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Thinking in grids

To keep everything in your design visually consistent, it can often be helpful to use grids.

A grid will tell you instantly if something is off balance, letting you correct it easily. Breaking the grid can be good too, since it gives a design character. Just know that elements off the grid will stand out, and if everything stands out, your design looks messy.

To get started with thinking in grids, choose a base number that divides easily, like 4, 8, 16, or 32. Avoid odd or less divisible numbers like 5 or 10, because a grid like that leaves you fewer sizes to choose from.

The advantage of a grid system is that it’s very easy to visually balance your design and make it look “perfect.” The disadvantage is that the design might look a bit rigid and might not fit perfectly on the grid at every screen size.

Still, for a first pass, a grid is a great way to build clean layouts with little effort.

George Wert
Created by George Wertgeorgewert.com

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