Breaking the grid

Ray-gun magazine is a prime example of a leading publication that plays on breaking of the grid to ensure their own distinct design style. Ray-gun’s visual identity rejects the grid system completely, designers experiment with styles such as punk, new wave and digital expressionism to break the standard grid use. The designers in these covers appear to have begun with a grid system to create an effective design and then developed the placing of the elements in a new way to achieve a more unique dynamic effect within their design.

Usually within a grid system the layout is based around the needs of the content, whereas the methods that can be seen above, shows a different approach in which the content is placed in a non-digital style. This is evident in the lack of consistency when it comes to choice of typeface, and its placement, varying not only between each edition but also on each of the covers. The type used on the page appear to be letterpress further extending the handmade feel to the document. Handmade techniques are further represented in the image on the bottom, in which the image appears to be repeated in a press replication process.