White Space in Graphic Design: Much Ado About Nothing?

Editor’s Note: This week’s post comes from Cheryl Wituik of Vortex Visual Concepts, a Registered Graphic Designer from London, Ontario. Cheryl likes to put a different spin on all things design, and in this article she talks about how filling white space with nothin’ at all is actually a good thing! Check out Cheryl’s website and follow her on Twitter.

The title of William Shakespeare’s classic comedy, taken literally, implies that a great fuss is being made over something insignificant, or unimportant. However, I’ve borrowed this title to illustrate just the opposite can be true when talking about graphic design and layout.

Whether we’re designing for print or for the web, it’s extremely important to understand the role that white space plays in our overall design. White space, or negative space as it is also known, is the unused space between text and graphic elements within a composition. My college professor drilled this concept into my head, and it has served me well over the years. I’ve worked with clients who believed that white space is simply empty space screaming to be filled to capacity. While there are certain instances where this approach may be suitable, in the majority of cases, it’ll do more harm than good. And here’s why.

White space is an important graphic design tool

White space is an integral element of design, which enables the objects within it to exist in a state of harmony. The balance between positive and negative space is key to an aesthetically pleasing composition. White space can take the reader on a subtly engineered journey through the design and in this way plays an active role in the overall effectiveness of your layout. The designer’s judicious use of white space can give a page a classic, elegant, professional appearance. Coupled with considered use of typography and photography, white space is viewed as an important tool, with an amazing amount of influence.

A cluttered page strains eyes and patience

When physical space is at a premium, as is often the case in website design, newspaper layout, and magazine advertising for example, white space is often forsaken in order to get as much information on to the page as possible. But it is vital to keep in mind that 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. It can cheapen the overall image you are trying to convey.

Long passages of text, with little breathing room, have been proven to tire the eyes much more quickly than those that are adequately spaced out and given healthy margins and leading. A crowded layout is therefore more often overlooked by potential customers simply because it puts a very real strain on their eyes, and their patience. Ultimately, this negates any investment you’ve made to attract customers in the first place. Your goal therefore should be to make the experience easier and more pleasant for your readers. Help them to feel more relaxed, invite them in, and encourage them to spend more time lingering over your marketing efforts.

Focus on the negative for positive results

Take some time to look through your favourite magazines, browse through websites and other material to see which layouts you are drawn to more frequently. Chances are, you’ll begin to notice a theme. Contrary to advice you would expect to hear, I challenge you to focus on the negative while working on your next project. I guarantee you’ll see more positive results.

Much ado about nothing? You bet!

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