Technology has advanced, and tech enthusiasts are exploring foldable phones and laptops, flip phones, and other innovations. This type of scenario requires designers to design more responsive screens. So, in this blog, we’ll go through advanced ways to use the grid system.
If you’re new to using the grid system, I’ve also written a blog post about the grid system for beginners. Check it out before continuing with this blog.
Introduction
I’m presuming you are already familiar with the fundamentals of grid systems since you wish to learn further about advanced grid systems. Here you will learn about the various grid behaviours and how to set up a grid based on your needs. So, buckle up! Things are about to heat up. By the end of this blog, you’ll be a pro at configuring grids for diverse scenarios.
Responsive Grid System
Layout grids must scale up and down to match a range of screen sizes to retain usability. Assigning behaviours based on the requirements will help you maintain consistent behaviour throughout your design.
Different Behaviours of Grid System
Fluid Behaviour
A fluid behaviour screen will stretch or shrink following the size of the screen and its elements. Column width changes according to container width while; margins and gutters remain constant. This behaviour makes use of the available screen real estate, though components could look distorted.
How to set up a Fluid Behaviour Grid system
It’s a simple configuration. Add the layout grid to the frame and customise it to your needs, then select the “Stretch” type for fluid behaviour.
Fixed Behaviour
In fixed behaviour, While the margin size rises or decreases as the screen size changes, the content inside is kept of its exact dimensions. The design elements remain in their fixed positions, leaving too much space unoccupied for large devices.
How to set up a Fixed Behaviour Grid system
Add the layout grid to the frame, select the “centre” type for fixed behaviour and specify the desired width.
Now that we’ve seen the behaviours of the grid system, we’ll move on to more advanced grid configuration methods.
Advanced grid configuration
Manuscript Grid
Manuscript grids, also known as single-column grids, are the most basic grids. There is only one column spanning across the content area width. The margins of a text block can be defined using the manuscript grid. These grids help present continuous blocks of text, or you can fill the blocks with images. The use of them in print publications like books is usual.
Modular Grid
Modular grids have columns and rows that cross to form a matrix of cells or modules. These grids are helpful when you need more control over complex layouts.
Baseline grid
A baseline grid is similar to ruled paper because it comprises horizontal rows that are close together and have the function of aligning and spacing text. Each line of text is aligned vertically using this grid. It’s no surprise that teachers prefer lined notebooks over blank ones.
Before using an advanced grid system, make sure you know this.
There is no set size for interactive designs. People utilise a variety of devices with different screen sizes, including smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, and desktop computers, which is the cause of this.
As a result, when users go from one device to another, the elements must be reorganised to fit the changing screen size. A layout grid is the best option to execute these adjustments.
The grid system enhances design quality in many ways:
It promotes precision and uniformity:
Particularly with digital media, consistency is essential. It aids users in locating information by letting them know where to look. Grids lay the groundwork for uniformity, which subsequently boosts clarity.
Helps creates responsive designs:
These days, responsive design is required. Your website will lose traffic if it is not responsive and user-friendly on both desktops and mobile devices. Therefore, utilising grids to establish uniformity in design across various screen sizes.
Simplifies the reuse and modification of designs
Adaptation is a constant in digital media. The ability to reuse digital media after creation is one of its key benefits. With grid design, the same is true. To make a different pattern, you can rearrange these grids.
Conclusion
These are some of the applications for the grid system. Practice them and keep in mind that there is no fixed way to use a grid system. Feel free to experiment with different grid styles to meet your design needs. Thank you for reading my blog; I hope you found it beneficial. Have a fantastic day!
