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Using White Space in Your Web Design |  |
April 24, 2007
by Kate Robb
Design Programs Columnist
A web designer's work is never done. In a virtual world full of flashing banner ads and running marques, white space offers a much-needed breath of fresh air. But it's rarely on a client's list of requests, and it's harder to include than it might seem.
The Effect of Empty Space
White space, also called "negative space," often simply refers to the space between the larger elements of composition. In its simplest presentation, white space makes the page design enjoyable for the viewer because it less crowded. Some web site designers also use it to "create a feeling of sophistication and elegance for upscale brands," says British graphic designer Mark Boulton.
All the Shades of White
Though all white space is empty of design elements, it can also be considered active or passive. Passive white space lives around the outside edges of text, between lines of text and between images; it gives us the breathing room. Active white space is left deliberately blank to emphasize certain content.
When Smaller is Smarter and Better
Boulton suggests that one way to get more white space into your web design is to include micro white space. He says that micro white space is "the space between smaller elements: between list items, between a caption and an image, or between words and letters. The itty-bitty stuff."
Working with micro white space can give you a way to include your clients' content and work with the white space around, between and outside the content to create a visually pleasing, effective web design.
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About the Author
Kate Robb is a freelance writer and university professor.
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