{"id":2651,"date":"2025-01-15T14:28:34","date_gmt":"2025-01-15T14:28:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kittlb-26937.roald-dfw.servebolt.cloud\/layout-tools\/"},"modified":"2026-01-30T07:18:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T07:18:14","slug":"layout-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kittl.com\/blogs\/layout-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"Layout tools: rulers and guides, grids, and margins for precise layouts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Precision editing is required for any professional design tool, and precise layouts are a pillar of professional design. That\u2019s why we\u2019re introducing a new set of layout tools including rulers and guides, grids, and margins in Kittl to make it easy for you to create clean, balanced designs without interrupting your workflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Built with professional designers in mind, these tools provide everything you need to craft layouts that adhere to design principles like alignment, balance, and hierarchy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How it works<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Turn on the grid<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Go to <strong>View &gt; Grid<\/strong> in the main menu or use the shortcut <strong>Command + (apostrophe).<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Snap objects to the grid by holding <strong>Shift<\/strong> while moving them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Adjust the grid size in the same menu.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Enable rulers and guides<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Go to <strong>View &gt; Rulers and Guides<\/strong> in the main menu or use the shortcut <strong>Shift + R<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Drag guides from the rulers to align elements precisely.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Activate margins<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Go to <strong>View &gt; Margin<\/strong> in the main menu to display margin guides for safe zones.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Select measurement units<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Go to <strong>Settings <\/strong>in the main menu and select between <strong>pixels, inches, or millimeters<\/strong> for your project.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.prismic.io\/kittlblog\/Z4e69ZbqstJ99fW2_Kittl%E2%80%93LayoutTools_3.png?auto=format,compress\" alt=\"Layout Tools in Kittl\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key features of Layout Tools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rulers and guides<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rulers along the top and side of the canvas, with support for pixels, inches, and millimeters. Drag-and-drop guides that snap to objects, ruler increments, and artboards. Visibility toggle and keyboard shortcuts for easy access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Margins<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Define uniform or custom margins to establish safe zones. Use visual indicators to keep margins distinct from regular guides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Intelligent snapping<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elements snap to guides, ruler markings, and other objects. Dynamic snapping ensures precision during resizing and repositioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bleed settings (coming soon)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Set bleed areas to ensure your designs are print-ready. Use visual indicators to keep bleeds distinct from regular guides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Grid systems (coming soon)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Apply standard grid presets (e.g., 12-column layouts, rule-of-thirds). Customize grid parameters such as column spacing, row counts, and margins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key benefits<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Professional results<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Achieve clean, balanced layouts that align with principles like hierarchy, contrast, and white space \u2013 perfect for both digital and print designs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Time-saving tools<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Snapping, presets, and easy-to-use guides streamline alignment and spacing, so you can focus on creativity instead of manual adjustments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Print readiness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Export your work with proper margins to meet industry standards and ensure seamless printing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Unified workflow<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kittl facilitates an uninterrupted end-to-end workflow so you have everything you need for professional layout design in one platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.prismic.io\/kittlblog\/Z4e69JbqstJ99fW1_Kittl%E2%80%93LayoutTools_2.png?auto=format,compress\" alt=\"Rulers and guide tools in Kittl\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Use cases<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Print and marketing materials<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ensure posters, brochures, and flyers are print-ready with precise margins without having to use a separate layout tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Digital and web design<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Use rulers, guides, and (soon) customizable grid systems to create responsive layouts for websites, UI work, and digital ads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Social media graphics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Align text, images, and design elements with guides and snapping for polished, visually appealing social media content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Brand templates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Define reusable layouts with consistent margins and alignment for scalable brand asset creation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.prismic.io\/kittlblog\/Z4e69pbqstJ99fW3_Kittl%E2%80%93LayoutTools.png?auto=format,compress\" alt=\"Brand guide layout tools screenshot\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why this matters<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kittl users have long enjoyed our ease of use for creating print-on-demand designs. We\u2019ve gotten plenty of feedback from you on the importance of precise layout control and print readiness, and we\u2019ve known firsthand that this is a requirement for professional design projects. We\u2019re pleased with this first batch of layout tools and you can expect many more improvements to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-fe48e5de wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-theme-palette-9-color has-theme-palette-3-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/app.kittl.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Try Layout Tools \u2192<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Precision editing is required for any professional design tool, and precise layouts are a pillar of professional design. That\u2019s why we\u2019re introducing a new set of layout tools including rulers and guides, grids, and margins in Kittl to make it easy for you to create clean, balanced designs without interrupting your workflow. Built with professional&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":8514,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[319],"tags":[90,620],"class_list":["post-2651","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-product-updates","tag-features","tag-recommended"],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":319,"label":"Product Updates"}],"post_tag":[{"value":90,"label":"Features"},{"value":620,"label":"Recommended"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/www.kittl.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1layouttools-1024x470.jpeg",1024,470,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Kittl","author_link":"https:\/\/www.kittl.com\/blogs\/author\/kittl\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":319,"name":"Product Updates","slug":"product-updates","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":319,"taxonomy":"category","description":"Stay up to date with the latest product updates from Kittl. Explore new features, improvements, and AI-powered tools designed to enhance your graphic design workflow. See what\u2019s new and get inspired to create more with every release.","parent":0,"count":33,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":319,"category_count":33,"category_description":"Stay up to date with the latest product updates from Kittl. Explore new features, improvements, and AI-powered tools designed to enhance your graphic design workflow. 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