White Space

When you look at the magazine or newspaper, the messages on the words and images are the major things. Designers not only deal with visual elements but also have to consider the readability. Therefore, foreground and background need a good integration. Because the background will effectively influence the vision of reader. In the same way, the rest space is as important as text and image.

White space is often referred to as negative space in graphic design. In fact, there are many logos that applied negative space in design, such as WWF, USA Network, Carrefour, Guild of Food Writers logo. It can be seen that they all present an interested secret and connect with the surroundings.

Images from Logo Design Love

According to John Maeda said on Laws of Simplicity,

The opportunity lost by increasing the amount of blank space is gained back with enhanced attention on what remains. More white space means that less information is presented. In turn, proportionately more attention shall be paid to that which is made less available. When there is less, we appreciate everything much more.

It means negative space can lead the audience to give more notice on logo. In visual psychology, Kanizsa triangle also uses the characteristics of human vision to attach the background. People can recognize the shape without the line.

In addition, I do an exercise to testify the negative space in typeface. The typeface is Arial font. Because Arial font is one of common font now. Firstly, putting the font into square and using the background to illustrate the letter.

Then, it can be seen that the black background look like white letter in black background. I use the white background with black line to make the word. In addition, cooperating two ways at one word to see the result.

Although the letters lack some lines, the audience still can base on the shape to see the letter. Designers can use this advantage to create any outline for their concept. Additionally, negative space in logo design shows the simplicity and gives the audience to see a symbol in two ways.

[Book] Simplicity

Edward de Bono (born 19 May 1933, in Malta) is a physician, author, inventor, and consultant. He thought that the major problems in thinking are perceptual. There were many mistakes which quickly jump to the wrong conclusion. Therefore, he made a term which is lateral thinking. In addition, he continued to invent many ways of creative thinking. Nowadays, the six thinking hats already is a thinking tool in schools.

From the book “Simplicity”, he shows different kinds of thinking ways about simplicity. For instance, he uses another way of thinking to express how make things simple and practical.

If you have to learn a sequence of ABCD you would usually learn A first and then B and then C and then D. This means that you are always moving from an area you know very well to an area you do not know. The chances of making a diversion or a mistake are very high. Much learning time is spent unlearning mistakes.

When you learn backwards, you learn D first and then C and then B and finally A. In this way you are always moving forward into an area you already know.

Furthermore, he points out the major use for thinking. It shows the purpose of simplicity.

The major use for thinking is not in problem solving but in improving what we are doing and finding new things to do.

In order to convey the simplicity, he also invented a simple game which called the L Game.

It is a social justice game because you cannot win by winning.
If you try too hard to win you lose.

In addition, there are 14 formal methods of lateral thinking introduced in this book. In my opinion, every method is very useful for understanding the simplicity. “Historical Review” let the user to think about the necessity of object at the beginning of process. “Modules and Smaller Units” presents the organization are built by small units. It could be simpler for repair. In other way, the thing is more complicated than before.

Finally, he talked about the simple life. Everyone should understand the values, priorities and considerations to control the complicity in our life. In last chapter, he gives the ten rules of simplicity to remind the readers.

Further information:
Edward de Bono - discusses his Simplicity workshop

[Book] The Laws of Simplicity

John Maeda is a Japanese-American graphic designer, computer scientist and author, grew up in a tofu factory in Seattle. He is the current President of the Rhode Island School of Design, At RISD. John Maeda also is a MIT Media Lab.'s professor (director of the aesthetics + computation group). People who are interested in digital art design must have heard that John Maeda is the pioneer of digital art and design.

The Laws of Simplicity which are written by John Maeda has ten laws and three keys. In the book, he used different kind of examples to explain each law. For example, he used the sushi master and the refund policy to testify Law 8 Trust. At the beginning, the reason he wrote this book is according as two words, simplicity and complexity. They both have three letters, M I T. This evidence convinces him to advocate "simplicity” and balance the "complexity".

Each law in the book is generally independent and can be used together. There are three sets, which are 1 to 3, 4 to 6 and 7 to 9. You also can find that John Maeda apply the law in his book. For example, he suggested that the reader can read 1 to 3 and then skip to Law 10. Because Law 3 is talking about Time.

So, what is simplicity? In the area of architecture, there is a theory called minimalism. Less is more. The beauty of building is generated in the contact of light and shadow. In technology, simplicity sells in High-Tech gadgets. Products not only have high performance but also need to use easily. In graphic design, simplicity is important for a logo. A simple logo design is easy to remember and recollect for an audience. It can easily catch the attention of a target customer towards product or the advertisement or the company itself.

On the lecture in TED, George Whitesides: Toward a science of simplicity

He talks about complexity have different layers of simplicity. On the other way, Simple idea contains complex process. Finally, he adduces two quotations to explain the simplicity.

Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler. - Albert Einstein

Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. - Antoine de Saint-Exupery French writer (1900 - 1944)

On the lecture in TED, Eric Berlow: How complexity leads to simplicity

He said that the more you can zoom out and embrace complexity, the better chance you have of zooming on the simple details that matter most.

Everyone has their thought about simplicity. For John Maeda, he thinks simplicity is life. In my opinion, I think simplicity is complexity. So, what is simplicity for you? Hope you can share your opinion with me.

Further information:

The Laws of Simplicity - website
John Maeda on the simple life - TED Talk