You may have seen and heard of white space in design, but why is it so essential in design?
The rule of thumb in design is less is more. In this case, the ‘less’ refers to ‘white space’—the space between elements of design like text and images. Often referred to as negative space, the space is not necessarily white; it may be of any color that takes up the in-between space. We have summarized the importance of white space below.
01. Improves readability
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Images and text directly deliver messages to the viewers, but if you’re not careful, they can turn into a huge mess of unnecessary clutter that is hard to understand. This is where the white space comes in handy. When thoughtfully applied, white space can enhance and improve the readability, allowing readers to easily understand the design.
(Image via The Dieline)
(Image via The Dieline)
02. Creates focus
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Using white space in between the elements of your design allows the viewers to focus on what you want to advertise. White space is easy on the eyes, so adding it in design creates balance and prevents your design from being overcrowded (which is a nightmare).
(Image via The Dieline)
(Image via The Dieline)
03. Delivers the message
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Utilizing white space doesn’t only balance the whole design, it also creates a visually appealing and relaxing effect. After eliminating unnecessary clutters pasted over the background and utilizing the right amount of white space, your ideas can get across easily to your viewers. The result? A stand out message.
(Image via Orkha)
(Image via The Dieline)
This isn’t to say that the more white space the better; the rule of thumb is to carefully manipulate the right amount of white space so that other elements can be perceived as efficiently as possible. To be mindful to not go over the top is always the key to creating design that speaks volume.