6. Grid and layout

The grid is a fixed system: an invisible grid determines how all the graphic elements are correctly positioned in layout (such as logos, faculty icons, text elements, images...).

Use the system for the desired content (corporate or faculty) and format (portrait or landscape), for example if you want to design a brochure or poster.

6.1Document grid
6.2Corporate lay-out - portrait
6.3Corporate lay-out - landscape
6.4Faculty lay-out - portrait

6.5Faculty lay-out - landscape

6.1 Document grid

The grid consists of invisible square blocks. It forms a basic template of help lines on which to correctly position all graphic elements.

The grid works in any format. This is why there are no units in millimetres but rather a universal formula to define the grid:

DEFINING GRID VIA FORMULA

Divide the longest side of your format by 7 and subdivide the result again by 4.
Begin the grid from the top left corner. For a document in DIN A format (such as A5, A4, A3, etc.) there is a grid as shown below.
Use a margin of 1 grid square around it as a type area.

Document grid

6.2 Corporate lay-out - portrait

In a corporate vertical layout add these elements at the top of the grid:

LOGO AND L-SHAPED FIGURE

Logo: insert the logo in the bottom left (including bounding box) at 4 blocks high x 5 blocks wide
L-shaped figure: above the logo, let a blue area ‘grow’ sloping upwards and to the right. Keep a column free in the left margin the size of 1 block. This forms a white ‘l-shaped figure’.

Corporate layout - portret — Corporate layout with grid, margins and bounding box

6.3 Corporate lay-out - landscape

Use the same principles for a corporate vertical layout.

Corporate layout - landschap — Corporate layout with grid, margins and bounding box

6.4 Faculty lay-out - portrait

The system for a faculty layout is the same as that for a corporate layout.

ADDITION OF FACULTY ICON

The blue area now grows less high and leaves a space of 3 rows free at the top. Insert the faculty icon (including bounding box) there in the top left corner where those 3 whole blocks are.

The bounding box of the faculty icon is 75% of the total height of the bounding box of the Ghent University logo. That way the letters and icons have the same height.

Facultaire layout - portret — Faculty layout with grid, margins and bounding box

6.5 Faculty lay-out - landscape

Use the same principles as those for a faculty vertical layout.

The bounding box of the faculty icon is 75% of the total height of the bounding box of the Ghent University logo. That way the letters and icons have the same height.

Facultaire layout - landschap — Faculty layout with grid, margins and bounding box