The Purpose of Clear Space
Clear space, also called free space or white space, is the minimum amount of space that a logo must have on each side. Hardy (2011) says that defined clear space gives logos room to breathe and protects the integrity of the brand from nearby graphics and copy. Furthermore, clear space around a logo helps designs feel less cluttered or messy, characteristics that you don’t want associated with your brand (LabelValue Team, 2016). This is why it is important to define a logo’s clear space in a brand style guide that can be referenced by printers and designers working with the logo. Without these guidelines, logo usage will be inconsistent and far less effective.
Using Master Pages for Consistent Layouts
Adobe InDesign has many tools to help create professional looking documents and publications. Master pages are one of the most useful tools, especially for longer publications, because they keep layouts consistent across many pages. A master page is like a template that contains elements you may want to repeat on multiple pages such as a background, logo, page number, or guides to aid in design. Applying a master to a page saves time in the design process because the recurring elements only have to be placed once (Mohamed, 2019). This also makes layouts more consistent, requiring the designer to override master page elements that they want to change (Bernardi, 2018). Individually placing a page number on each page could lead to inconsistent positioning and a greater chance of incorrect numbering. Instead, placing a page number element on a master page means the page number will be consistent and accurate no matter how many pages are added or changed.
From Design Brief to Brand Guide
When creating a brand identity, design briefs and brand guides are both used as agreements between a client and designer. A creative design brief is an agreement between the client and the designer on the specifications that will lead to the most effective solution (Hardy, 2011). The brief includes information about the brand and its target audience that guides all design choices, leading to a successful solution to the design problem presented. After a successful brand identity has been created, a brand guide is used as an agreement between the designer and the client to ensure that the successful solution continues to be used effectively and consistently (Chan, 2019). The road map provided by the design brief leads to the solutions presented in the brand guide. In turn, the brand guide is a road map for all future designs and brand media.
References:
Bernardi, S. (2018, May 25). InDesign master pages: save time in your projects. https://redokun.com/blog/indesign-master-pages
Chan, S. (2019). How to create a brand style guide. https://99designs.com/blog/logo-branding/how-to-create-a-brand-style-guide/#inspo
Hardy, G. (2011). Smashing Logo Design: The Art of Creating Visual Identities. Wiley.
LabelValue Team (2016, May 31). What’s clear space? How should I use it for my business branding? https://www.labelvalue.com/blog/custom-label-information/whats-clear-space-how-should-i-use-it-for-my-business-branding.html
Mohamed, I. A. (2019). Mastering Adobe InDesign 2020. Packt Publishing.
Joshua Siegel's Mastery Journal 