baseline gridz
My notes-to-self for a lecture on baseline grids tomorrow. I’m so tired that I’m gonna post them here. bigger images here
WHY A BASELINE GRID?
When you write on ruled paper (like in school), you can write however large or small you’d like, but the rules on the page make sure that all of your lines are orderly. If you write small, your text will sit on every line. If you write large, your text will sit on every other line. If you write REALLY large, maybe every 3rd or 4th line. No matter how large or small you write, all your text will be sitting on the blue rules, and it will look orderly. This is a baseline grid, and it is AWESOME.
When we typeset on a computer, we don’t have a ruled paper. So, our lines of text wind up all over the place. That’s A MESSY BUMMER.
NO BASELINE = BAD
You can see below that there is no relation between all the different leadings on this page. The lines of text never fall on the same baselines. This looks disorderly, right?
BASELINE = GOOD
The point of a baseline grid is to make sure that all of your various leadings within a document relate to each other. Lets say you have 6pt, 10pt, and 25pt type all in the same doc. Because they will all have different leading, they will naturally fall at random places across the page (like above, not good).
With a baseline grid, you can make sure all your different leadings are related (divisible by the same number). That way, even if they don’t align on every line, they will align occasionally. (Possibly on every third or fourth line. Just like writing on ruled paper!)
Like this:
So…
HOW TO MAKE A BASELINE GRID (How I do it anyway.)
1. determine the most common type size + leading combo in your document
This will most likely be your body copy. Lets say, for example, I’m designing a book. I’ve decided all the body copy will be 10pt type over 12 pt leading. (10/12)
2. Find a number that your common leading is easily divisible by.
Since my leading is 12, I could choose 2, 3, 4, or 6 (they all go into 12 easily.) This is the number you will use to create your baseline grid. Meaning, there will be a rule every X points. Because your text will only be able to sit on the baseline grid, the number you choose here determines the increments with which you are able to increase or decrease leading. Again, this is just like ruled paper. If you choose a small number, it is like writing on college ruled paper. A larger number is like wide ruled paper, and a REALLY large number is like that paper you learned to write cursive on.
I usually use a 3pt baseline grid. Some people use a 2pt grid, others use 12 pts. This is your call, dude.
3. open your baseline grid palette in indesign
Indesign > Preferences > Grids > Baseline Grid**
•• remember, if you do this without a document open, it will set this as your default baseline. If you have a doc open, it will only set a baseline grid for the open doc.
4. Set your baseline grid. I only care about three of these settings: “Start,” “relative to”, and “increment Every.” I’ll explain those next…
“START”: where do you want the baseline to begin? At the very top of the page? (say 0, shown on the left). Would you rather it starts 1 inch from the top of your page (enter 1 inch, shown on the right). Of course, you’re using picas though, right?
“RELATIVE TO”: Wait! Are you being smart and using margins in your document? Then you can have the lines start relative to the top margin. If you put a zero starting point, baselines will start on your margin. If you entered a starting point of 1 inch, the lines will start 1 inch below your top margins. This is smart & very handy.
And finally, “INCREMENT EVERY”: remember the number you chose in step 2? Use that here!! (i.e., how often do you want your baselines to repeat?) Hit OK. I chose to make a 3pt baseline grid, starting at 0p0, aligned to the top margin (my margin is generous).
4. Align your text to the baseline grid. This is where it gets (nerdy) cool.
4a. Select all of your paragraphs. (Or, do this when no document is open, to set your default)
4b. Press the “Align to Baseline Grid button”. All your various leadings will adjust to fit into the baseline grid.
5. THE REST OF YOUR JOB IS EASIER NOW because you will ONLY be able to choose leading that work with your baseline grid.
When you are setting other type, (such as pull-quotes, captions, or headlines) inDesign won’t even let you enter a leading that doesn’t fit into your grid.
As long as you have a) a baseline grid, and b) checked “align to baseline grid” for the paragraph you are editing, inDesign will limit your leading options (helpful).
Go ahead, press that up & down leading arrow all you want. The leading will only change in increments equal to your baseline grid. (For me that means the leading will go up and down in increments of 3pt.)
6. PLAY WITH THIS I know this sounds useless. But it is hella helpful, I swear.
