Sketches and Grids Speed up the Design Process
Written by Tara: Freelance Designer on Monday, 9 of July , 2007 at 8:38 am
One thing which nobody ever taught me about as a graphic design student was grids, how crazy is that? Grids must be one of the most fundamental elements of design and can help make sense from chaos. Immediately by using a grid it helps you find a sense of balance within a layout, that’s not to say you shouldn’t break out of the grid, but it is definitely a good starting point.
At the start of a design job instead of jumping straight on the computer take a short time to scribble some ideas on a paper - ideally a layout pad. A layout pad is ideal as you can process your ideas, if something doesn’t look quite right, then trace over the bits that do work and adapt the bits that don’t. By spending a short time sketching you can save yourself hours on the computer.
To illustrate my point I have created an example. I quite often have to produce promotional leaflets (single side A4) selling exhibition systems and equipment, so this fictitious example is based on that. The leaflet will require the following - sale flash (or the word Sale pulled out in some way), heading, intro text, logo, 5 products - consisting each of heading, photo, bullets and price point, call to action (phone number etc).
The first thing to consider is your 5 products, what sort of grid would be needed to show 5 products?
You could have:
- a 4 column grid with one large product pulled out across all the columns and the other 4 across a column each below (sketch 1 and 4).
- a 2 column grid with a flash balancing off one of the products at the top (sketch 2)
- a 6 column grid with 2 larger products using 3 columns each and 3 products below using 2 columns each (sketch 3)
There are lots of other possibilities too.
I can then decide that maybe I would like one product to break out of the grid, maybe bleed off the page (sketch 1), where I would like to place my sale mark, logo and other elements so they balance with the products and other elements. Beyond this I sometimes ad notes on the type of heading - distressed, very bold and perhaps sketch in a rough idea of a graphic (stars sketch 4) (though I sometimes leave this until after I have input all the elements on the computer).
I spent about 30 minutes scribbling these sketches but in that time I can see the designs that work best and those that don’t, saving me time experimenting on the computer. I don’t like the balance of sketch 2 or the heading in the middle on sketch 4, Both 3 and 1 look ok but, but sketch 1 looks a bit more interesting so I would probably begin working it up to a rough layout in quark xpress. That doesn’t mean that what I sketched is fixed in stone, but it acts as a good starting point. The budget, for me for a leaflet like this is quite tight, so by spending a little time sketching at first, I save myself a lot of time in the long run.
The more experienced you get the easier it is to “SEE” a layout. I get an idea what will work and what won’t with a layout far quicker now that when I first started out in design. I think the sketch and grid are a the key to speeding up the process.
What processes do you use the create layout based designs?
Category: General Graphic Design, Tutorials
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Pingback by Creative resources 09 July 2007 : David Airey :: Creative Design ::
Made Monday, 9 of July , 2007 at 10:55 am
[…] the importance of sketching in graphic design, and Tara at Graphic Design Blog is talking about how sketches and grids speed up the design process. By spending a short time sketching you can save yourself hours on the […]
Comment by David Airey :: Creative Design ::
Made Monday, 9 of July , 2007 at 11:14 am
Always great to see more of your sketches, Tara. It gives a real feel for your design process.
Comment by Mirko
Made Monday, 9 of July , 2007 at 1:51 pm
I agree with the importance of sketching in the creative process. Sketching is a good time to think about what we really want, I don’t think it’s really possible to really focus on thinking in front of the computer. I’d even say that 30 minutes is not enough.
Comment by Tara: Graphic Design Blog
Made Monday, 9 of July , 2007 at 2:18 pm
Hi Mirko, Thanks for your comments. I only spent 30 minutes on these at it is the kind of job I do on a regular basis so I know what the client wants (and its a tight budget). They also generally want a pretty simple design. Where a concept is required or a more “inspired” design is required I would definitely spend far longer for the sketches. To me the sketching process is all about initial decision making.
Comment by Drew
Made Monday, 9 of July , 2007 at 5:48 pm
I had a prof that forced us to do about 50 logo sketches with sharpie markers before jumping on the computer. It helped start the creative juices flowing easier since there was no pressure for each idea to be brilliant or thoroughly thought out. Also, sketching with a marker forced us to get ideas across quickly without worrying about details.
I’ve found the same holds for websites, motion graphics pieces as well as print layouts.
Tara, have you found any success with sketching on the computer, like with a Wacom tablet?
Comment by Mirko
Made Monday, 9 of July , 2007 at 6:25 pm
Tara: of course I wasn’t talking about your sketches (which are good) in my comment, but about the ideal working process. I know how difficult it is to find time for lower budget projects.
Comment by Tara: Graphic Design Blog
Made Monday, 9 of July , 2007 at 7:37 pm
Hi Drew
Wow 50 logo sketches, that sounds on par with David’s sketches for his own logo 
. I know what you mean about letting your creative juices flow, you don’t worry when sketching - you take risks. I have tried a Wacom tablet, but I just don’t get on with it for sketching, though I have used it a couple of times for illustrations. Its nice to have a break away from the computer screen too. Do you use a Wacom tablet for sketching?
Hi Mirko, no offense taken 
I agree with you ideally much longer should be spent at the sketch stage, but any preliminary work helps.
Comment by jeremy
Made Monday, 9 of July , 2007 at 7:41 pm
I definitely agree with the need for preliminary sketches. In the film world there’s an entire industry that does “sketches” for complicated effects shots, and in some cases, entire movies. It’s called pre-vis.
It’s a really basic idea, measure twice, cut once kind of thing, and not a lot of schools really emphasize the importance of being able to work things out on paper first.
Now as for the grid thing… That’s a big gray area. Of course the internet is one big grid, and blocks of text are definitely more readable in a grid. but to make elements truly stand out you have to break the grid… this is of course coming from a deconstructivist. Everything is balance.
Great article!
Comment by Tara: Graphic Design Blog
Made Monday, 9 of July , 2007 at 8:49 pm
Hi Jeremy, Thanks for commenting,
I can imagine that sketching and story boarding for films takes some real skill and knowledge - knowing how to break things sown into frames. Is that the sort of work you do?
I am a little obsessed with grids I am afraid though I do agree that you shouldn’t remain rigid to it, just use it as a starting point.
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Made Tuesday, 10 of July , 2007 at 12:00 am
[…] feedback is much appreciated, Tara, David, Aaron, Paul, Respiro, Vivienne, Brett, Scot and Katie. Does the hand drawn feel work? Does […]
Comment by Asgeir Hoem
Made Tuesday, 10 of July , 2007 at 1:48 am
Drew wrote, “I had a prof that forced us to do about 50 logo sketches with sharpie markers before jumping on the computer.”
I had exactly the same thing.
“Here’s the logo!”
“Do 30 more”, said the professor.
“…what?”
I really didn’t understand before weeks later.
Good post, Tara! I recently finished reading Thinking With Type (yeah, I’m still at the basics :p), which had a great chapter on grids.
Comment by Tara: Graphic Design Blog
Made Tuesday, 10 of July , 2007 at 9:10 am
Hi Asgeir, Thanks.
Is the book any good? I’m a sucker for a good design book.
Comment by Vivienne Quek
Made Tuesday, 10 of July , 2007 at 9:58 am
Always like to see creative sketches after a direction is set. Being asking some of my younger creative colleagues to do so but they are so earnest to skip the process to work the design onto the mac directly. As a suit, I found sketches useful for several reasons:
1. If the creative direction is in line with the marketing objective
2) If the layout sufficiently “shout” out the focal point
3) use it as a base to do a second round of brainstorming with my team
4) where necessary, use it as a base for a further discussion with the client.
5) save time as it’s easier to improvise with a visual in place than an idea in the head.
Whether it’s design, copy or headline there is a process. Sketching, doodling, scribbling help to crystallize a formless idea into actuality.
Comment by Jay Larson
Made Thursday, 12 of July , 2007 at 4:34 pm
Thinking With Type by Ellen Lupton is a great design book. I haven’t seen or read anything by here that I don’t think is A+. The website is http://www.thinkingwithtype.com/
Comment by Tara: Graphic Design Blog
Made Thursday, 12 of July , 2007 at 6:10 pm
Hi Vivienne,
I really like it when a client is happy to see roughs first, like you say you can tell if the design is on the right lines of what is required.
Hi Jay, I will take a look at that thanks
Comment by Asgeir Hoem
Made Monday, 13 of August , 2007 at 9:37 pm
Hi Tara,
“Is the book any good? I’m a sucker for a good design book.”
Yeah, like Jay says, it is great! I read one of Spiekermann’s books recently, and I actually thought Thinking With Type was way better. Very thorough, and it covers grid systems well.
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Made Wednesday, 24 of October , 2007 at 7:19 pm
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