Headings on Baseline grid

[doubleM116]

Hi, 

I’m relatively new to working with InDesign and am currently designing a book layout.

I have a baseline grid set up (see attachment). My body text size is 12pt, with a leading of 18pt.
My issue is: how do I get my headlines (see attachment) to properly match the baseline grid? (Or do they even need to be on the baseline grid? If not, how do I ensure consistency?) Currently, if I align my headings to "all lines" on the baseline grid, it disrupts the leading when the text spans two lines. If I take it off the baseline or just align it to the first line, I feel like the spacing is not very consistent.

Thank you for any help! 

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

If a style is set to use the Baseline grid, it will snap to the first grid line that is less than the style's total height. Unless your heading is less than (or equal to) 18 points in leading/line spacing and space above, it will skip a grid line (or two, or three) to snap to the first one it "fits." (Space below will apply to following text, of course, forcing it down in one-line increments as needed.)

Note also that you can define a different height/starting location for the first baseline in each text box, so if your pages always start with a heading, you can adjust that first baseline to always fit the heading precisely. (There are also additional twiddles to this setting so that you can position the first line by various typeface dimensions.)

Using a baseline grid is a fairly advanced technique with a lot of subtle aspects and needs. The simple asnwer is not to use it unless absolutely necessary, and IME it's rarely necessary and not always an asset for a layout.

[Derek Cross]

A baseline grid is an excellent use of the facility for a book (novel/biography style).

Use Paragraph Styles throughout and (depending on the design), perhaps a full-one for the first paragraph and an indented one for subsequent paragraphs.
I suggest for your 12/18 body text you set the baseline grid to 9pt so that you align every other line for your text and it will give you more flexibility for space around subheadings and similar. Headings can be multiples of 9pt (e.g. 18pt).

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

All true. But I find the grid — and the half-height setting — much more useful in complex layouts. If you optimize your few styles for a flowing-text layout, the baseline lock becomes largely redundant. It shouldn't be used as a crutch for an inexperienced (or just sloppy) designer to try and get perfect page rigidity.

All IMHO, of course. 🙂

[Derek Cross]

That's the way I do it!