Creating Printable Grids with InDesign

For many graphic designers, the creation of a new piece starts with sketches on paper. In order to ensure that this step is effective, your sketching should be done with consideration of the proportions of the final media. Drawing a boatload of boxes before you even actually begin to concept is tedious and a waste of time. So why not let your computer do it for you?

Document Setup

Begin by starting a new document (ctrl+n/apple-n). Set the dimensions to that of the final project. Here, I have a tabloid document in landscape. Additionally, set your margins and the number of columns you would like in your grid. My margins are set to 2p and I have chosen as 6-column grid. Go ahead and hit OK when you’re done.

printable-grids-1

Setting the Vertical Grid

Now, go ahead a draw a text box. It’s size isn’t important at the moment.

printable-grids-2

Switch to your selection tool (the black arrow) by hitting V on your keyboard. Towards your upper right, on your control pannel, there is a icon that looks like a box split into three. This is where you would normally choose how many columns are in your text box. However, set this to how many rows you want your grid to have for now.

printable-grids-3

Once you have decided on the number of rows you want in your grid, use the rotate and selection tools to rotate the text box 90° and align it to your page margins like I’ve done below.

printable-grids-4

Setting a Typographic Baseline (optional)

If you would like to have a typographic baseline handy during your sketching process, begin by going to Edit > Preferences > Grids (Windows) or Indesign > Preferences > Grids (Mac). Your settings are going to vary here depending on your particular needs. Most important is Increment Every. This should be set to the base leading of your type. Start and Relative To determine the vertical offset of the baseline.

Printable Grids Baseline

Printing

Now hit Ctrl-P/Apple-P in order to bring up the Print dialog. On the General tab, be sure to click Print Non-Printing Objects, Print Blank Pages, and Print Visible Guides and Baseline Grids.

printable-grids-5

On the Setup tab, click Thumbnails and then set it to how many grids you would like printed out on each page. If you set this too high, the grid lines will be too small to see in print.

printable-grids-6

And you’re done. Click print and you have proportionally-perfect grids. If you would like to print a couple different grid-patterns at once, create each pattern on a seperate Master Page and print out multiple copies of each.

32 Comments

  1. gabrielAugust 7, 2010

     
  2. quick forum readtopic viagra answer search - Page 2097 - Talk Muay Thai ForumsApril 23, 2011

    [...] valium abuse symptoms valiums effects legal valium in us only valium for aggressive dog paradoxical reaction of valium Prompt removal and destruction of raccoon feces will reduce risk for exposure and possible [...]

     
  3. sell stuffMay 19, 2011

    I must say that your posting was quite informative. It is good to see high quality information being ditributed on the internet these days. I personally own and run a website and I realize the importance of quality content and it’s vast impact it makes on the quality of a site. I personally feel kudos should be handed out when its due to other webmasters.

     
  4. blackheadsMay 24, 2011

    It’s perfect time to make some plans for the future and it’s time to be happy. I have read this post and if I could I wish to suggest you some interesting things or tips. Perhaps you could write next articles referring to this article. I want to read even more things about it!

     
  5. Dennis ThybergJune 9, 2011

    Wanted facts about that. I wrote it off as merely another cost, but I am going to look at it yet again.

     
  6. bugatti carJune 30, 2011

    I would like to express my appreciation for this post. I liked the very first portion so considerably as the details are detailed and clear. Nice blog.. I will keep visiting you. you might also like to create a social network and pay a visit to my wedding dresses. Contact m?-

     
  7. Fred HoytJuly 8, 2011

    I don’t know how I hadn’t read about this till now. Very happy I came across this post. thanks for posting it!

     
  8. Karina GehrJuly 10, 2011

    Hello there, You have done a fantastic job. I will certainly digg it and personally suggest to my friends. I am sure they will be benefited from this site.

     
  9. How to sleep fasterJuly 10, 2011

    thats a nice system, how much does it cost to develop it?

     
  10. Slimming TabletsJuly 20, 2011

    I absolutely admire this post. Thank you for posting it.

     
  11. keiko deeJuly 21, 2011

    There are some interesting points in time in that clause but I dont know if I see all of them middle to heart. There is some validity but I will take hold opinion until I look into it further. Good clause, thanks and we want more! Added to FeedBurner besides.

     
  12. Sona ReginalJuly 22, 2011

    You should always seek advice before doing anything like this.

     
  13. Keneth DicastroJuly 23, 2011

    With every thing which seems to be developing inside this area, a significant percentage of opinions tend to be fairly stimulating. On the other hand, I appologize, but I do not give credence to your entire theory, all be it refreshing none the less. It appears to everybody that your commentary are not entirely validated and in fact you are your self not fully confident of the assertion. In any case I did take pleasure in reading through it.

     
  14. KunalJuly 29, 2011

    Hi all,

    I am unable to print a grid using Ctrl+P. when i print that grid then empty cells get cleared no border is there but in filled cells has border, I wants empty cells border also.

    So kindly Help me….

     
  15. http://housepaintingportlandoregon.com/July 31, 2011

    Related……

    [...]just beneath, are numerous totally not related sites to ours, however, they are surely worth going over[...]……

     
  16. ft worth crownsAugust 2, 2011

    Links…

    [...]Sites of interest we have a link to[...]……

     
  17. Noe IsaiahAugust 6, 2011

    Loading inpsection would help this issue.

     
  18. Young ProfessionalAugust 8, 2011

    Thanks for the article. It’stough finding good articals for young professionals online. This was a great read.

     
  19. Yang MerninAugust 13, 2011

    They must make a remake

     
  20. Ahmed GalliAugust 15, 2011

    Dianabol is a proven muscle builder. You can get a sample at nosha.biz/anabolics

     
  21. diet program solutionAugust 18, 2011

    Awesome setup, thanks for the help. This helped me massive time with my decision.

     
  22. low blood plateletsAugust 18, 2011

    What a great guide, i’ve tried to recreate this with success! Thanks!

     
  23. El Pepe LineaAugust 18, 2011

    Hi, I was looking for this, thank you for this post and for all the work

     
  24. Denis WeeksAugust 19, 2011

    Hi, I think that your blog is excellent. I found it on Yahoo. I will definitely be back.

     
  25. WasserfahrzeugMannAugust 22, 2011

    Danach hatte ich selbst die ganze Zeit gesucht. Herzlichen Dank für diesen Beitrag. Ich werde aufjedenfall deine Posts weiter verfolgen.

     
  26. Johnny ColeSeptember 8, 2011

    Astonishingly educative many thanks, It is my opinion your trusty audience would most likely want a whole lot more well written articles such as this maintain the excellent hard work.

     
  27. Michael SmithSeptember 11, 2011

    Rather challenging thanks, I do believe your trusty subscribers may possibly want way more articles of this nature continue the excellent content.

     
  28. Essay for SaleSeptember 20, 2011

    This was a good post general; I would want to consider experiencing when any kind of educational numerous studies have already been performed that would validate the results. For your forthcoming post, have you considered writing much more about the particular administration of school methods as well as the ways that instructor pay will be attached to overall performance?

     
  29. John AndersonSeptember 22, 2011

    Awfully illuminating cheers, I do believe your current audience would possibly want a lot more stories similar to this continue the good effort.

     
  30. Check this out. cowboy boots las vegas? Are you still debating? Are you intrigued? @ Kiera's Work Something OutOctober 4, 2011

    [...] leather. They could also have different add-ons such as embroidery, gems, gold and even diamonds. Back stabber. It has also a low and squared heel shaping the sole of the heel. They could be dressed up and they [...]

     
  31. I found this lying beside the car – western wear houston? Isn’t it time for more info? Wondering why not? « Stanley's NuttyasfruitcakeOctober 11, 2011

    [...] time, soldiers who participated in the war became jobless and so, a lot of them became cowboys. Beats me. However, though these great for longs hours of horseback riding, walking was a hard feat. And [...]

     
  32. Go Like The Wind » Blog Archive » This was outside yesterday – western wear tx. Never before seen. Did you wonder why?November 27, 2011

    [...] and women. They could also have different add-ons such as embroidery, gems, gold and even diamonds. The buck stops here. The cowboy boots that time were made with a widely rounded toe, which were not very suitable to [...]

     

Leave a Reply