NEGATIVE = POSITIVE

(Today's blog comes from our designers' den, courtesy of one Jake Dugard.)

Negative space, as defined by About.com, is "the area of [an] image not occupied by shapes or forms," and so it goes without saying that positive space is the area of the image that is occupied by an object.

Unfortunately, in the advertising world (and in design in general) money is tight and so is space, so clients often demand to fill up every inch.

Although space is limited, negative space must still be created. When a design is packed full, it doesn't allow the viewer the ability to understand information as quick as he/she would in a design where the positive and negative space balance out. Wikipedia puts it nicely: "This basic and often overlooked principle of design gives the eye a 'place to rest,' increasing the appeal of a composition through subtle means."

When text is used in a design, negative space becomes even more crucial. Dong Hyun Lee wrote his thesis on the subject of negative space and typography. He states, “Negative space provides a flexible way to control visual hierarchy (emphasizing and distinguishing primary, secondary and tertiary information). The function of negative space plays a significant role in contributing to the effective readability of text typography.”

Today's tip is this: allow a flow of negative space throughout your composition to create a balanced design and allow for an easier visual hierarchy of elements on the page. Negative must equal positive, and designers must be able to defend this principle to clients who want to cover the page with information.