Desktop Publishing

Basic Design Principles

and
Hazards to Avoid
Desktop Publishing
Ability to design and develop publications by
combining text, graphics, and design elements.

The purpose of design is to help convey a

message.
Basic Design Principles
What you should do!!
Basic Design Principles

Focus
Balance
Directional Flow
Unity
White Space
Borders
Choosing Type
Focus
An element to which the
eye first moves.

Use contrasting size,

density, and page
position.
Use large, bold
display type or
graphics.
Use elements with
visual weight.
Balance
How elements are
distributed on a page.

Formal Balance--
centers all design
elements around the
visual center.
Balance

Informal Balance--
arranges design
elements off center.
It is achieved by
contrasts of weights
around a balance
point.
Directional Flow Created by lines that the eye
follows on a page.

Create flow on the page

with lines within
illustrations, rules, and
lines of type, and with
visuals.
Use the Z pattern of
reading to place important
information.
Use left-to-right and top-
to-bottom for graphic
elements.
Unity

Create unity with

the use of
appropriate and
consistent
elements.
Use appropriate
type, graphics,
and color: be
consistent!
White (Nonprinted) Space
Design the white
space; do not
overcrowd type and
graphic elements.

20 to 25% of your
documents should be
white space.
Borders
Borders isolate a
page or a section of a
page.

Borders can be light

or dark or on all sides
or on selected sides.
Typography
Anatomy of Text
Choosing Type
The type must contribute to the
message, not detract from it. ABC
abc

The type must match the message.

Use the same typeface for the same

elements. Vary the size to change
the look.
Body Text

Choose a serif typeface for body

text.
Body text should be from 9-12
points.
Leading should be at least a point
more than the type size.
Avoid excessive hyphenation and
too much space between words.
Serif Fonts
Headlines
Use a sans serif typeface.
Make headlines larger than
body text--14 points or more.
Use all caps only for short
headlines; otherwise use
uppercase and lowercase.
Be consistent with headlines
throughout your document.
Sans Serif Fonts
Desktop Publishing Hazards
Things to avoid.
Desktop Publishing Hazards
Forgetting your audience
Irregularly shaped type
Excessive underlining
Too many fonts
Grammar and spelling errors
Inappropriate borders
Inappropriate headlines
Violating the copyright law
Forgetting Your Audience
Dont let your graphic
design overwhelm
your message.

Spend as much time

on content as you do
on design.
Irregularly Shaped Type
Excessive Underlining
Irregular line shapes
take more time to read.
Irregular line shapes
are confusing to the
reader.

Too much underlining

confuses the reader.
Grammar and Spelling Errors
Too Many Fonts
Proofread carefully after
the computer does!!

Too many fonts creates a

disorganized appearance
and labels you as an
amateur.
Limit fonts to 2-3 per page.
Use special effect fonts to
attract extra attention--but
only for a few words.
Inappropriate Borders

Borders can be
functional or decorative.

The border should fit the

nature of the product and
the intended audience.
Inappropriate Headlines
Be careful how the
lines end--you could City Dumps Mayor
Calls a Shame
give new meanings to
your words. or

Dont use ALL CAPS City Dumps

Mayor Calls
if the headline is long. a Shame

Shorter is better!
Violating the Copyright Law
Copyright laws give owners
exclusive rights to their
works.

To use copyrighted work, you

must get permission and,
possibly, pay a fee.

Clip art is OK!!!!!

The Final Steps

Print a sample copy.

Proofread it carefully.

Make adjustments.

Print your final copy

or publish to the Web.
 References
Textbook
Lake, Susan. Desktop Publishing-10 Hour Series. Ohio: South-Western
Publishing. 2000.

Reference Books
Blanc, Iris. Desktop Publishing Activities. Ohio: South-Western
Publishing. 1998.
Davis, Graham. Quick Solutions to Great Layouts. Ohio: HOW Design
Books. 2001.
McWade, John. Before and After Page Design. California: JMS
Publishing. 2003.
OPAC Office Proficiency Assessment & Certification Software. Biddle
and Associates, Inc., California.
 References
Websites

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/desktop_publishing.html

http://internetbrothers.com/desktoppub.htm

http://www.typography-1st.com/typo/txt-lay.htm

http://desktoppub.about.com/cs/basics/f/dtp_rules.htm

http://desktoppub.about.com/od/layout/

http://desktoppublishing.com/

http://www.newentrepreneur.com/Resources/Articles/DTP_12_most_common/dtp_12_most_common.html

http://www.careeroverview.com/desktop-publishing-careers.html

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/0,4621,312646,00.html