2025-10-20 – Weekly Graphic Design News : The origin of A4 vs Letter

Last week, our community engaged in a range of discussions, from evaluating job opportunities to delving into design history. The thread about remote roles continued to gain traction, with many members sharing their experiences and benefits of working from home. There was also a lively debate over the origins of paper sizes A4 and Letter, sparking curiosity about design standards. Additionally, solo designers explored lightweight CRM options to streamline their workflows.


This Week’s Hot Topics

Would You Take This Job? Graphic Designer — Homebuilding Industry
This discussion focuses on a graphic design role in the homebuilding sector. It’s a chance to explore how design skills can be applied in a niche industry.
Read more here

2025-10-16 – Weekly Graphic Design Jobs : Remote roles on the rise
Remote work continues to be a hot topic. This thread shares current remote job openings and trends, offering insights for those looking to make a switch.
Read more here

Lightweight CRM for solo designers
Solo designers are discussing CRM tools that can help manage client relationships without overwhelming complexity. It’s practical advice for the self-employed.
Read more here

A4 vs Letter origin story
A fascinating dive into the history of A4 and Letter paper sizes. This thread uncovers how these standards came to be and their impact on design.
Read more here

Cold outreach that doesn’t feel spammy
Members are sharing techniques for contacting potential clients in a way that feels genuine and professional. Useful for anyone looking to expand their client base.
Read more here


Thank you for staying engaged with our community. Your contributions and discussions make this a valuable space for all designers. Until next time, keep creating and sharing your insights.

I keep separate InDesign presets for A4 and Letter because the aspect ratio change will subtly shift grids and footers; when a US client needs an EU layout, I export A4 to Letter at 94–95% and re-check line breaks. Auto-scale in Acrobat works for proofs, but for brand work it can crop bleeds; a quick read on ISO sizes explains why the math fights you (ISO 216 - Wikipedia). It’s like squeezing a poster into a slightly smaller frame.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‌​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‍​​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‌​‌⁠‍‌‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌‍⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠​​‌​​‍‌‍‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍​⁠‌​‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌‍‍​​⁠‌​​⁠‌​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌