Chapter 5 Response

            I found it interesting that the first few pages of chapter five discuss that the way we perceive letterforms has a lot to do with gravity.  The authors point out that when a letterform is centered on a background, that letterform appears still and motionless.  When the letterform is placed off center, say, slightly to the right or left of the page, the letterform appears to be moving.  Consequently, the letterform gains velocity as it reaches the edges/boundaries of the background.  Similarly, the authors note, that by simply rotating a letterform, the letterform will appear to be tumbling…it will appear to be visually giving way to the natural forces of gravity.

            I enjoyed learning about all the different organizational, spatial, and aesthetic possibilities that can come from using a grid.  Some might tend to think that a grid is a rigid structure that does not allow for much creativity or flexibility.  The authors point out that the more complex a grid’s structure is, the more flexible and numerous the organizational possibilities are.  The modular grid, for example, “offers opportunities to present more complex information with a high degree of accuracy and clarity.”  The areas formed by the intersections of vertical and horizontal lines are called modules.  These modules can be combined and or put together to form hierarchical “zones,” so to speak.  By using varying modules, keeping an open, creative mind, and working to balance variety and unity, one can design a highly successful and effective grid structure for any sort of lay out or project.