The intent of this blog is not to prove a point or to attempt to give any kind of design lecture but more so it is an opportunity to remind myself and others of an important design principle that I learned way back when in design school and am often guilty of forgetting. The general principle is that white space or absence of content (pictures or copy) can be effective in advertising.
As advertising producers, trying to make the most of our clients' budgets, we're constantly looking for ways to maximize our impact within the confines of premium advertising space. So why would we consider leaving any unoccupied space within a 15 second television ad or in an expensive magazine space? Because white (negative) space can draw a reader in and create hierarchy while enhancing the imagery and copy within its space. As general rule of thumb, when creating a layout, I was taught to use one-third copy, a third photo/image and a third negative space.
White space should not be considered merely 'blank' space - it is an important element of design that enables objects in it to exist. Balancing figure and ground is key to the overall aesthetic and can make the perceived image more clear.
A page crammed full of text or graphics with very little white space runs the risk of appearing busy, cluttered, and is typically difficult to read. Strategic use of empty space can create powerful contrast and give a layout important breathing room which ultimately gives headlines and text better readability. In today's era of information bombardment... with streaming web content on the iPod Touch, BlackBerrys and Kindles, a resting spot for a reader becomes ever-so refreshing; we could all use a spot to rest our weary eyes from content overload.
Get my drift?
