Layout Design and Typography

I.     Course Prefix/Number: ART 225

       Course Name: Layout Design and Typography

       Credits: 3 (0 lecture; 6 lab)

II.    Prerequisite

ART 224 or ART 216 or consent of instructor

III.   Course (Catalog) Description

Course examines common graphic tools available in layout design, typography, and underlying design principles. Content includes typography and type design, ways of using illustrations and photographs in layouts, basic tools of graphic design for specific typography layout projects, properties of letter forms and converting letter forms into legible work. Adobe InDesign used as the main software to create typography layouts.

IV.   Learning Objectives

  1. Explain the importance of appearance in effective layout design.
  2. Demonstrate the ability to control the reader's eye in layout design and create typographic hierarchy.
  3. Use typography in layout design.
  4. Use basic design principles in layout creation.
  5. Create layouts that effectively combine type and image.
  6. Use color in an effective manner in layout design.
  7. Recognize and use typographic language and terminology.

V.    Academic Integrity and Student Conduct


• cheating,
• falsification and fabrication (lying or distorting the truth),
• helping others to cheat,
• unauthorized changes on official documents,
• any other behavior that violates academic integrity.



VI.   Sequence of Topics

  1. Structure of Design: Visual Elements
    1. Line
    2. Shape
    3. Light and dark
    4. Color
    5. Texture
    6. Perspective and depth
  2. Organization of the Elements
    1. Unity
    2. Balance
    3. Rhythm
    4. Proportion
  3. Techniques
    1. Contrast
      1. Tone
      2. Shape
      3. Size
      4. Juxtaposition
      5. Sharpness
      6. Complexity
      7. Variation
      8. Exaggeration
    2. Harmony
      1. Balance
      2. Symmetry
      3. Simplicity
      4. Unity
      5. Opacity
      6. Singularity
      7. Flatness
      8. Repetition and regularity
  4. Principles of Typography
    1. Origins of the alphabet
      1. Pictograms
      2. Ideographs
      3. Phoenician, Greek and Roman alphabets
      4. Small letters and punctuation
    2. Types
      1. Sans Serif
      2. Serif
      3. Script
      4. Special character and symbols
    3. Families of type
      1. Specimen sheets
      2. Key letters
      3. Color of type
      4. Personalities of type
      5. Visual change between type over time
        1. Garamond, Baskerville and Bodoni
        2. Century Expanded and Helvetica
      6. Display type
        1. Roman and Egyptian
        2. Sans Serif and Script
    4. Description
      1. Size
        1. Points
        2. Pica
        3. Conversion to inches
      2. Weight
      3. Width
      4. Slant
      5. Style
    5. Anatomy
      1. Point size
      2. Cap height
      3. Serif
      4. Counter
      5. Ascender
      6. Baseline
      7. Descender
    6. Relationship to page
      1. Leading and kerning
      2. Line length
      3. Alignment
      4. Rules
      5. Headlines
      6. Widows and orphans
    7. Designing with type
      1. Function of type
      2. Ornate type
      3. Creating moods with type
      4. Altering of characteristics of existing fonts
  5. Page Structure
    1. Anatomy of a Page - Terminology
      1. Gutter
      2. Overline
      3. Deck
      4. Bleed
      5. Folio
      6. Margins
    2. Organization
      1. Grids
      2. Style
      3. Columns
      4. Margins
      5. Headlines
      6. Captions
  6. Nature of Color
    1. Application to page
    2. Feelings
    3. Color relationships
    4. Color and the marketplace
    5. Local color
      1. duotones-quadtones
      2. without black
  7. Four color
  8. Basic components of Graphic Design
    1. Parts
      1. White space
      2. Bleeds
      3. Drop shadows
      4. Borders
      5. Boxes
      6. Screens
    2. Methods
      1. Repetition
        1. Grids
        2. Headlines
      2. Organizational elements
  9. Imaging and layout design
    1. Illustrations
      1. Drawing
      2. Clip art
      3. Charts and diagrams
      4. Manipulating illustrations
    2. Photographs
      1. Tonal scales
      2. Sequence
      3. Sizing
      4. Retouching
  10. Application of design principles
    1. Brochures
    2. Advertisements
    3. Catalogs
    4. Projection material
    5. Flyers
    6. Newsletters and forms
    7. Charts and diagrams
    8. Business communications

VII.  Methods of Instruction

This course will be presented using a combination of lectures, slide presentations and work at the lab’s computer workstations.

VIII. Course Practices Required

  1. Attendance at all classes and labs.
  2. Attendance and participation in all critiques and quizzes as scheduled in the course calendar.
  3. Complete assigned exercises and print all assignments.
  4. Final exam.

IX.   Instructional Materials


  1. High capacity storage drive
  2. Ink-jet paper

X.    Methods of Evaluating Student Progress

The final grade will be based on understanding and demonstration of key principles and course objectives. Grading and evaluation will be based on work, projects, assignments, process, critique, participation, and other items at the instructor’s discretion.  

Completion of projects and participation in critique are required. Course instructors will base grades and evaluation on specified elements and percentage weights.

XI.   Other Course Information



Resources and support for
  • pregnancy-related and parenting accommodations; and
  • victims of sexual misconduct
can be found at

Resources and support for LGBTQ+ students can be found at