Good Rules Inspire Design Success (GRIDS)

Stuck for ideas? I know how it is. You're staring at that CD cover project, knowing that by the end of the day you have to have a design. What do you do in such a tight time frame?

Start with a grid!

A grid allows you to be creative with little effort. It gives you a structure that can be carried throughout the project for a consistent look. For a CD project you will be working in a square, so create a grid of squares. This creates a simple way to create a harmonious feeling.

You might be tempted to think that grids are boring and stifle freedom. But they have the opposite effect, when used with insightful breaks and spaces. And the grid allows you to be creative within a structure. And this structure makes it possible to have natural boundaries that enable creativity as a solution, rather than as a distraction.

Here's an example:

1. Place the photo, positioning the hills according to the grid lines.



2. Extend the background a bit. This is where we will place our logo.



3. Place the logo according to the grid.



4. Choose a color by sampling part of the photograph.



5. Add a highlight to the logo to add interest. This can only be done if there is this flexibility with the logo, of course.



DONE!