"As the word itself implies, the purpose of deconstructing is to deform a rationally structured space so that the elements within that space are forced into new relationships: or, simply put, beginning with a grid and altering it to see what happens"
My assigned section is taken from the non-structural approaches section found on pg. 122 of Making and Breaking the Grid: A Graphic Design Layout Workshop by Timothy Samara.
There is method to our madness; the way we break the grid gives us permission to have fun with our layout and typography. The author reminds us that we are living in an environment that is constantly changing, and the way we gather information will greatly increase as we are presented with new ways to obtain it. Such as the involvement of media, we learn how to follow and interact with new types of design that finds it's way into our line of vision only to become accustomed to it.
The poster (above left) is a design by David Carson that follows the same rules of building a well-structured layout, only to watch it collapse as you basically play around with the elements within it. With this said, the use of overlapping, size, texture, and spacing between letter forms seems to be the most prominent methods used to make this design successful.
I really like this type of "layout." I think that grid deconstruction is a new approach I want to try myself. Because I think I break the grid but not in the right way? If there is a right way? Although the grid is there to help, i think the whole grid deconstruction is an unique and interesting approach. I definitely want to try to attempt this and see what interesting layouts i can create.
ReplyDeleteHere's an example I found on Google of a grid deconstruction.
http://www.typographic.nicolewilliams.info/img/downloads/grid_01.jpg
Notice there is a 3 column grid but they deconstruct it to create emphasis and interest.
I think there are successful ways to break the grid, and then there are less successful ways. The link above, that Naidin offers, is worth a close look. At first I wondered if there were 2 or 3 or 4 vertical grid lines that were being used... and finally decided that there were 3 (although the designer added a heavy vertical rule in upper left, I don't see where he/she is using that alignment anywhere else! Terrific example - and I can also see where there is some pictorial type too. Can you?
DeleteI was also confused Coni, on trying to figure out how many columns it was. At first glance I saw 3, then 4? But it seems that 3 is the magic number here (smile). I agree with the alignment; I feel like there isn't any alignment anywhere else. It just looks either tilted or slightly tilted. For the pictorial type, I don't know if I see it, i think i do? It probably something with the numbers, and the line of thick stroke?
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