I'm seeking some guidance here. I've read a lot of information online and I generally understand how vertical rhythm works. However, when I visit websites like Behance or Awwards, I notice that not all of them strictly adhere to vertical rhythm, yet they still manage to achieve harmony in their designs.
So, my question is how do designers currently utilize vertical rhythm? Do they apply it to all elements or only specific ones? Any insights about the use of vertical rhythm in web design would be greatly appreciated.

Could you please provide some tips on creating vertical harmony in layouts?

Designers currently utilize vertical rhythm in various ways depending on the specific design goals and aesthetic preferences. While some designers strictly adhere to vertical rhythm guidelines, others use it as a starting point and then make adjustments based on their creative vision.

In terms of application, designers typically apply vertical rhythm to key elements that have a significant impact on the overall harmony of the layout. This often includes headings, text blocks, and other prominent content areas. By aligning these important elements according to a consistent vertical rhythm, designers create a sense of visual cohesion and balance.

However, not all elements necessarily need to follow the vertical rhythm. Designers often make deliberate choices to break the rhythm for certain elements, such as images, icons, or decorative elements, in order to introduce visual interest and variation. This allows them to create focal points or guide the user's attention to specific areas of the design.

When it comes to creating vertical harmony in layouts, here are a few tips:

1. Establish a baseline: Set a consistent base line height for your text elements. This will serve as the foundation for your overall vertical rhythm.

2. Grid-based approach: Utilize a grid system to define the vertical spacing between different elements. Grid frameworks like Bootstrap provide predefined classes for vertical rhythm, making it easier to implement.

3. Proportional scaling: Scale the vertical spacing according to the hierarchy of your elements. For example, you might have tighter spacing between headings and more generous spacing between paragraphs.

4. Consistency is key: Maintain a consistent vertical rhythm throughout the design to create a sense of harmony and continuity. This helps to establish a visual rhythm that is pleasing to the eye.

5. Flexibility and variation: While adhering to vertical rhythm is important, don't be afraid to break or modify it when necessary. Introduce variations and adjust the vertical spacing to add visual interest and hierarchy to your design.

tips to help you create vertical harmony in your layouts:

1. Use whitespace effectively: Along with vertical rhythm, whitespace plays a crucial role in creating a harmonious layout. Leave enough space between elements to provide breathing room and avoid clutter. This helps to improve readability and overall visual balance.

2. Consider the typeface: Different typefaces have varying x-heights, ascenders, and descenders, which can impact the vertical rhythm. Adjust the line heights and spacing accordingly to ensure that the text aligns properly and maintains a consistent rhythm.

3. Pay attention to line length: The length of your lines of text can affect the vertical rhythm as well. If the lines are too long, it can make the text harder to read and disrupt the overall flow. Aim for a comfortable line length that allows for easy scanning and legibility.

4. Test with real content: When designing with vertical rhythm, it's important to test your layouts using real content. Placeholder text can give you a general idea, but using actual content will help you see how the elements interact and ensure that your vertical rhythm is consistent across different sections and pages.

5. Iterate and refine: Design is an iterative process, so don't be afraid to make adjustments as needed. Take the time to step back, review your design, and make refinements to achieve the desired level of vertical harmony. Remember, what works for one design may not work for another, so always tailor your approach to align with the specific goals and aesthetics of your project.

The grid is used for the vertical rhythm. However, the horizontal grid is adjusted by the layout columns (8/12/16/24), and any two columns have the same width at any screen width. For instance, the header and the body of the post columns have the same width. In this case, the vertical rhythm is regulated by vertical margins, font size, and interlining.

We follow the main font size to establish the rhythm. Margins and paddings are set as multiples, and the sizes of non-basic elements are also multiples. The most convenient grid is 8-pixel, resulting in font sizes, margins, and interlinages of 2/4/8/12/16/24.

You may wonder why it's called 8-pixel when multiples of four pixels (6/10/14/20) are excluded from the set of sizes. If we count in em, the margins and interlining will always be 0.25/0.5/1/1.25/1.5/2, and so on.

Of course, there can be exceptions to these rules. For example, you can deviate and set the font size of an element to 13 or 17. However, in order to deviate, the rules must exist in the first place.

Some time ago, I was also interested in this topic. It is crucial to adhere strictly to the vertical rhythm when designing printed materials with multiple columns of text. However, in web design, this can be seen as an unnecessary restriction and complication since CSS does not handle baselines effectively. Instead, a simple solution would be to select a module size (such as 4, 5, or 6 pixels) and align the elements accordingly.