: Need tutorial help for layouts I have a sample of a layout that I would like to do on a specific size of paper and I need all of the professional layout tips and tricks I can get. I have

@Berumen635

When I am after a certain look or layout I design a custom grid. It can look just like your sketches above, the areas of art defined with boxes.

Draw the grid and keep it alone in the top layer in illustrator. Toggle visibility to output graphics or to see it cleanly.

While you should make the custom grid for the one particular layout, you should have a standard grid under that. The lines can be a different color to tell them apart.

All formal digital and print text/graphic content is based on a grid. Everything lines up. Nothing doesn't line up. Make the grid for 1, 2 or 3 columns with equal space between each. Define a header and footer in your grid, define the print borders (edges) if necessary.

Make a grid for 8.5" x 11" flyers, one for postcards, one for posters etc.

Remember you can make a rectangle the full size of your print then scale down like 5% to make an inset border.

The grid can be drawn with the rectangle tool, the line tool, or make a covering grid by drawing a filled square and using "split into grid", define your rows and columns, check if you like it and choose no fill, stroke of .5.

Lock the grid alone in the top layer so it will be visible above everything else.

When aligning shapes or text zoom all the way in and drag or tap that shape right up to the line.

Grid is how you get clean layout, next you need to learn about theming, hierarchy of information and design in general.

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