The Misunderstood Importance of Negative Space
- October 3, 2024
- 4:28 pm
Great design utilises negative space and if done correctly, you probably won't even notice.
Negative space, to someone not in the design industry may seem a bit redundant. Why would you choose to make blocks of text, images and graphics further apart from each other? Surely, it’s better to have all the information close together, so the user can view all of the information in one go and not have to wait to see information? Well… not exactly.
The eye naturally appreciates balance and clarity, and negative space achieves this by organising content in a way that allows users to easily digest information. Instead of cramming multiple elements together, and reduces the cognitive load on the user.
As a result, visitors can comfortably follow the flow of information and enjoy a more intuitive browsing experience.
When content is surrounded by ample space, it becomes more prominent, allowing users to focus on it without distractions. This effect is especially useful for guiding users to important information or calls-to-action.
Users are less likely to miss crucial details because their eyes are naturally drawn to each item,
The Apple Site
One of the key benefits of negative space is its ability to draw attention to each element in isolation.
By placing key elements, such as buttons or headlines, in their own space, you ensure they stand out and are noticed quickly, making navigation smoother and more efficient.
Now let's see the same Apple webpage, but this time with the large negative space removed
How does
this make you feel?
Is your attention drawn to each and every element on the page? Are you excited to see what comes next as the page scrolls? Are you able to take in all of the information as easily? Does each element on each section have the same impact as the original version of the page?
Probably not
Negative space is crucial on a webpage to create suspense, excitement and help each elemtn on the page stand out. So don’t be too afraid of it.