When I was learning how to layout a print magazine, I read as many of these beginner level tutorials as I could stomach. But, no matter how much I read, I would

When I was learning how to layout a print magazine, I read as many of these beginner level tutorials as I could stomach. But, no matter how much I read, I would always be left thinking, "what the hell do I actually do?" So, I went out and bought a dozen magazines that I liked the looks of, then grabbed a ruler and starting taking measurements and drawing grids. Sure enough, just as you said, within a couple of hours, I had a very solid sense of how these principles worked in the real world.