“ A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention” 

-Hebert Simon.

Whether it be print collaterals, corporate identity or a website, the best element you could ever apply to a design is the one thing that’s been on the page before you even start…space. I will be showing the importance of space through its relationship between elements and how it affects the overall appearance and aesthetic.

“White space”, or “negative space”, is referred to as the space between graphical elements around a subject. These elements vary from text, images, shapes, etc. When used properly, it can be very effective! It often relates to importance, elegance and professionalism. Space is beautiful. Space shows sophistication. Space shows you know how to use it. So don’t be afraid of using it!

A good designer knows the space surrounding an object is just as important as the object itself.  Someone who is inexperienced would oftentimes overlook this technique. Negative space guides your reader’s eye from one point to another and brings balance to a composition. It helps define a subject and its value to the overall layout. Without it, text would be unreadable. Graphics and images would lose their emphasis and overall impact and the message gets lost!

Sometimes people are so caught up in trying to convey a message that they overlook how to portray the message.  The biggest mistake one can make is to clutter the space available with text, boxes, charts, images, etc. A Cluttered layout will tire the eye quickly and hinder clarity. While using a clean layout that utilizes negative space properly, the clearer your message becomes.

Design is intuitive. You need to trust your gut feeling that things are working with each other rather than having them competing for attention. It just feels right. Negative space is essential to all great designs. The examples below show how to effectively use negative space.