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I've always used a baseline grid until now for magazines up to 90 pages, but this magazine will be around 190 pages - it is more like a book - so do I need to make it with text aligned to baseline grid?
Which option is more professional and what method is used for creating some of the best magazines in the world? Or it is a matter of style how I would like to work? I have an idea about aligning to baseline grid only body text, would that be correct?
My answer is yes, you should use a baseline grid, but focus this on the most used style which is probably body text. Nobody will be forcing you to use it, its probably your choice, but some clients know about this and will specifically require you use it.
Body text is generally the main reason to use a baseline grid, especially when working with multiple columns of text. When working on 190 pages it is probably impossible (too time consuming) to align everything to the grid, as some titles with a larger font size/leading combo could need exceptions built into the style (baseline shifting or custom baseline). Also graphic elements, tables in particular, if needed, are tricky to align to the baseline grid.
What you can do is go to one of those media/press shops, like they have in airports, and look at some lifestyle magazines. See how they use the grid.
I have a copy of Monocle here (240 pages) and can tell you they do use a baseline grid, but not all text styles are aligned to it. Body text is always sticking to the grid, but other styles don't and they probably also use vertical justification in some cases to make it "look" like some text boxes (not body text) are aligned.
