Design Basics
The same basic structural forms adapted to advertising layout can be used to 'design' your pages, so I offer you these basic structures to consider when creating a new layout. You can pick up any magazine and see these basics in advertisements and also in home design. If you squint your eyes when looking at a layout, you usually can see the structure, even if it's not apparent at first glimpse.
When creating a new layout, I usually arrange my photos into one of these structure styles, then choose colors and papers next, then journaling, and the last step I add the embellishments ... all in keeping with the original structure in mind.
Where does your eye focus?
In this simple Tic-Tac-Toe design, the eye is drawn to the intersecting lines. If you look at several layouts, you will see this utilized with one photo or when several photos are used and I always found it interesting that it also follows the unwirtten rule of three. This simple design concept can be used over and over again in different presentations, always looking fresh.
So, when you are looking at that blank screen, visualize this Tic-Tac-Toe grid and start placing photos at the obvious intersections, then add a background paper on the bottom layer of your pallet. It will break the barrier when creating your own design! You can also rotate the grid and visualize it slightly off-center in your mind, and you have an unlimited scope of focal points possible in your design.
Most templates are created with one of these structures in mind or sometimes they may contain slight variations or include more than one structure.. See if you can spot them in your favorite template or finished pages and you'll discover you prefer a more 'formal' or 'informal' style. Try one of these in your next layout!
