[11.17.10]

What am I supposed to mean by that!!?? Easy. Everyday, we consume information and content from some amazing sites out there in the webisphere....... and, its laid out effectively in a grid.

However, the grid didnt just pop up when the web came around. The grid has been in use since the middle ages, but really came of age in the early 20th century. Design gurus like Josef Müller-Brockmann and Wim Crouwel (one of my all time favorites) began using strict grid systems in their layouts.

To sum it up, what the grid does is creates order within the chaos of content. Rather it be a newspaper printed 150 years ago, or cnn.com, you can clearly see a grid layout. It makes it easier to find the content that matters to you.

“The grid is the most vivid manifestation of the will to order in graphic design. [...] Units are the basic buildung block of a grid. They’re all uniform. Columns are the grouping of units that create the visual structure of the page. They are not necessary uniform.”
- Grids are good

So, the grid rocks. It makes a difference everyday in everyone's lives. Not like it is some great earthly hero, but, it sure makes our lives as consumers of content better and more productive, but, it also makes my life as a designer a whole lot easier.

Here is an awesome video demonstrating a design being built on the grid (not to mention the amount of effort that goes into building just a web design, much less the actual coding.... please take note folks).

Live 960 grid system Web Design by Brian White of TriLion Studios from Brian White on Vimeo.

Resources

The Grid System

960 Grid System

Smashing Magazine - Designing With Grid-Based Approach