Graphic design
Tschichold's rules

Jan Tschichold
Jan Tschichold (1902-1974) was one of the great book designers of the 20th century. He examined and measured many books from the medieval and renaissance periods trying to find "rules" for a pleasing design of book margins. He summarized his investigations in a book published in 1955.



Tschichold recommended a 2:3:4:6 ratio among inner, top, outer, and bottom margins. For example:




Redesign a book according to Tschichold's rules

Pick any book. Measure the page size, text area, and margin widths.

  • Redesign the book's page so that page height and width, as well as the text area, are the same as that of the original book, but the margins satisfy Tschichold's rules.









  • Page Design

    Book design: an experimental investigation
    Saving paper
    The importance margins
    Tschichold's rules
    Designing an invitation
    Designing an ad
    The Golden Rectangle