What is Negative Space?

Negative space is a very important element in graphic designing. It is referred to as the blank space or the space which takes up the background. It is the space which is not occupied by the objects in the foreground. It plays a very important role in your logo design, in your website or even in the photograph. Too much clutter can make the picture or the logo appear untidy or confusing.

Importance of Negative Space

It should be noted, before we move onto the benefits of the negative space, that negative space does not refer to just the white space. It can be of another color too, just that it should clearly differentiate from the objects in the front. Negative space helps the viewers to get a break from the main objects and hence helps them absorb the information or the message being sent to them. Negative space can also be used to build up the flow of information on your page. It helps the viewer to follow a pattern and grasp information in an order. It also helps maintain symmetry in a design and makes the picture or the web page look aesthetic rather than haphazard. You can also use negative space to emphasize your viewer’s attention on a specific point. You can build up the flow in such a way that the viewer’s attention is caught on that object.

Using negative space can be a bit tricky. Where it can add texture and flow to your design, it can also end up making your picture look empty or badly proportionate if it is not used correctly. Hence, you need to make sure you incorporate negative space in a balanced way. Do not let all the space be taken up by the negative space and leave just a small area to the positive image (positive image refers to the objects or the focus pieces in your work). Make sure you balance out the two well. Giving too much space to the foreground can also be a bad idea as it can make your picture appear too full with the object. The right balance of negative and positive spaces will be the best choice. To get to this right balance, you might have to try a several times and compare your designs and pick the one which looks balanced. However, you can allot a big part of your design to negative space too, provided that you use it correctly. But adding too many different objects in the foreground can really make your picture or the design look cluttered and confusing for the viewer. It will not be pleasing for the eyes to see such a thing. Moreover, grasping the message that is being sent out can also be difficult.

Hence, seeing how important negative space is, you can start to add it in the right way to your design. Negative space is used in all sorts of design, such as fine arts, and is not just limited to graphic designing. Use it wisely!