When Designing - Less is More

The traditional education system is changing. With all these innovations, people are becoming more confident and willing to learn by themselves. The graphic design world is evolving, with many entrepreneurs marketing and promoting themselves.

Don’t get me wrong, all this innovation is fantastic, especially as our educational programs begin to support and incorporate social-emotional learning that, in turn, produces confident, creative individuals with the desire to create, impact and succeed.

Yet, how many of us try to overcompensate in what we do as we look to get better, stand out, and get noticed? I remember in 8th Grade when our teacher spoke of the quote, “An empty vessel makes the loudest sound” while I don’t remember the source for this quote, the image of her flinging the giant empty trash across the silent and dumbfounded classroom is still vividly in my mind.

It makes me wonder why many designs fail to incorporate white space. While it may be how our minds think in this overcluttered world we navigate, the white space in your designs creates a moment of relief for your reader, helping you get noticed. Recently I was asked to rework a design that someone else created. There was more information that I needed to include. How would I fit in everything - would people read it? Would it get noticed?

In graphic design, white space refers to the blank or empty area surrounding a page's elements. White space helps give your audience's eyes a rest from the “clutter” of your design. It also helps break up a layout and provides visual interest. White space is essential in graphic design because an audience's eyes crave a break from the clutter. In addition, it can call attention to the critical elements, callouts, and, most importantly, the messaging you want your reader to notice.

Remember, white space does not have to be white; the area in the design gives the reader a rest from the colors and elements of the page so they can focus on your messaging. The easiest way to do this is by creating space around the heading or title of your design. As you do this, try incorporating imagery within the text so your readers can understand your event and engage.