ª ªxxxxxxxª ª
If the margins are wide enough ª ªxxxxxxxª ª ªxxxxxxxª ª
they can take small diagrams, ª ªxxxxxxxª ª ªxxxxxxxª ª
illustrations, or other text. ª ªxxxxxxxª ª ªxxxxxxxª ª
ª ªxxxxxxxª ª ªxxxxxxxª ª
If you expect to use a ring ª +-------+ ª +-------+ ª
binder or binding that does not ª ª ª
open flat, then big inside +-----------------------------+
margins are an advantage.
If you use large left hand margins, then the extra space can be used
for side headings, subsidiary text, or illustrations.
Advantages: Although not as economical of space as full width text, it
still gets a substantial amount of text onto the page, and gives the
opportunity to add some interest into the pages. Makes for an
attractive layout for sustained reading in a large format document.
Disadvantage: Still too static for an "active" layout.
Most suited to sustained reading in large format. Good for documents
which have to look serious but benefit from some "interest".
Typical Proportions for 8-1/2 X 11 page (in inches)
Large inside margin: (as illustrated above)
Text area - 4-5/8 X 9-1/8
Margins - head 5/8, foot 1-1/4, inside 2-7/8, outside 1
Plenty of room for binding, but not suitable for side headings.
Left Hand Large 2:1 ratio +---------------+
Margins - head 5/8, foot 1-1/4 ª +--+ª +--+ª
left page- left 3-5/16, right 1-1/8 ª ª ªª ª ªª
right page- left 1, right 3-3/16 ª ª ªª ª ªª
Margins could take side headings or small ª ª ªª ª ªª
illustrations. ª +--+ª +--+ª
ª ª ª
Left Hand Large 3:1 ratio +---------------+
Text area - 5-1/4 X 9-1/8 +---------------+
Margins - head 5/8, foot 1-1/4 ª +---+ª +---+ª
left page- left 2-3/4, right 7/8 ª ª ªª ª ªª
right page- left 1/2, right 2-3/8 ª ª ªª ª ªª
Smaller margins could take side headings, not ª ª ªª ª ªª
suitable for illustrations, though. ª +---+ª +---+ª
ª ª ª
+---------------+
