Does type have to be legible to communicate? Before actually tackling whether type has to be legible in order to communicate, it would be best to start off with explaining a little bit about what the industry considers to be good and bad practices when it comes to design, as these elements play an important role in communicating.
According to Alexander W. Wight it is widely accepted that the idea behind designing something is to bring order to disorder and confusion. The reason why designing with order is good, is because readers can understand and make sense of what they are viewing easier and much more efficiently. (Wight, P. 1, 2011)
It is fair to say that the main goal of any visual communicator is to attract viewers. It is thus important to make any viewable page enticing, so that it arises curiosity leading the viewer to grasp the information. This is achieved by removing any unnecessary elements and using clarity and simplicity when creating the design. The point is that if the visual content “reduces the effort of reading as much as possible,” then it would “encourage readership and understanding.” (Wight, P. 3, 2011)
Wight suggests, the solution to avoiding bad practices of design is to make use of a “consistent page structure.” (W.Wight, P. 5, 2011) He goes on to express that the layout should not be filled in with large chunks of information to try and impress the reader. This will only overwhelm them and cause them to turn away. The key, according to Wight, is to make information accessible and appealing by not filling in all the space available. But instead, to structure the page by leaving space to help the viewer access the information more easily. (W.Wight, P. 5, 2011) In summary, utilising the page’s empty space will always help make the content easier to view.
Conversely, it would be my wrong doing if I had to assume that every designers main focus would be to portray good order. Designers such as David Carson have expressed that they are far more interested in the initial message that the piece of work communicates with the viewer, before they actually try to make sense of the words. With this reasoning, I question wether anything we design needs to be legible to communicate. Is it possible that legibility doesn’t play such an important role when communicating with the viewer, or does anything we design have to be legible in order for the viewer to understand what designers are trying to say?
According to Alexander W. Wight it is widely accepted that the idea behind designing something is to bring order to disorder and confusion. The reason why designing with order is good, is because readers can understand and make sense of what they are viewing easier and much more efficiently. (Wight, P. 1, 2011)
It is fair to say that the main goal of any visual communicator is to attract viewers. It is thus important to make any viewable page enticing, so that it arises curiosity leading the viewer to grasp the information. This is achieved by removing any unnecessary elements and using clarity and simplicity when creating the design. The point is that if the visual content “reduces the effort of reading as much as possible,” then it would “encourage readership and understanding.” (Wight, P. 3, 2011)
Wight suggests, the solution to avoiding bad practices of design is to make use of a “consistent page structure.” (W.Wight, P. 5, 2011) He goes on to express that the layout should not be filled in with large chunks of information to try and impress the reader. This will only overwhelm them and cause them to turn away. The key, according to Wight, is to make information accessible and appealing by not filling in all the space available. But instead, to structure the page by leaving space to help the viewer access the information more easily. (W.Wight, P. 5, 2011) In summary, utilising the page’s empty space will always help make the content easier to view.
Conversely, it would be my wrong doing if I had to assume that every designers main focus would be to portray good order. Designers such as David Carson have expressed that they are far more interested in the initial message that the piece of work communicates with the viewer, before they actually try to make sense of the words. With this reasoning, I question wether anything we design needs to be legible to communicate. Is it possible that legibility doesn’t play such an important role when communicating with the viewer, or does anything we design have to be legible in order for the viewer to understand what designers are trying to say?
Reference
Wight, A., 2011. The Element of Graphic Design. 2nd ed. New York: Allworth Press.
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