Techniques to create a great layout published on 29.10.09 by J Corn
Many designers restrict themselves straight away by going straight to the computer. You may be highly skilled in Photoshop or whichever design program you prefer, but you don’t have true freedom. The best tools you can use is a pen and paper.
Your preliminary designs should always be drawn freehand. Don’t start with a box. Straight away you have restricted to yourself to a specific area. Draw your content and add the box after, you may have a different perspective on things. Just stick to drawing boxes with little detail. Your layout should lead you eye around the page, if it doesn’t it isn’t clear enough.
Once you are getting a layout you like, you should start planning columns if you haven’t already. By sticking to a basic grid your site will look balanced. It is nice to occasionally break the rules. You can use the golden rule to create columns by dividing the height by 1.62. This rule will create a nice balanced layout. By placing one odd thing out of the grid it can add more interest to a layout, rather than plain dull boxes. Once you have planned the basic layout it is time to go onto the computer.
Draw your guides to the equivalent of your sketch. You have now got a much more structured approach than staring at a blank screen. If something doesn’t look right move it. Don’t limit yourself to the first idea you had. Placing images onto the page will give you a feel for what it will eventually look like. This could lead your colour scheme and font choice. Choose your font and create a header style and copy style. This will help keep your work looking clean and consistent.
Every page you create should stick to your basic layout and grid. Make sure you add different elements so it doesn’t look repetitive, but each page should correspond to the last in some way. Sticking to a strict grid and keeping things clean and simple have created the most successful pages.
Many designers restrict themselves straight away by going straight to the computer. You may be highly skilled in Photoshop or whichever design program you prefer, but you don’t have true freedom. The best tools you can use is a pen and paper.
Your preliminary designs should always be drawn freehand. Don’t start with a box. Straight away you have restricted to yourself to a specific area. Draw your content and add the box after, you may have a different perspective on things. Just stick to drawing boxes with little detail. Your layout should lead you eye around the page, if it doesn’t it isn’t clear enough.
Once you are getting a layout you like, you should start planning columns if you haven’t already. By sticking to a basic grid your site will look balanced. It is nice to occasionally break the rules. You can use the golden rule to create columns by dividing the height by 1.62. This rule will create a nice balanced layout. By placing one odd thing out of the grid it can add more interest to a layout, rather than plain dull boxes. Once you have planned the basic layout it is time to go onto the computer.
Draw your guides to the equivalent of your sketch. You have now got a much more structured approach than staring at a blank screen. If something doesn’t look right move it. Don’t limit yourself to the first idea you had. Placing images onto the page will give you a feel for what it will eventually look like. This could lead your colour scheme and font choice. Choose your font and create a header style and copy style. This will help keep your work looking clean and consistent.
Every page you create should stick to your basic layout and grid. Make sure you add different elements so it doesn’t look repetitive, but each page should correspond to the last in some way. Sticking to a strict grid and keeping things clean and simple have created the most successful pages.