Grid Systems

With this task, we were told to know and research more and have our own understandings of grid system and how we can use it in graphics design and how else it influences our surroundings.

What is a grid system?

A grid system from my own understanding would be the layout of a design that is placed or put In order by a formal grid, be it by rows and columns.

In a grid system, it helps the way the design and layout of any design, be it a poster, architecture drawing, building and so forth. The way the grid system is shown in some examples are here :

·         Geographical – Helps in making of maps using the longitudes and the latitudes of the map that help in in analysing data.

·         Architectural -  The grid system can help in making accurate information that the designer may need in order to execute the design, for example he can use one grid square to represent a square kilometre of a placement of  bricks.

·         Roads – Helps to keep roads in order by having separate lanes, for outgoing and incoming of cars. This represents order.

In graphics design, the grid system can be shown in certain design layouts such as posters, books, articles etc.

·         Articles – In articles, the grid system is seen by having the columns of a news paper that have been aligned next to each other. Such a layout shows organization in the certain article.

·         Books – Books have certain grid systems that are in them which are seen in paragraphing the data.  The spacing in between the words as well, show a proper layout and organization shown.

·         Posters – When making posters, there would be need to have alignment to the design such as bleeding space and so forth, so guided lines would need to be used so as to keep the design in such a format that they design is centred and aligned properly.

With a brief understanding of the grid system I gained to get knowledge from, we were told to take pictures and see where this grid system could be applied and how you could see it being used.

Invisible & Visible Grid Systems

This is where the graphical part of the grid system is applied and how we can spot where it being used.

These are normally differentiated in two parts being :

Print based grid system - this is the type that has the grid applied on its printed issue/material. e.g, articles, banners, books etc. This falls under the invisible and visible grid system because in some cases, you can see the way columns are set up in an article or book. In a banner, the centering and all cant really be seen because its covered by the text that we see on the banner, but grids used there.

Fig. 1

In Fig.1 this shows the layout that articles that you would see in magazines, books etc. This shows a grid system that will form organisation where the information will be placed.

Fig. 2

In Fig.2 we see how the grid system in Fig.1 influences what we see in these articles of nowadays and how the information in it.

Fig. 3

In Fig.3 we see a variety of the rows and columns which form a type of a mosaic type of print which could or would be a word puzzle that needs to be filled in. So this type of example shows creativity in a grid system in a design to give an illusion of something formed by using the same system.

Screen based grid system - Ina screen based type of a grid, its more or less by the term itself, 'screen based'. The grids are supposedly seen on screen be it on phones, tablets, televisions etc. The sight made by our human eye on a screen to spot a grid is falls under this. Such as mostly invisibility due to the perfection of making sure everything is on a grid before its actually seen by the people. E.G, layout of a phones icons are just seen by users as normal icons that are just placed in a position and in 'order'. But this same order is got from a grid system to have the icons sized up and placed properly. iPhone grid layout is an example of how this screen based is articulated and after the description, one can now actually see that there is a grid of rows and columns crossing each other with icons in the middle. 

Fig. 4

In the above image, we see how a grid system is used on a screen based system. The grid is represented by the icons that are placed in an order where the rows and columns criss-cross each other. This can fall under invisible grids because visually seeing the grids with our eyes is not seen as a normal grid like in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5

This a television type of grid system which we normally see but never pay attention to the details that it gives. These are normally used as background images via green screen which are seen on footages such as talk shows, news, etc. A sample of a how a grid screen via green screen is show below where the televisions are placed in a  format in relation to a grid system.

A further more task was given to us by taking pictures of objects in our surroundings that have a grid system and also not just show the typical straight line grid system but to have a variety. So with that understanding, these are the images that i had and showed where the grid system was used.

• Foot path

This is the first picture of where i could see a simple grid system that is formed by a foot path. 

• Foot path 2

In this path, you can see that we have a grid system that is surely not the simple straight line grid that form accurate boxes etc. The grid system on this is unique and has a pattern. With that pattern, it gives out the footpath to have a unique design as well. So playing around with a grid system platform creates unique designs.

• Trees

This was a unique type of grid system that i saw. It had trees, paths and tables set up. The way i also took the photo gave me a different perspective of the way i saw this grid. It was seen the trees were arranged in a line from one end to another and the walking paths crossing each other with the tables being aligned in a way where the were lined up together. The 'invisible' grid i saw is shown above in the red lines. All in a perspective view.

Culture Understanding

Coming from Africa and having so many traditions in my home country, Zambia, there is alot to learn and have in place when having the traditional morals.

Lozi, my tribe is from the western province in Zambia and is the biggest tribe in that province out of the 72 other tribes. The language is wide spread and has people from all ages managing to speak it. The term is or tribe is got from the plain land that the people of the province. Flood plain being called the Barotse flood plain where the traditional ceremony called Kuomboka is held.

The culture of the Lozi is very elderly and matured with respect from the young to the old. With any person known this tribe are shown the ways of how to greet, talk to people and certain gestures that path the way of a human being culturally and also to have good deeds towards certain people. Due to the tribe being related to a royal type of ceremony, certain ‘laws’ or rules are put in place as a guidance. The Lozi culture is strongly influenced by the flood cycle of the Zambezi river, with annual migrations taking place from the flood plain to higher ground at the start of the wet season which is called, Kuomboka. In this ceremony the Litunga moves from Lealui in the flood plain to Limulunga on higher ground. The Kuomboka usually takes place in February or March.

The Lozi culture also has the material called chitenge that is worn traditionally. It is sometimes worn as a dress both for the men and the women of the tribe and this shows the older side that the people have. Traditional food of the tribe is normally the usual millet, cassava, sorghum etc. More of the staple food due to the plain on where they originate from being a flood plain so the water there is enough to grow such staple foods. Keeping of traditional animals is also done, keeping of cows, cattles, sheep is also one way of life for the Lozi person who resides in the outer skirts of the city and more in the rural area. The herdsmen keep the cattle well and feed so in a circumstance of paying a bridal price by one, they can be received in good shape and health.

Marriage in the Lozi culture was by having girls betrothed in childhood, and married after mwalianjo (initiation); there were no boys' initiation ceremonies. Marriages were done by the payment of a small bride-price. Polygyny is common, but the Lozi do not practice polyandry. Marriages between close relatives, extending to third cousins, are prohibited; some cousin marriages occur despite this prohibition, but with the proviso that they may not be dissolved by divorce.

The religion in this culture was Christianity but because of this being a tribal situation. They were also medicine men, or traditional doctors and that would help these people around and gave them a way of belief. But it was a priority that a Lozi should know and have a close relationship with God. In the traditional world, they were traditional doctors that gave certain people abilities that they didn’t have or wanted, rainmakers were also there to give the people a belief and make sure that rain comes through when there could/would be a drought. Although the Lozi traditional ruler is not a priest, he acts on behalf of the kingdom by presenting a sacrificial animal to the grave custodian when there is a national crisis.

In a simple conclusion to this short brief culture about the Lozi tribe, it is seen that each culture has certain things that are put in place such as laws for marriage, the traditional doctors who give the people a belief in something and also the way of life and how people are taught to be loyal and also that this tribe has a way of celebrating its own culture.