Step 4
Page Layout
The information found in this step is designed for those who wish to produce their own page layout.
Page layout is a term which refers to the way in which text and images are situated on a page. The layout of your manuscript should be adjusted to look exactly the way you want to see it in print. Quite often people will look at previously bound books for their ideas. Sample genealogy or reunion memory book layouts are very helpful for showing how to set headers, position page numbers, set margin width, or choose a font style. In order for your book to have a professional look and feel, there are four basic principles to follow.
Contrast
In order for your page layout to be visually appealing and to keep the readers interest, you should have contrast on your pages. Use a contrasting font for headings, keeping the headings very different from the body font. Don’t go overboard, use one type for the body copy and a different one for the headings. Consider a newspaper and how the headings are larger and bolder.
Alignment
Choose one justification and stick to it. As a rule, center justification will give the page layout a formal look. It is commonly used for wedding invitations, formal announcements, etc. Left justification will give a more conservative professional look. Full justification within the layout will give your pages a clean orderly look. With full justification, your headings could be either left, right, or centered on the page.
Repetition
Create a sense of unity to your book by adding a few visual elements that you like, and then repeating them throughout. Look through some of you favorite books to see what they have used on their pages, you may get some inspiration. Perhaps a decorative ornament under the heading of each chapter, or a decorative drop cap to start each chapter might give your book a special look.
Proximity
Organize your type properly by grouping things together that relate to each other. Compare these two examples:
Les Hooper,
Graphic Design and Layout
801-397-1826
Les Hooper,
Graphic Design and Layout
801-397-1826
The second example is more appealing because of its organization and contrast.
Margins, Header/Footers
When setting the margins for your pages, it is important to not set them less than ¾” to ensure that proper space between the printing and the edge of the page remains at the binding edge. We recommend that when choosing a margin setting for your page layout, you should allow 1/8” extra for the binding edge. For example, if you have selected a margin setting of ¾” for the top, bottom, and right side of the page, the left hand, or binding edge should be set at 7/8”. This makes the text appear balanced on the page when the book is bound. Microsoft Word uses a measurement which is referred to as a gutter. When using the gutter, margins should all be set at ¾” with a gutter measurement of .2”. Care should also be taken when placing information in the headers or footers, such as chapter heading or page numbers that sufficient room remains between the edge of the print and the edge of the page. A header/ footer measurement of ½” is common setting for a standard page payout.
Choosing a Font
Choosing font styles for your book is very important for both the appearance and for transferring files for printing. The most common fonts used for books are the Oldstyle fonts, as they are easily readable for large body copy. Among the most common are Times Roman, Goudy, Garamond, and Baskerville. Remember to choose a contrasting font for your headings. A sans serif font such as Arial is a common choice. A sans serif is one without the “hooks” at the ends of each letter. These “hooks” help to guide the eye from one letter another making the text easily readable. This is why sans serif fonts such as Arial should never be used for the main body of the text. Children’s books are commonly set in a slab serif font, because of their clean straight lines. Some common Slab serif fonts are New Century Schoolbook, classic SSK, and Clarendon.
Old Style Slab Serif Arial
In regard to printing, it is important to ensure that all fonts being used are resident in your Windows font folder. This includes both bold and italicized versions of each font. Simply using the bold or italicize commands on the toolbar may not necessarily ensure the font is available. For example, Microsoft Works will manufacture its own version of a font if it is not already installed on your computer. If this is done, the bold font will appear to be two images side by side when printed on a high quality digital press. The italicized versions may not print at all. The simple solution to font problems is to avoid unusual fonts such as Wing Dings and Symbol, and stay with more common book fonts such as Times New Roman and Garamond.
Copyright, ISBN
Copyright, ISBN, CIP, and Library of Congress information should be placed on the page directly after the title page. This page is commonly known as the copyright page. If you have decided to produce your own page layout, we will check to make sure all the necessary information is included on this page. We can also provide you with an ISBN number and barcode for a one time of $75.00 (for ISBN) and $35.00 (for barcode).
Page Numbers/ Chapter Headings
The title page and chapter headings should always be placed on a right hand page. It may be necessary to leave a left hand page blank in order to start a chapter as a right hand page. Inserting a section break at the end of each chapter will automatically force the following chapter to begin in the proper right hand position. If you are not comfortable adding page numbers, or do not want to do so until your project is complete, we are happy to do this for you at no additional charge.
When numbering the pages in your book, you should also keep in mind that right hand pages are always odd number pages while left hand pages are even numbers. It is also common to number the pages preceding the first chapter with roman numerals.
Scanning
If you are planning to add photographs to your genealogy book, they must first be scanned. For those who prefer not to scan their own photographs, we offer a complete scanning service which includes photo touch-up and adjustment for overexposed or underexposed images. These services are charged at an hourly rate of $40.00/ hour.
There are many brands of scanners available on the market. Even the most inexpensive scanner will be able to produce the high quality images needed for printing.
For best results, photos should be scanned at 300 DPI. Then saved as TIFF or JPEG files.
Some scanners automatically default to 72 DPI between uses so be careful. Photos scanned and printed at 72 DPI would NOT be considered acceptable for printing.
Higher resolution is not necessarily better. A resolution over 300 DPI will only increase your file size (sometimes dramatically) and cause your computer to run more slowly.
