Unlock the power of strategic design by mastering the art of layout and grids. Whether you’re designing for print or digital platforms, knowing how to start a layout—and where to take it—is essential to creating work that captures attention and guides the viewer with ease.
Great design isn’t just about placing elements—it’s about controlling space. Understanding focal points, leading lines, and the role of negative space helps create layouts that feel polished, effective, and intentional.
In this course, you'll explore professional grid systems and golden layout rules, which bring structure, consistency, and sophistication to any design.
We’ll break down all types of column systems, layout rules, grid systems, and negative space forms so you can apply them with confidence to create flow, breathing room, visual hierarchy, and clarity.
Pre-requisite: Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign
CEUs: 1.6
Length (in hours): 16
Price in USD $225
Price in CAD $305
Agenda
Unit 1
Grids & Columns: The Structural Foundation
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The importance of planning before placing: where and how to begin a layout
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What grids are and why they matter in design
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Understanding grids, columns, margins, gutters, and alignment
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Single-column layouts
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Two-column layouts
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Three-column layouts
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Traditional grid (Van der Gaaf)
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Modular grids
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Hierarchical grids
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Setting up grids in Adobe software
Unit 2
Negative Space: Designing with Breathing Room
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What negative space is—moving beyond “empty” to an active design tool
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Guiding attention and hierarchy with negative space
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Active vs. Passive Negative Space
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Internal vs. External Negative Space
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Micro vs. macro whitespace — spacing inside elements vs. around blocks
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Shortening or offsetting columns to introduce a visual pause.
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Luxurious negative space — deliberately “oversizing” margins or padding for elegance.
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Eliminating columns for dramatic whitespace blocks.
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Negative Space Geometric Shapes: Structuring Layouts for Flow and Breathing Room
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Negative Space Traps—avoiding awkward gaps and unbalanced spacing
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Minimalism and restraint—knowing when less is more.
Unit 3
Visual Hierarchy & Focal Points
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Understanding Visual Hierarchy: why some elements grab attention first and others follow.
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Creating Focal Points—scale, color, contrast, and placement to highlight key content.
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Layering Information (primary, secondary, tertiary)
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Typography as hierarchy — headline, subhead, body text
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Creating Focal Points — scale, color, contrast, placement
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Directional Cues & Leading Lines
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Proportional Guides & Composition Rules
Unit 4
Bringing It All Together: Advanced Layout Techniques
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Creating complex multi-column layouts (Column elimination, merging columns)
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Multi-page spreads and continuity of flow
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Designing for different screens
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Common layout mistakes and how to fix them