Before&After BAmagazine.com ® LIQUID measures gal = qt = pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz ⁄ gal = qt = pt = cup = 64 fl oz ⁄ gal = qt = pt = cup = 32 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = cup = 16 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = cup = fl oz DRY measures cup = 16 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = 48 tsp = 36 tsp = 32 tsp = 24 tsp = 16 tsp = 12 tsp = tsp = tsp = Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Your recipe for success! Compliments of Stacy Thomas, Realtor .. • www.stacythomas.com 250 ml 175 ml 150 ml 125 ml 75 ml 50 ml 30 ml 15 ml i U X Design a small chart Visual simplicity transforms a kitchen gimmick into a useful tool Continued Continued Design a small chart 0615 Before&After BAmagazine.com ® i U X Design a small chart Visual simplicity transforms a kitchen gimmick into a useful tool LIQUID measures gal = qt = pt = ⁄ gal = qt = pt = ⁄ gal = qt = pt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz cup = 64 fl oz cup = 32 fl oz cup = 16 fl oz cup = fl oz DRY measures cup = 16 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = Before 48 tsp = 250 ml 36 tsp = 32 tsp = 24 tsp = 16 tsp = 12 tsp = 175 ml 150 ml 125 ml tsp = tsp = 75 ml 50 ml 30 ml 15 ml Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Your recipe for success! Compliments of Stacy Thomas, Realto r .. • www.stacythomas.com You’re up to your elbows in eggs and flour, the recipe’s calling for a quarter cup of corn starch, and all you can reach is a tablespoon Quick! How many are in a quarter cup? Smart you Stuck to the ’fridge door is Stacy Thomas’ handy measurement chart; one look, and you keep cooking without missing a step Such usefulness is the idea behind these flat, lightly magnetic vinyl charts; pass them out to your customers, and you stay in their kitchens forever They’re great for visibility But, of course, to be visible, they must be kept, and for that they must be attractive and easy to use The keys to this are good organization and visual simplicity Here’s how to transform a hard-to-read, clip-arty gimmick into a sleek kitchen helper After of 12 Design a small chart 0615 Before&After Design a small chart ® BAmagazine.com of 12 i U X Before: It’s festive and informative, but The original 4” x 7” magnet has the “use-me” qualities of a good promotional piece, but it’s complicated and unattractive That’s because the space wasn’t designed Diluted Because positive and negative elements have similar sizes, they strongly compete, diluting their effectiveness 3 Why veggies? It’s a kitchen chart, but the topic is measurements, not food No rhythm Stuff is aligned left (1), right (2), center (3) Misdirected Uncoordinated lines pull the eye everywhere Unfocused Absence of a focal point leaves the page vague Before of 12 Design a small chart 0615 Before&After Design a small chart ® BAmagazine.com of 12 i U X the type is almost right Helvetica is a versatile typeface, but at small sizes and low resolution it loses readability; ink (or pixels) can obscure its fine detail and fill in small apertures agc Helvetica Medium Closes Closes Closes While excellent at headline size, Helvetica is not the best choice for small type—its curve strokes curl around far enough to leave only small openings, called apertures, which at small sizes tend to close up Lowercase letters a, e and s are especially vulnerable to “filling in” (right) and can be mistaken for one another 31/2 Full-size fractions are never a good idea Same-size numerals have no visual hierarchy and can easily be mistaken for separate characters; they require careful (and slow) reading to decipher Before of 12 Design a small chart 0615 Before&After Design a small chart ® BAmagazine.com of 12 i U X After: Start over with clearer type A clear typeface is key to any chart Look for simplicity—straight lines, plain junctions, no extra curlicues—before stylishness, which can be conveyed by other elements agc ⁄ Myriad Pro Regular Steeper angle LIQUID measures gal = qt = pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz ⁄ gal = qt = pt = cup = 64 fl oz ⁄ gal = qt = pt = cup = 32 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = cup = 16 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = cup = fl oz DRY measures cup = 16 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = 48 tsp = 36 tsp = 32 tsp = 24 tsp = 16 tsp = 12 tsp = tsp = tsp = Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Your recipe for success! Compliments of Stacy Thomas, Realtor .. • www.stacythomas.com 250 ml 175 ml 150 ml 125 ml 75 ml 50 ml 30 ml 15 ml Open Open Open The strength of Myriad Pro is its brevity— lines are straight, junctions are simple, and its curves don’t “close,” the benefit of which is clarity even at small sizes (below) and poor resolution Look again at Helvetica Myriad Pro includes true fractions, whose weight is proportional to full-size numerals Numerators align with the cap height, denominators sit on the baseline, and the slash has a steeper angle than the keyboard backslash Clear hierarchy, easy to read at a glance After of 12 Design a small chart 0615 Before&After Design a small chart ® BAmagazine.com of 12 i U X Spread it out The magnet looks like it’s about cooking, but actually it’s about numbers To make numbers reader-friendly, put them in columns, and spread them out LIQUID measures gal = qt = pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz ⁄ gal = qt = pt = cup = 64 fl oz ⁄ gal = qt = pt = cup = 32 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = cup = 16 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = cup = fl oz DRY measures cup = 16 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = 48 tsp = 36 tsp = 32 tsp = 24 tsp = 16 tsp = 12 tsp = tsp = tsp = Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Your recipe for success! Compliments of Stacy Thomas, Realtor .. • www.stacythomas.com After 250 ml 175 ml 150 ml 125 ml 75 ml 50 ml 30 ml 15 ml Before: Allruntogether The original chart was typed sentence-style as though the designer were typing a letter Elements are congested and undifferentiated—and therefore hard to read After: Clearly visible Clarity is what white space creates Spread the numbers into rows and columns; here, rows are equivalencies, and columns are like kinds of data—gallons, quarts, pints and so on Note columns are aligned to the right 1gal = qt = 16 cups = 128 fl oz 1/2 gal = qt = cups = 64 fl oz 1/4 gal = qt = cups = 32 fl oz 1/2 qt = cups = 16 fl oz 1/4 qt = cup = fl oz gal = qt = pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz ⁄ gal = qt = pt = cup = 64 fl oz ⁄ gal = qt = pt = cup = 32 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = cup = 16 fl oz cup = fl oz Aligned right of 12 Design a small chart 0615 Before&After Design a small chart ® BAmagazine.com of 12 i U X Lighten it up Next, separate measures from quantities Lighten the type weight and tint it gray, which creates visual depth and yields two levels of hierarchy All the same LIQUID measures gal = qt = pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz ⁄ gal = qt = pt = cup = 64 fl oz ⁄ gal = qt = pt = cup = 32 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = cup = 16 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = cup = fl oz DRY measures cup = 16 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = 48 tsp = 36 tsp = 32 tsp = 24 tsp = 16 tsp = 12 tsp = tsp = tsp = Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Your recipe for success! Compliments of Stacy Thomas, Realtor .. • www.stacythomas.com After 250 ml 175 ml 150 ml 125 ml 75 ml 50 ml 30 ml 15 ml Contrasts add clarity ⁄ gal ⁄ gal Myriad Pro Light Lighter weight and value (65%) recede Well differentiated Quantities—which change— remain bold; measures— which repeat—recede in gray Now well differentiated, the comparisons are easy to see and attractive, too Note the kinds of separation: Space separates columns, hairlines separate rows, and gray separates foreground from midrange gal = qt = pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ gal = qt = qt = pt = pt = cup = 64 fl oz cup = 32 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = cup = 16 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = of 12 cup = fl oz Design a small chart 0615 Before&After Design a small chart ® BAmagazine.com of 12 i U X The layout Charts centered on the page are the focal point of the design The remaining information and images are added as supporting, not primary, elements LIQUID measures LIQUID measures gal = ⁄ gal = qt = qt = ⁄ gal = qt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz pt = cup = 64 fl oz gal = ⁄ gal = pt = pt = cup = 32 fl oz cup = 16 fl oz ⁄ gal = qt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = cup = fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = qt = qt = pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz pt = cup = 64 fl oz gal = ⁄ gal = pt = pt = cup = 32 fl oz cup = 16 fl oz ⁄ gal = qt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = cup = fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = DRY measures qt = qt = pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz pt = cup = 64 fl oz pt = pt = cup = 32 fl oz cup = 16 fl oz cup = fl oz 250 ml DRY measures cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp = 250 ml cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp = 250 ml cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp = ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = 36 tsp = 175 ml ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = 36 tsp = 175 ml ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = 36 tsp = 175 ml ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = 32 tsp = 24 tsp = 150 ml 125 ml ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = 32 tsp = 24 tsp = 150 ml 125 ml ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = 32 tsp = 24 tsp = 150 ml 125 ml ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = ⁄ tbsp = tbsp = 16 tsp = 12 tsp = 75 ml 50 ml ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = ⁄ tbsp = tbsp = 16 tsp = 12 tsp = 75 ml 50 ml ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = ⁄ tbsp = tbsp = 16 tsp = 12 tsp = 75 ml 50 ml ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = tbsp = tbsp = tsp = tsp = 30 ml 15 ml ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = tbsp = tbsp = tsp = tsp = 30 ml 15 ml ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = tbsp = tbsp = tsp = tsp = 30 ml 15 ml Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp The data is the message Center the data like a picture in a frame A centered layout is motionless, so eyes can rest on the data Add the titles The titles, not the data, are where you can be typographically expressive ( quietly, in this case ) Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Add the images Use images that really depict the topic Don’t mix image styles, and don’t vary the sizes of 12 Design a small chart 0615 Before&After Design a small chart ® BAmagazine.com of 12 i U X The layout Images carefully placed draw the reader’s eye into the information, not away from it Note that the images are what they illustrate LIQUID measures LIQUID measures LIQUID measures gal = qt = pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ gal = qt = qt = pt = pt = cup = 64 fl oz cup = 32 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = cup = 16 fl oz cup = fl oz gal = ⁄ gal = qt = qt = ⁄ gal = qt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz pt = cup = 64 fl oz pt = pt = cup = 32 fl oz cup = 16 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = cup = fl oz qt = pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz qt = qt = pt = pt = cup = 64 fl oz cup = 32 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = cup = 16 fl oz cup = fl oz DRY measures DRY measures DRY measures gal = ⁄ gal = ⁄ gal = cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp = 250 ml cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp = 250 ml cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp = ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = 36 tsp = 175 ml ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = 36 tsp = 175 ml ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = 36 tsp = 250 ml 175 ml ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = 32 tsp = 150 ml ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = 32 tsp = 150 ml ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = 32 tsp = 150 ml ⁄ cup = tbsp = 24 tsp = 125 ml ⁄ cup = tbsp = 24 tsp = 125 ml ⁄ cup = tbsp = 24 tsp = 125 ml ⁄ cup = ⁄ tbsp = 16 tsp = 75 ml ⁄ cup = ⁄ tbsp = 16 tsp = 75 ml ⁄ cup = ⁄ tbsp = 16 tsp = 75 ml ⁄ cup = tbsp = 12 tsp = 50 ml ⁄ cup = tbsp = 12 tsp = 50 ml ⁄ cup = tbsp = 12 tsp = 50 ml ⁄ cup = tbsp = tsp = 30 ml ⁄ cup = tbsp = tsp = 30 ml ⁄ cup = tbsp = tsp = 30 ml ⁄ cup = tbsp = tsp = 15 ml ⁄ cup = tbsp = tsp = 15 ml ⁄ cup = tbsp = tsp = 15 ml Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Your recipe for success! Compliments of Stacy Thomas, Realtor .. • www.stacythomas.com Create difference The sponsorship area is another kind of information, so differentiate it visually with a background color Bridge the sections Portrait links the two sections, yet they remain distinct Organic silhouette softens the hard edge Finish with type Font matches (in this case) the title font Small type is professionally lowkey, yet the section is highly visible of 12 Design a small chart 0615 Before&After 10 of 12 Design a small chart ® BAmagazine.com i U X The relationships Always adjust to what’s on the page, not what’s on your rulers (or in your head) Note how relationships of color, value, size and alignment unify the design (Left) Note the spacing Because they’re the same, the glass and margin harmonize without visual tension, which allows the charts to remain primary LIQUID measures gal = qt = ⁄ gal = qt = ⁄ gal = qt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz pt = cup = 64 fl oz pt = cup = 32 fl oz pt = cup = 16 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = cup = fl oz cup = 16 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = ⁄ tbsp = 48 tsp = 36 tsp = 32 tsp = 24 tsp = 16 tsp = 250 ml 175 ml 150 ml 125 ml 75 ml ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = 12 tsp = tsp = tsp = 50 ml 30 ml 15 ml United by size and value (Below) Glass, powder and face are the same size and even have similar value (light-dark) This uniformity connects the elements and at the same time simplifies the design DRY measures tbsp = tbsp = tbsp = Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Your recipe for success! Compliments of Stacy Thomas, Realtor .. • www.stacythomas.com Colors from the image unify type and background Aligned 10 of 12 Design a small chart 0615 Before&After BAmagazine.com 11 of 12 Design a small chart ® i U X Article resources Typefaces 5a 1a 3 gal = qt = ⁄ gal = qt = ⁄ gal = qt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz pt = cup = 64 fl oz pt = cup = 32 fl oz pt = cup = 16 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = 1b 1b cup = (a–b) Adobe Garamond Regular a) 18 pt, b) 10.5/13 pt C10 M20 Y35 K65 Adobe Garamond Bold | 10.5/13 pt C18 M12 Y20 K0 Myriad Pro Regular | 12/18 pt Myriad Pro Light | 10.5/18 pt fl oz 5c DRY measures cup = ⁄ cup = 5b LIQUID measures Colors 16 tbsp = 12 tbsp = 48 tsp = 36 tsp = 250 ml 175 ml ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = 32 tsp = 24 tsp = 150 ml 125 ml ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = ⁄ tbsp = tbsp = 16 tsp = 12 tsp = 75 ml 50 ml ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = tbsp = tbsp = tsp = tsp = 30 ml 15 ml Images (a–c) iStockphoto.com | a b c Rubberball.com Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Your recipe for success! Compliments of Stacy Thomas, Realtor .. • www.stacythomas.com Page size: 4”x 7” 11 of 12 Design a small chart 0615 Before&After ® Design a small chart BAmagazine.com 12 of 12 Subscribe to Before & After Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe, and become a more capable, confident designer for pennies per article To learn more, go to http://www.bamagazine.com/Subscribe i U X Before & After magazine Before & After has been sharing its practical approach to graphic design since 1990 Because our modern world has made designers of us all (ready or not), Before & After is dedicated to making graphic design understandable, useful and even fun for everyone To pass along a free copy of this article to John McWade Publisher and creative director Gaye McWade Associate publisher Vincent Pascual Staff designer Dexter Mark Abellera Staff designer others, click here Editorial board Gwen Amos, Carl Winther E-mail this article Join our e-list To be notified by e-mail of new articles as they become available, go to http://www.bamagazine.com/email Before & After magazine 323 Lincoln Street, Roseville, CA 95678 Telephone 916-784-3880 Fax 916-784-3995 E-mail mailbox@bamagazine.com www http://www.bamagazine.com Copyright ©2005 Before & After magazine, ISSN 1049-0035 All rights reserved You may pass this article around, but you may not alter it, and you may not charge for it You may quote brief sections for review If you this, please credit Before & After magazine, and let us know To feature free Before & After articles on your Web site, please contact us For permission to include all or part of this article in another work, please contact us 12 of 12 | Printing formats Design a small chart 0615 Before&After BAmagazine.com ® i U X Before & After is made to fit your binder Before & After articles are intended for permanent reference All are titled and numbered For the current table of contents, click here To save time and paper, a paper-saver format of this article, suitable for one- or two-sided printing, is provided on the following pages For presentation format Print: (Specify pages 1–12) For paper-saver format Print: (Specify pages 14–19) Print Format: Landscape Page Size: Fit to Page Save Presentation format or Paper-saver format Back | Paper-saver format ⁄ gal = gal = qt = qt = qt = pt = pt = cup = 32 fl oz cup = 64 fl oz pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz Design a small chart 250 ml 0615 ⁄ gal = cup = 16 fl oz cup = fl oz LIQUID measures ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = DRY measures 175 ml 250 ml 150 ml 36 tsp = 32 tsp = 50 ml 125 ml 75 ml 48 tsp = 24 tsp = 16 tsp = 30 ml 16 tbsp = 12 tsp = 15 ml 12 tbsp = tbsp = tbsp = ⁄ tbsp = tsp = tsp = cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = 48 tsp = 175 ml 150 ml 125 ml fl oz 16 fl oz 64 fl oz 32 fl oz 128 fl oz Visual simplicity transforms a kitchen gimmick into a useful tool LIQUID measures gal = qt = pt = 16 cup = ⁄ gal = qt = pt = cup = ⁄ gal = qt = pt = cup = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = cup = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = cup = DRY measures 36 tsp = 32 tsp = 24 tsp = 16 tsp = 12 tsp = Design a small chart You’re up to your elbows in eggs and flour, the recipe’s calling for a quarter cup of corn starch, and all you can reach is a tablespoon Quick! How many are in a quarter cup? Smart you Stuck to the ’fridge door is Stacy Thomas’ handy measurement chart; one look, and you keep cooking without missing a step Such usefulness is the idea behind these flat, lightly magnetic vinyl charts; pass them out to your customers, and you stay in their kitchens forever They’re great for visibility But, of course, to be visible, they must be kept, and for that they must be attractive and easy to use The keys to this are good organization and visual simplicity Here’s how to transform a hard-to-read, clip-arty gimmick into a sleek kitchen helper of Before&After | www.bamagazine.com After 50 ml 30 ml 15 ml 75 ml tbsp = tsp = tsp = tbsp = tbsp = cup = 16 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Your recipe for success! Compliments of Stacy Thomas, Realtor .. • www.stacythomas.com ⁄ cup = Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Your recipe for success! Compliments of Stacy Thomas, Realtor .. • www.stacythomas.com Before 0615 Design a small chart Why veggies? It’s a kitchen chart, but the topic is measurements, not food Before: It’s festive and informative, but Closes Unfocused Absence of a focal point leaves the page vague 0615 Diluted Because positive and negative elements have similar sizes, they strongly compete, diluting their effectiveness 31/2 Full-size fractions are never a good idea Same-size numerals have no visual hierarchy and can easily be mistaken for separate characters; they require careful (and slow) reading to decipher Design a small chart 3 No rhythm Stuff is aligned left (1), right (2), center (3) Misdirected Uncoordinated lines pull the eye everywhere The original 4” x 7” magnet has the “use-me” qualities of a good promotional piece, but it’s complicated and unattractive That’s because the space wasn’t designed Before the type is almost right Helvetica Medium Closes While excellent at headline size, Helvetica is not the best choice for small type—its curve strokes curl around far enough to leave only small openings, called apertures, which at small sizes tend to close up Lowercase letters a, e and s are especially vulnerable to “filling in” (right) and can be mistaken for one another of Before&After | www.bamagazine.com Closes agc Helvetica is a versatile typeface, but at small sizes and low resolution it loses readability; ink (or pixels) can obscure its fine detail and fill in small apertures Before 0615 Design a small chart After: Start over with clearer type Open Myriad Pro Regular Open Open The strength of Myriad Pro is its brevity— lines are straight, junctions are simple, and its curves don’t “close,” the benefit of which is clarity even at small sizes (below) and poor resolution Look again at Helvetica Steeper angle ⁄ Myriad Pro includes true fractions, whose weight is proportional to full-size numerals Numerators align with the cap height, denominators sit on the baseline, and the slash has a steeper angle than the keyboard backslash Clear hierarchy, easy to read at a glance ⁄ gal = ⁄ gal = gal = qt = qt = qt = pt = pt = pt = cup = cup = 16 fl oz cup = 32 fl oz cup = 64 fl oz pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz 1gal = qt = 16 cups = 128 fl oz 1/2 gal = qt = cups = 64 fl oz 1/4 gal = qt = cups = 32 fl oz 1/2 qt = cups = 16 fl oz 1/4 qt = cup = fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = Aligned right Design a small chart 0615 pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz pt = cup = 64 fl oz pt = cup = 32 fl oz 250 ml 175 ml 150 ml 125 ml 75 ml 50 ml cup = 16 fl oz cup = fl oz 48 tsp = 36 tsp = 32 tsp = 24 tsp = 16 tsp = 12 tsp = 30 ml 15 ml agc A clear typeface is key to any chart Look for simplicity—straight lines, plain junctions, no extra curlicues—before stylishness, which can be conveyed by other elements qt = qt = qt = LIQUID measures gal = ⁄ gal = ⁄ gal = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = cup = 16 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = tsp = tsp = DRY measures tbsp = tbsp = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Your recipe for success! Compliments of Stacy Thomas, Realtor .. • www.stacythomas.com After Spread it out 250 ml of Before&After | www.bamagazine.com After: Clearly visible Clarity is what white space creates Spread the numbers into rows and columns; here, rows are equivalencies, and columns are like kinds of data—gallons, quarts, pints and so on Note columns are aligned to the right Before: Allruntogether The original chart was typed sentence-style as though the designer were typing a letter Elements are congested and undifferentiated—and therefore hard to read The magnet looks like it’s about cooking, but actually it’s about numbers To make numbers reader-friendly, put them in columns, and spread them out LIQUID measures 48 tsp = 175 ml 150 ml 125 ml 75 ml 50 ml 30 ml 15 ml 128 fl oz 64 fl oz 32 fl oz 16 fl oz fl oz 36 tsp = 32 tsp = 24 tsp = 16 tsp = 12 tsp = tsp = tsp = gal = qt = pt = 16 cup = ⁄ gal = qt = pt = cup = ⁄ gal = qt = pt = cup = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = cup = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = cup = 16 tbsp = DRY measures cup = ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Your recipe for success! Compliments of Stacy Thomas, Realtor .. • www.stacythomas.com After 0615 Design a small chart Lighten it up Contrasts add clarity ⁄ gal ⁄ gal ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ gal = gal = qt = qt = qt = pt = pt = pt = cup = cup = 16 fl oz cup = 32 fl oz cup = 64 fl oz pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ gal = gal = qt = qt = qt = pt = pt = cup = 16 fl oz cup = fl oz cup = 64 fl oz cup = 32 fl oz pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz LIQUID measures ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = 250 ml 175 ml cup = 16 fl oz cup = fl oz pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz pt = cup = 64 fl oz pt = cup = 32 fl oz 48 tsp = 36 tsp = 75 ml 50 ml 150 ml 125 ml fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = Myriad Pro Light Lighter weight and value (65%) recede Well differentiated Quantities—which change— remain bold; measures— which repeat—recede in gray Now well differentiated, the comparisons are easy to see and attractive, too Note the kinds of separation: Space separates columns, hairlines separate rows, and gray separates foreground from midrange qt = qt = qt = LIQUID measures gal = ⁄ gal = ⁄ gal = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = cup = ⁄ cup = 32 tsp = 24 tsp = cup = 16 fl oz cup = fl oz pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz pt = cup = 64 fl oz pt = cup = 32 fl oz 250 ml 175 ml 16 tsp = 12 tsp = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = tsp = tsp = 0615 pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz pt = cup = 64 fl oz 250 ml 175 ml 150 ml 125 ml cup = 32 fl oz cup = 16 fl oz cup = fl oz 48 tsp = 36 tsp = 32 tsp = 24 tsp = 75 ml 50 ml 30 ml 15 ml All the same Next, separate measures from quantities Lighten the type weight and tint it gray, which creates visual depth and yields two levels of hierarchy qt = qt = LIQUID measures gal = ⁄ gal = ⁄ gal = qt = pt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = cup = 16 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = 16 tsp = 12 tsp = tsp = tsp = DRY measures ⁄ tbsp = tbsp = tbsp = tbsp = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Your recipe for success! Compliments of Stacy Thomas, Realtor .. • www.stacythomas.com qt = qt = qt = 48 tsp = 36 tsp = ⁄ tbsp = tbsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = DRY measures cup = ⁄ cup = 150 ml 125 ml DRY measures 250 ml 175 ml 32 tsp = 24 tsp = tbsp = tbsp = 16 tbsp = 12 tbsp = 48 tsp = 36 tsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = 16 tbsp = 12 tbsp = cup = ⁄ cup = 75 ml 150 ml 125 ml 50 ml 32 tsp = 24 tsp = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Design a small chart Add the images Use images that really depict the topic Don’t mix image styles, and don’t vary the sizes 30 ml 15 ml 16 tsp = 75 ml 50 ml 30 ml 15 ml 12 tsp = 16 tsp = 12 tsp = tsp = tsp = of Before&After | www.bamagazine.com Add the titles The titles, not the data, are where you can be typographically expressive ( quietly, in this case ) Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp ⁄ tbsp = tbsp = tbsp = tbsp = tbsp = 30 ml 15 ml ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = tsp = tsp = The data is the message Center the data like a picture in a frame A centered layout is motionless, so eyes can rest on the data ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = tbsp = tbsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = 16 tbsp = 12 tbsp = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = gal = ⁄ gal = ⁄ gal = Charts centered on the page are the focal point of the design The remaining information and images are added as supporting, not primary, elements The layout After 0615 Design a small chart The layout Images carefully placed draw the reader’s eye into the information, not away from it Note that the images are what they illustrate Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Your recipe for success! Compliments of Stacy Thomas, Realtor .. • www.stacythomas.com Finish with type Font matches (in this case) the title font Small type is professionally lowkey, yet the section is highly visible Design a small chart United by size and value (Below) Glass, powder and face are the same size and even have similar value (light-dark) This uniformity connects the elements and at the same time simplifies the design (Left) Note the spacing Because they’re the same, the glass and margin harmonize without visual tension, which allows the charts to remain primary Aligned of Before&After | www.bamagazine.com 0615 pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz fl oz qt = LIQUID measures gal = Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp DRY measures pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz fl oz cup = 64 fl oz cup = 32 fl oz cup = 16 fl oz fl oz qt = cup = DRY measures gal = pt = pt = pt = 250 ml 175 ml 150 ml LIQUID measures ⁄ gal = qt = ⁄ gal = qt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = 125 ml 75 ml 50 ml pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = 48 tsp = 36 tsp = 32 tsp = 30 ml 15 ml qt = cup = 16 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = tsp = tsp = 24 tsp = 16 tsp = 12 tsp = gal = tbsp = ⁄ tbsp = tbsp = LIQUID measures tbsp = tbsp = cup = 64 fl oz cup = 32 fl oz cup = 16 fl oz ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = cup = 250 ml 175 ml 150 ml ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = pt = pt = pt = 48 tsp = 36 tsp = 32 tsp = 125 ml 75 ml 50 ml ⁄ gal = qt = ⁄ gal = qt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = cup = 16 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = 24 tsp = 16 tsp = 12 tsp = 30 ml 15 ml ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = tbsp = ⁄ tbsp = tbsp = tsp = tsp = cup = 64 fl oz cup = 32 fl oz cup = 16 fl oz 250 ml 175 ml 150 ml ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = tbsp = tbsp = cup = 48 tsp = 36 tsp = 32 tsp = 125 ml 75 ml 50 ml ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = pt = pt = pt = cup = 16 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = 24 tsp = 16 tsp = 12 tsp = 30 ml 15 ml ⁄ gal = qt = ⁄ gal = qt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = tbsp = ⁄ tbsp = tbsp = tsp = tsp = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = tbsp = tbsp = Bridge the sections Portrait links the two sections, yet they remain distinct Organic silhouette softens the hard edge DRY measures ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Create difference The sponsorship area is another kind of information, so differentiate it visually with a background color The relationships 250 ml 175 ml 128 fl oz 64 fl oz 32 fl oz 16 fl oz fl oz Always adjust to what’s on the page, not what’s on your rulers (or in your head) Note how relationships of color, value, size and alignment unify the design LIQUID measures gal = qt = pt = 16 cup = ⁄ gal = qt = pt = cup = ⁄ gal = qt = pt = cup = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = cup = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = cup = 48 tsp = 36 tsp = 150 ml 125 ml 75 ml 50 ml 30 ml 15 ml DRY measures cup = ⁄ cup = 32 tsp = 24 tsp = 16 tsp = 12 tsp = tsp = tsp = 16 tbsp = 12 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = ⁄ tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = ⁄ cup = tbsp = Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp Your recipe for success! Compliments of Stacy Thomas, Realtor .. • www.stacythomas.com Colors from the image unify type and background 0615 Design a small chart 5a pt = 16 cup = 128 fl oz pt = cup = 64 fl oz pt = cup = 32 fl oz ⁄ cup = ⁄ cup = tbsp = tbsp = tbsp = ⁄ tbsp = cup = 16 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 12 tbsp = ⁄ cup = 10 ⁄ tbsp = tsp = tsp = 12 tsp = 24 tsp = 16 tsp = 48 tsp = 36 tsp = 32 tsp = 15 ml 30 ml 50 ml 125 ml 75 ml 250 ml 175 ml 150 ml Page size: 4”x 7” 5b 5c C10 M20 Y35 K65 Colors C18 M12 Y20 K0 Typefaces c (a–b) Adobe Garamond Regular a) 18 pt, b) 10.5/13 pt b Adobe Garamond Bold | 10.5/13 pt Myriad Pro Regular | 12/18 pt a Myriad Pro Light | 10.5/18 pt Images (a–c) iStockphoto.com | Rubberball.com Before & After magazine Before & After has been sharing its practical approach to graphic design since 1990 Because our modern world has made designers of us all (ready or not), Before & After is dedicated to making graphic design understandable, useful and even fun for everyone John McWade Publisher and creative director Gaye McWade Associate publisher Vincent Pascual Staff designer Dexter Mark Abellera Staff designer Editorial board Gwen Amos, Carl Winther Before & After magazine 323 Lincoln Street, Roseville, CA 95678 Telephone 916-784-3880 Fax 916-784-3995 E-mail mailbox@bamagazine.com www http://www.bamagazine.com Copyright ©2005 Before & After magazine, ISSN 1049-0035 All rights reserved You may pass this article around, but you may not alter it, and you may not charge for it You may quote brief sections for review If you this, please credit Before & After magazine, and let us know To feature free Before & After articles on your Web site, please contact us For permission to include all or part of this article in another work, please contact us Design a small chart 0615 qt = qt = qt = ⁄ cup = tbsp = cup = 16 fl oz cup = fl oz ⁄ cup = Your recipe for success! Compliments of Stacy Thomas, Realtor .. • www.stacythomas.com Pinch or dash = less than ⁄ tsp ⁄ cup = DRY measures ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = pt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = gal = ⁄ gal = ⁄ gal = LIQUID measures Article resources 1a 3 1b of Before&After | www.bamagazine.com http://www.bamagazine.com/email they become available, go to To be notified by e-mail of new articles as Join our e-list others, click here To pass along a free copy of this article to E-mail this article http://www.bamagazine.com/Subscribe for pennies per article To learn more, go to become a more capable, confident designer Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe, and Subscribe to Before & After 1b 0615 Design a small chart [...]... ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = 1 pt = ⁄ gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = 1 gal = ⁄ gal = ⁄ gal = Charts centered on the page are the focal point of the design The remaining information and images are added as supporting, not primary, elements The layout After 0615 Design a small chart The layout Images carefully placed draw the reader’s eye into the information, not away from it Note that the images are what they... John McWade Publisher and creative director Gaye McWade Associate publisher Vincent Pascual Staff designer Dexter Mark Abellera Staff designer others, click here Editorial board Gwen Amos, Carl Winther E-mail this article Join our e-list To be notified by e-mail of new articles as they become available, go to http://www.bamagazine.com/email Before & After magazine 323 Lincoln Street, Roseville, CA 95678... modern world has made designers of us all (ready or not), Before & After is dedicated to making graphic design understandable, useful and even fun for everyone John McWade Publisher and creative director Gaye McWade Associate publisher Vincent Pascual Staff designer Dexter Mark Abellera Staff designer Editorial board Gwen Amos, Carl Winther Before & After magazine 323 Lincoln Street, Roseville, CA 95678... Myriad Pro Light Lighter weight and value (65%) recede Well differentiated Quantities—which change— remain bold; measures— which repeat—recede in gray Now well differentiated, the comparisons are easy to see and attractive, too Note the kinds of separation: Space separates columns, hairlines separate rows, and gray separates foreground from midrange 4 qt = 2 qt = 1 qt = LIQUID measures 1 gal = ⁄ gal... pennies per article To learn more, go to http://www.bamagazine.com/Subscribe i U X Before & After magazine Before & After has been sharing its practical approach to graphic design since 1990 Because our modern world has made designers of us all (ready or not), Before & After is dedicated to making graphic design understandable, useful and even fun for everyone To pass along a free copy of this article... and informative, but 2 Closes Unfocused Absence of a focal point leaves the page vague 0615 Diluted Because positive and negative elements have similar sizes, they strongly compete, diluting their effectiveness 31/2 Full-size fractions are never a good idea Same-size numerals have no visual hierarchy and can easily be mistaken for separate characters; they require careful (and slow) reading to decipher... Helvetica is not the best choice for small type—its curve strokes curl around far enough to leave only small openings, called apertures, which at small sizes tend to close up Lowercase letters a, e and s are especially vulnerable to “filling in” (right) and can be mistaken for one another 2 of 6 Before&After | www.bamagazine.com Closes agc Helvetica is a versatile typeface, but at small sizes and low... 916-784-3880 Fax 916-784-3995 E-mail mailbox@bamagazine.com www http://www.bamagazine.com Copyright ©2005 Before & After magazine, ISSN 1049-0035 All rights reserved You may pass this article around, but you may not alter it, and you may not charge for it You may quote brief sections for review If you do this, please credit Before & After magazine, and let us know To feature free Before & After articles... 916-784-3880 Fax 916-784-3995 E-mail mailbox@bamagazine.com www http://www.bamagazine.com Copyright ©2005 Before & After magazine, ISSN 1049-0035 All rights reserved You may pass this article around, but you may not alter it, and you may not charge for it You may quote brief sections for review If you do this, please credit Before & After magazine, and let us know To feature free Before & After articles... gal = ⁄ qt = ⁄ pt = 1 gal = ⁄ gal = ⁄ gal = LIQUID measures Article resources 1a 3 3 1b 4 2 7 6 of 6 Before&After | www.bamagazine.com http://www.bamagazine.com/email they become available, go to To be notified by e-mail of new articles as Join our e-list others, click here To pass along a free copy of this article to E-mail this article http://www.bamagazine.com/Subscribe for pennies per article