Desktop PublishingBasic Design Principles

and

Hazards to Avoid

Desktop Publishing

Ability to design and develop publications by combining text, graphics, and design elements.

The purpose of design is to help convey a message.

Basic Design PrinciplesWhat you should do!!

Basic Design Principles

Focus Balance Directional Flow Unity White Space Borders Choosing Type

Focus

Use contrasting size, density, and page position.

Use large, bold display type or graphics.

Use elements with visual weight.

An element to which the eye first moves.

Balance

Formal Balance--centers all design elements around the visual center.

How elements are distributed on a page.

Balance

Informal Balance--arranges design elements off center.

It is achieved by contrasts of weights around a balance point.

Directional Flow

Create flow on the page with lines within illustrations, rules, and lines of type, and with visuals.

Use the “Z” pattern of reading to place important information.

Use left-to-right and top-to-bottom for graphic elements.

Created by lines that the eye follows on a page.

Unity

Create unity with the use of appropriate and consistent elements.

Use appropriate type, graphics, and color: be consistent!

White (Nonprinted) Space

Design the white space; do not overcrowd type and graphic elements.

20 to 25% of your documents should be white space.

Borders

Borders isolate a page or a section of a page.

Borders can be light or dark or on all sides or on selected sides.

Typography

Anatomy of Text

Choosing Type

The type must contribute to the message, not detract from it.

The type must match the message.

Use the same typeface for the same elements. Vary the size to change the look.

ABCa b c

Body Text

Choose a serif typeface for body text.

Body text should be from 9-12 points.

Leading should be at least a point more than the type size.

Avoid excessive hyphenation and too much space between words.

Serif Fonts

Headlines

Use a sans serif typeface. Make headlines larger than

body text--14 points or more. Use all caps only for short

headlines; otherwise use uppercase and lowercase.

Be consistent with headlines throughout your document.

NEWS

Sans Serif Fonts

Desktop Publishing Hazards

Things to avoid.

Desktop Publishing Hazards

Forgetting your audience Irregularly shaped type Excessive underlining Too many fonts Grammar and spelling errors Inappropriate borders Inappropriate headlines Violating the copyright law

Forgetting Your Audience

Don’t let your graphic design overwhelm your message.

Spend as much time on content as you do on design.

Irregularly Shaped TypeExcessive Underlining

Irregular line shapes take more time to read.

Irregular line shapes are confusing to the reader.

Too much underlining confuses the reader.

Grammar and Spelling ErrorsToo Many Fonts Proofread carefully after

the computer does!!

Too many fonts creates a disorganized appearance and labels you as an amateur.

Limit fonts to 2-3 per page. Use special effect fonts to

attract extra attention--but only for a few words.

Inappropriate Borders

Borders can be functional or decorative.

The border should fit the nature of the product and the intended audience.

Inappropriate Headlines

Be careful how the lines end--you could give new meanings to your words.

Don’t use ALL CAPS if the headline is long.

Shorter is better!

City Dumps MayorCalls a Shame

or

City DumpsMayor Calls

a Shame

Violating the Copyright Law

Copyright laws give owners exclusive rights to their works.

To use copyrighted work, you must get permission and, possibly, pay a fee.

Clip art is OK!!!!!

The Final Steps

Print a sample copy.

Proofread it carefully.

Make adjustments.

Print your final copy or publish to the Web.

References

TextbookLake, Susan. Desktop Publishing-10 Hour Series. Ohio: South-Western

Publishing. 2000.

Reference BooksBlanc, Iris. Desktop Publishing Activities. Ohio: South-Western

Publishing. 1998.Davis, Graham. Quick Solutions to Great Layouts. Ohio: HOW Design

Books. 2001.McWade, John. Before and After Page Design. California: JMS

Publishing. 2003.OPAC Office Proficiency Assessment & Certification Software. Biddle

and Associates, Inc., California.

References

Websites

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/desktop_publishing.html

http://internetbrothers.com/desktoppub.htm

http://www.typography-1st.com/typo/txt-lay.htm

http://desktoppub.about.com/cs/basics/f/dtp_rules.htm

http://desktoppub.about.com/od/layout/

http://desktoppublishing.com/

http://www.newentrepreneur.com/Resources/Articles/DTP_12_most_common/dtp_12_most_common.html

http://www.careeroverview.com/desktop-publishing-careers.html

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/0,4621,312646,00.html