Guidelines calculation

[caliken]

 

The purpose of this topic is to explain a very simple method of producing guidelines at any size for writing practice. If, for example, your lined sheet has lines spaced at 5mm, and you want to use lines at 6.8mm apart you can enlarge it to 136% either with a computer programme and an inkjet printer

or at your local copyshop. The formula is very simple and quick. Memorise this phrase "divide the size you want by the size it is now". In other words, with a pocket calculator, divide 6.8 by 5 and move the point two places to the right. This gives you 136%.

 

Here's some more :-

 

5mm to 9.3mm = 186%

4mm to 4.6mm = 115%

5mm to 11.2mm= 224%

6mm to 3.5mm = 58.3%

 

I use this all the time. If I want lettering with an x height of 4 pen widths, for example, I measure the size I want, apply the formula and copy to the correct percentage! It's as simple as that.

 

I hope that this is of some use.

 

Ken

[MarieD]

Thanks for the info Ken...very useful. Quite a few times I have downloaded guideline sheets that look ok

and when I have printed them out they are not suitable.

[vidalia11]

Maybe I'm stupid, but when I make a reduction, there is this tiny grid in the middle of the paper.

 

Karen

Edited March 27, 2009 by vidalia11

[Renzhe]

You can draw your own rules with vector graphics editors like Adobe Illustrator. Open source ones are Inkscape and OpenOffice Draw.

[caliken]

Maybe I'm stupid, but when I make a reduction, there is this tiny grid in the middle of the paper.

 

Karen

 

That's a good point, Karen. It's most useful for enlargements. When I need them, I produce reductions using Coreldraw and I patch them together on screen to fill A4 size.

 

 

Ken