404 Grid Types

Manuscript Grid

The manuscript is the simplest grid structure, also referred to as a block grid or a single column grid. It is defined by large text blocks and margins primarily, with the location and proportions of folios, footnotes, running headers and other secondary information coming second. They are widely used for extensive and continuous blocks of text such as in books and long essays; however they aren't limited to text, images can also be used. There are a few ways to help increase interest in the layout; widening the margins leads to narrower text blocks which focuses the eye on text, whilst narrowing the margins forces the text block to the edge of the format, increasing tension between the two near each other if it is a double page spread. As the grid is so simplistic a designers choice of typeface, font size, leading, measure, hierarchy etc is a key factor in the layout being a success.

Column Grid

Column grids are as you'd presume made up by placing multiple columns within the format and are good when discontinuous information needs to be presented, for example one column could be reserved for text, another for images and the final for image captions. With this in mind columns can be dependent on each other, independent and crossed over by design elements, this layout therefore is very flexible when organising information - you can separate blocks of info by placing them in different columns yet still show a connection between them. A column should be able to accommodate a comfortable measure for reading and avoid excessive hyphenation.

Modular Grids

Modular grids are like column grids with the addition of horizontal rows creating a division, the rows, columns and gutters between each section creates a matrix of cells. The format is good for complex projects that require more control compared to that of what a column grid can offer, some examples are image galleries and shopping carts. Modular grids lend themselves to the design of tabular info such as charts, forms, navigation, schedules and of course tables of data. Each cell in the grid can hold a small chunk of information or adjacent cells can be combined to form fields designated to hold a type of information. Cells can either be horizontal or vertical, proportion can be determined in a variety of ways:

• Average width and height of a paragraph
• Average image size
• Type proportions like leading and measure 

Large publishing systems presenting information across a variety of formats often use modular grids to keep consistent. As well as being practical, modular grids have developed an aesthetic image. 

Hierarchal Grids

These grids are commonly found on the web and are based on a more intuitive placement of elements. Proportions are usually customised instead of regularly repeated intervals - column widths tend to vary as do the location of flow lines. They can be thought of as loose organic grids and development often begins by spontaneously placing design elements with a rational structure to coordinate those elements thought about later. This layout type is also good for a project that requires an odd grid that doesn't fit easily.