Why is white space so important in graphics?

In the beginning it was the blank sheet , the fear of every creative. Who has never been in awe in front of a blank sheet?

I think of the writer looking for the most suitable word to start his novel, or of the painter who with little inspiration struggles to break the blank canvas with the first brushstroke, or who? To the mathematician in search of the perfect formula. Or why not, to the architect who finds himself in front of a white and empty space… fear or challenge?

Adrenaline rises, a whirlwind of unique emotions envelops you and the thought begins to grow and take shape, the creative process begins and now we just have to let it out and see what comes out!

The purpose of communication is to convey a message and the graphic designer's task is to ensure that this reaches its destination, that it is clear and direct and that it is received.

But what is white space?

White space or negative space is the active element par excellence , it is the one that gives balance to everything, it is the space between the various graphic elements and the air that creates harmony and makes the message uniform.
Yes, even white is a colour , it is the spectrum of all colours, it is the color of pure light and it is the basis of all colours. All colors are born from white.

White is a constant and a certainty, it represents candor, purity and balance. In any form of representation there must be balance which can be dictated by the union of the elements, by the combination of colors, or by the space.

What distinguishes white space is that it is often associated with the idea of emptiness and absence.
When it comes to graphics and especially within the text, the white space is what regulates and transmits the pause signal to our brain , facilitating reading and facilitating the understanding of the contents. Especially when dealing with important texts, white spaces are essential because they mark the reading.

Empty space communicates, even if the power of white and absence is often forgotten.
In graphics, it is the white space between the elements that acts as an empty space and guides the attention of the viewer towards texts and images . The white areas are essential to emphasize the elements, and to give readability to the entire document.

White space can be divided into two components: macro space and micro space , based on how they are distributed within the page layout.

The white space macro

It is the space between the most important elements of the layout, it indicates the distance between the main elements of the page, the margins and the padding of a layout or of a website (e.g. the Google homepage).

The micro white space

Instead, it is the space between one paragraph and another , between a title and the beginning of the text, between images or between an image and its caption, but also the space between words (tracking) or between the letters (kerning).
The micro space is therefore fundamental for reading the text within a layout and for distributing the various elements within the page.

One of the strengths of white space is that if used correctly, it creates harmony between the elements, making it easier to read.

Which of the two examples reads better?

The second one! The contents are distributed within the page in the most appropriate way, with the correct line spacing, ensuring that the user interested in the content completes the reading.

Readability of information

The information must be transmitted clearly, for this reason it is essential to make use of clear, easily readable fonts, the dimensions must be proportionate, neither too small nor too large, and the balance of the text must be dictated by the white space and with the correct line spacing. (see example above)

It is essential to use the negative space to highlight the title and any subtitle. Capturing attention and guiding reading in an orderly and above all intuitive way.

Question of balance

What concerns the graphics needs order and balance, and this is established and determined not only by the elements and contents, by the alignments, by the grids and also by the white space.

The latter identifies a useful space. Often there is a tendency to overload the space with information, then incurring the opposite effect to the desired one, that is, chaos is generated. But you don't have to go from one excess to another, what you need to find is the right balance between the various elements, making the space harmonious, legible and clear.

But achieving the correct balance isn't easy, you need a trained eye, negative space can help, arranging all the contents correctly.

The use of white space and the balance between various graphic elements often result in an elegant layout .

Importance of content

Each element has a different specific weight within the page: the logo, the images, the texts.

Indispensable is the coherence of the message and the contents , thus using the white space to increase or decrease the attention on particular elements of the page.

In fact, the eye tends to scroll the page quickly, stopping for a few fractions of a second on what is defined as interesting content, only after this first view of the page does it then proceed to an in-depth reading of the information.

A simple rule to follow when designing a layout is: the more white space that surrounds the content, the greater the viewer's perception of that particular content compared to the rest of the page.

White space in the brand

As already mentioned, the white color has multiple meanings, the white space is often linked to the concepts of legibility and practicality, when it comes to brands it also acquires another value, in fact it transmits messages of elegance, luxury and order , as well as being connected to the concept of minimalism and simple, clean lines.

The choice of white and therefore the preparation of a dedicated space within a company's advertising communications is synonymous with elegance and awareness.

Think of the main brands that have made these elements their strong point, creating a simple, elegant and clean coordinated image. Examples are Apple, Google, Mercedes, Audi, Nike, and Adidas, each of these brands has interpreted white in its own way, making it a plus.

To recap

Many people consider white space as wasted and unused space when in reality it is a powerful weapon for conveying a message or effective for creating graphics for a website or a brochure or an advertising campaign.

Thanks to the white space it is possible to enhance certain elements, improve the readability of the text, make the graphic layout more fluid, avoiding weighing down the page by inserting too much content.

Also remember, before completing a job, take some time, abandon the focus on the project and come back to it after a while, many things by always keeping an eye on them can get out of your control!