Graphic Elements
Our graphic elements are inspired by our momentum. Structured and expressive, these visual components move us upward and onto the next discovery. In this way, they reflect the work we are doing at the University of Florida.
MOMENTUM LINES
Momentum starts from Florida and spans across coastlines and throughout the world. Momentum lines help to tell the story of the ripple effect felt by our university’s impact.
These vector lines help to anchor our type and images to the compositional grid and to create balance and unity among additional compositional elements.
Momentum lines will help to direct the reader’s eye around the composition, so it’s important to select the line option that works best for your layout.
TIP: In the Transparency Settings of InDesign, play with the gradient feather setting to soften the edges of the momentum lines. This will help to make the lines feel endless.
PERSPECTIVE LINES
Perspective lines are great for grabbing a reader’s attention. The strong directional angles draw the eye toward the center of the composition. Because of this, it’s important to place any copy or photos at the center of these grid lines. Do not place lines on top of photography.
PERSPECTIVE LINE TEMPLATES
To make the design process faster, we’ve created a library of generic templates. This library is not exhaustive, and should continue to grow as more pieces are created. These layouts are good starting points, but each will require adjustments based on the piece’s unique content and size.
RADIAL LINES
Radial lines emphasize Florida’s ongoing impact around the world. These lines work best as a background texture behind short lines of copy or photography. Do not place lines on top of photography.
RADIAL LINES TEMPLATES
To make the design process faster, we’ve created a library of generic templates. This library is not exhaustive, and should continue to grow as more pieces are created. These layouts are good starting points, but each will require adjustments based on the piece’s unique content and size.
UPWARD AND FORWARD LINES
Florida’s momentum is constantly rising. With this in mind, upward and forward lines infuse energy and drive into any piece. These patterns work best as background textures behind short lines of copy or photography. Do not place lines on top of photography.
UPWARD AND FORWARD LINES TEMPLATES
To make the design process faster, we’ve created a library of generic templates. This library is not exhaustive, and should continue to grow as more pieces are created. These layouts are good starting points, but each will require adjustments based on the piece’s unique content and size.
To make the design process faster, we’ve created a library of generic templates. This library is not exhaustive, and should continue to grow as more pieces are created. These layouts are good starting points, but each will require adjustments based on the piece’s unique content and size.
LINES IN SPREADS
PHOTO-DRIVEN LAYOUTS
When using momentum lines with photos, consider simplicity and readability. Place lines behind the images to help draw the eye around the page. It’s important that the momentum lines never dominate the overall content of the photograph or the other elements in the composition.
TYPE-DRIVEN LAYOUTS
Momentum lines are an easy way to add visual interest to simple layouts. Use lines as accent elements in negative spaces, and allow them to interact with typography to keep the reader’s eye moving across the page.
UNAPPROVED USAGE
Here are a few practices to avoid in using momentum lines. Adhering to these rules will ensure that our linework is consistent and recognizable.
Note: Accessibility is an important factor when designing with momentum lines. Typography should never be placed on top of momentum lines without guaranteed legibility.
TIMELINES
Timelines use a series of photos to tell a story of momentum, from start to finish. By varying the scale and width of the photos, these graphics depict continuity and progression. Timelines derive from our momentum lines, and use repeating vertical lines in a horizontal direction. The distance between lines should not be equal — gaps between lines and photos represent the “behind-the-scenes” time spent working on the idea.
Tip: Many people and details contribute to a great idea. It’s important to feature a variety of subjects in timeline photos. Be sure to show the faces of the Gators who worked through the idea, and include detailed shots that further illustrate the subject. Varying photography styles not only aid in the storytelling but also make for a more compelling visual.
USING THE LINES
The process of creating a timeline is straightforward; achieve a similar result every time by following the steps listed below. It’s important to remember that the amount of photography and copy will dictate how simple or complex each timeline looks. We recommend that new timelines be created by experienced designers.
VERTICAL TEMPLATES
To make the design process faster, we’ve created a library of generic templates. This library is not exhaustive, and should continue to grow as more pieces are created. These layouts are good starting points, but each will require adjustments based on the piece’s unique content and size.
HORIZONTAL TEMPLATES
To make the design process faster, we’ve created a library of generic templates. This library is not exhaustive, and should continue to grow as more pieces are created. These layouts are good starting points, but each will require adjustments based on the piece’s unique content and size.
UNAPPROVED USAGE
Here are a few practices to avoid when building timelines. Adhering to these rules will ensure that our timelines are consistent and recognizable.
KINETIC ENERGY MAPS
The University of Florida’s energy is kinetic. Here, ideas bounce off each other, unlikely pairings collide, and momentum shifts in unexpected ways, all in the pursuit of the greatest solutions. We can visually express this Rube Goldberg style of collaboration through kinetic energy maps. These designs move the reader from one point to another with arrows, shapes and stories.
This graphic element is a great tool for telling stories of collaboration. The constant motion created by the shapes and arrows is eye-catching, and works well on social media.
Keep these designs simple — too many ideas in one layout can feel frenetic. The intention is to easily get the reader from the entry point of copy to the closing copy, while offering them a fun ride of copy mashups along the way.
Tip: Think of these layouts like a Rube Goldberg machine. Visualize dropping a ball from the intro copy, and imagine it traveling down the path of shapes and arrows. If the ball can easily make its way from start to finish, your reader will likely be able to do the same.
MAP ELEMENTS
The table below shows the standardized stroke and shape types that should always be used. Most applications in Adobe Creative Suite have a contextual menu for strokes that should be used to customize lines.
As shown, the stroke type should always be set at either solid, dotted or dashed. The shape type should always be a circle, rectangle, diamond or rounded rectangle. The weight of these elements is variable, depending on the size and scale of the piece.
ARROW GUIDELINES
Lines and arrows are a great way to guide navigation within a kinetic energy map, or to emphasize a word or phrase. They also convey process and place, reinforcing the concept of one idea leading to the next.
While lines may seem like an elementary graphic device, applying them thoughtfully can elevate a single design. An easy way to do this is to establish a common weight for lines and arrows throughout an entire piece of collateral. Another is to make sure the weights consistently relate to another design element in the layout, like the weight of the text.
Note: For standard print pieces (around 8.5 by 11 inches), rule weight should generally be 2 or 3 points, and should not exceed 5 points. This rule of thumb can be scaled up proportionally for larger pieces.
PHOTO BACKGROUNDS
When creating a kinetic energy map, using a background flood of orange or blue is often the simplest design solution. But by using a background image that represents a location or purpose, we can further illustrate the idea of collisions and momentum from Florida. When designing a kinetic energy map with a background photo, use a single image that represents the broader concept of the piece. The image must be simple, with about 2/3 of the image offering negative space. To achieve optimal legibility, avoid photos with any distracting details within the negative space. The remaining 1/3 of the photo should be contextual, offering a sense of place or concept without being overly descriptive. Do not feature faces in these background photos.
MULTIPLIED COLOR BACKGROUNDS
Some images that work well for storytelling may have areas of stark contrast or distinctive details that lessen legibility. In these instances, we can apply a multiplied layer of our Core Blue on top of the image. This technique helps to even out the image and provides a clean background for the kinetic energy map. This technique works best on images that are mostly grayscale and will not work for all images. Photos that are too busy or detailed will distract from the map. Use this design style sparingly.
HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL TEMPLATES
To make the design process faster, we’ve created a library of generic horizontal and vertical templates. This library is not exhaustive, and should continue to grow as more pieces are created.
The amount of copy will dictate the number and orientation of the shapes. The overall design will also be dictated by the headline, body copy, logo and call to action. These layouts are good starting points, but each will require adjustments based on the piece’s unique content and size.
UNAPPROVED USAGE
Here are a few practices to avoid when building kinetic energy maps. Adhering to these rules will ensure that our maps are consistent and recognizable.
TEXTURE
Everything a student accomplishes at UF ties back to many hours of learning and hands-on experience. The grit texture alludes to this idea.
Increasing the size of this file can lead to an over-scaled grain pattern, so use caution when incorporating this element. Consider legibility when combining this element with color and type. This texture should be paired only with our core colors or our gradients, and should not be applied to photographs.
Note: Use the transparency setting Multiply when applying the texture on top of colors.
COMPOSITIONAL GRID
There are four standard column grids to choose from 2-column, 3-column, 4-column and 6-column. The content and layout of each piece will decide which grid works best in a given situation.
Tip: Not everything will fit perfectly in the grid; that’s okay. Grids are a foundation to build on, and they allow for some flexibility.
