Dr. Susan Codone Mercer University

1
Emphasis Contrast

• TCO 285
• Dr. Susan Codone

2
Emphasis

• The principle of emphasis states that the
• most important element on the page
• should be the most prominent, the second
• most important element should be
• secondary in prominence, and so on.
• Emphasis is important in the control of
• attention.
• Graham, p. 20

3
Dominance

• Dominance describes a situation
• where something dominates because
• it is more important or more noticeable
• than its surroundings. There is usually
• a focal point, a place where the action
• begins. You should be able to control
• what will be noticed first, what is
• dominant in an image, and where the
• viewer's attention will go from there.

4
Subordination

• When there is dominance there must be
  subordination (things lower in ranking). In art
  this means that some things get more attention
  and some get less.
• This is a matter of emphasis. What other focal
  points do you see?
• http//daphne.palomar.edu/design/emphasis.html

5
Contrast, Placement, Isolation

• There are three major methods for controlling
  emphasis in visuals contrast, placement and
  isolation.
• http//daphne.palomar.edu/design/emphasis.html

6
Contrast

• Contrast occurs when two or more elements look
  dramatically different from one another.
• The objective of contrast is to produce maximum
  visibility. The more contrast, the more
  noticeable is the item.
• Graham, p. 40
• http//daphne.palomar.edu/design/emphasis.html

7
Color

• A great contrast is between black and white, or
  between bright and dull colors.

8
Size

• Use size to control emphasis size of the text
  or image that you want to emphasize.
• http//daphne.palomar.edu/design/emphasis.html

9
Shape

• An unusual shape can call attention to itself but
  it is not as strong a contrast as size or color.
• Other contrasts like direction and texture can
  also be used to control emphasis.
• All of these contrasts affect visibility,
  regardless of where the object is placed.
• http//daphne.palomar.edu/design/emphasis.html

10
Placement

• The most important
• place is the visual center.
• This is where the viewer
• looks first anything there
• will be noticed first. The
• further from the center,
• the less noticeable an
• item becomes.

http//daphne.palomar.edu/design/emphasis.html
11
Isolation

• Isolation is placement of an element by itself.
  An item that stands apart from its surroundings
  will be more noticeable. This is not likely to
  make an item be noticed first but can make one
  item stand out.

http//daphne.palomar.edu/design/emphasis.html