Create a Classical Page Grid in InDesign
This article originally appeared in InDesign Magazine #35, April/May 2010. Subscribe now!
Look at the pages of the book below, an early 1900s edition of Les Fleurs du Mal. What are your first impressions? Do you get a sense of timelessness? Do you feel comfortable? Do you feel like you could read it easily? There are reasons for that.

In this article, you’ll learn how to use Adobe InDesign to create a classical grid. Its symmetry, wide margins, and homogeneous texture put the reader at ease and evoke tradition, timelessness, and even luxury. To create this classical grid, you’ll geometrically divide the page into a perfect mix of margin and live area; that is, where you’ll place text and images.
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This article was last modified on August 12, 2021
This article was first published on December 1, 2010
