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Whitespace and Grid

Using a grid system in design is essential for achieving the whitespace and consistency needed for readability and a clean layout. Consistent margins, padding, and line spacing all contribute to this clarity. We will use an column and grid system as the foundation for all design elements to ensure this consistency.

The Primary Grid System - 8px

This system uses 8px increments for spacing, sizing, and layout. All components, from icons to margins, should be aligned with this grid, providing structure and consistency across different formats. While the 8px increment is preferred, there are instances where a 4px increment may be necessary, such as font sizing. Typically, an 8px grid is utilized, with columns and rows that adhere to this structure. For example, on our typical interventions in Canva, we would use an 12-column layout with column gaps of 16px and margins set to 40px. Rows will be 8px in height with 8px gaps between them. This approach ensures a balanced, clean design while maintaining readability and adaptability across various mediums. See this video on setting up a grid system in Canva. Check out this video for the benefits of a column and row based grid system.

Intervention 1080 x 1920

This is what the setting for the guides would look like when the page size is set to 1080 x 1920 as it currently is for our interventions.

Canva Guide Setup

Note: this will change if the page size is different.

  • Will be using inches instead of pixels
  • Gaps will be 0.125in for 8.5inx11in pages
  • Margins will be 0.5in for 8.5x11in pages

Margins

Margins should scale proportionally with the page size—the larger the page, the larger the margins. While this doesn't require exact pixel-by-pixel scaling, it’s important to maintain consistency with the overall look and feel.

The most important aspect of margins for print materials is that they are often printed by external sources. Since we may not know the printer’s capabilities, it's essential to maintain a half-inch, 0.5in margin to ensure safe printing on all devices. If we're sending materials to a professional printer and want a full-bleed (zero-margin) print, we must confirm that they offer this service and include it in the printing contract.