- The earliest buildings
in Western civilization were symmetrical,
that is on a centered axis.
Ancient people constructed structures
one block on top of another, supported by centered columns.
So it is logical that the earliest books
and printed material used a symmetrical approach.
Because symmetry is a traditional form,
it is often discounted as being old-fashioned or stodgy.
Like all design, if managed with skill and craft,
this couldn't be less true.
Symmetrical typography and layout can be spectacular
and communicate quality, strength and classical ideals.
The danger of symmetrical design is creating work
that is expected and mediocre.
Everything is centered on the page.
There's little hierarchy
or differences in scale, contrast or interest.
Good symmetrical design like any composition
relies on balance, tension, and harmony.
Years ago when I first started working,
a very smart and revered topographer told me
to think about the shape of a chandelier
when I worked with a centered layout.
This doesn't mean copy the shape of a chandelier.
The goal is work with the scale and line breaks
to minimize creating blocks of type.
A chandelier is balanced and appears light,
even though it may fall and crush you with its weight.
The title here is dominant, but the open letter spacing
maintains delicacy and lightness.
The addresses at the bottom
are broken on different lines to aid in reading,
create a pleasant rag, not a wreck tangle.
Try this, rather than aligning the typography
and elements to be justified on the left and right,
play with the scale.
Think of the forms balancing as a mobile.
Solid shapes will add weight
and smaller typography feels lighter.
This will also create varying line lengths
that activate the space.
Tension is maintained by the relationship
between the topography and the scale
and form of the solid shape.
Proving that symmetry does not need to be staid,
the firm Brighten the Corners breaks the text apart
with German on the left and English on the right.
What could have been a dull block
of type in the middle of the page is energized
by the action, restrained typographic,
the playful use of color, an ample negative space.
A symmetrical layout can be tricky
since we don't have the same freedom
with placement as asymmetrical layouts.
But there are times when a centered approach
speaks about dignity, and is formal.
In those instances, the details are critical.
Every choice, from type style and scale to color
is presented to the world with no distractions.
Don't be daunted by this.
Remember the cooking analogy,
if you work with incredible ingredients,
in the case of layout, typography, imagery, and form,
it's hard to make something bad.