9 White Space tips, tutorials, techniques & resources
The Value Of White Space
"White space is a design term that refers to space that isn't occupied by text, images, or other visible page elements. The amount and use of white space is a key component of a page's readability and legibility."
Reading Online Text: A Comparison of Four White Space Layouts
"In this study, reading performance with four white space layouts was compared. Margins surrounding the text and leading (space between lines) were manipulated to generate the four white space conditions. Results show that the use of margins affected both reading speed and comprehension in that participants read the Margin text slower, but comprehended more than the No Margin text. Participants were also generally more satisfied with the text with margins. Leading was not shown to impact reading performance but did influence overall user preference."
On White Space in Graphic Design
"White space is nothing. White space is the absence of content. White space does not hold content in the way that a photograph or text holds meaning and yet it gives meaning and yet it gives meaning, through context, to both image and text. In fact, white space can make or break the effective transmission of image and text."
Give me my web space
"Many Web pages are like my aunts' houses—crowded with do-das and knick-knacks. As a designer, you can choose to make your pages light, if appropriate. Simplicity in Web design can be a very potent technique. This doesn't mean you have to restrict yourself, but that you should place each element with a purpose in mind."
Finding Information on the Web: Does the Amount of Whitespace Really Matter?
"It has been a long-held notion that the use of open space or "whitespace" adds not only to the attractiveness of the design of a written publication, but adds to the functionality as well."
Design Psychology
"Insights into the purpose and effect of physical elements, design, and layout of web pages ... and why clients should let designers handle design."
Design Matters: White Space
"So why is white space so important? Part of the reason is pshychological, and part of it is physical: the text needs room to breathe. When text crowds all the way to the edge, it leaves us feeling crowded and cramped. Long passages of text, written edge to edge can actually tire the eyes."
Whitespace
"“Whitespace,” or “negative space” is the space between elements in a composition. More specifically, the space between major elements in a composition is “macro whitespace.” Micro whitespace, is—yes, you’ve guessed it—the space between smaller elements: between list items, between a caption and an image, or between words and letters. The itty-bitty stuff."
White Space and Simplicity: An Overview
"The importance of both white space and simplicity shouldn’t be underrated. Used correctly, they can enhance the performance of a web-site, improve readability and make a great first impression. We’ve collected some articles on this topic."