Candle Tray: Contrast

Detail from the cover of "The Elements of Typographic Style" by Robert BringhurstDancing for a living was simply not an option when I was growing up. It was reserved for a different breed of humans — those mythical creatures that lived in big cities, had skinny bodies, perfect postures and were "born dancers" (whatever that meant). It sounds ridiculous now, but that idea was somehow embedded in my mind.

And so I went to college to study another great passion of mine: Graphic Design. After graduation, I only worked as a visual artist for a couple of years, because the call of dance was too great. At first, I regretted the fact that I wasn't a full-time dance student in college. But now I wouldn't want it any other way. What I learned in college has greatly influenced my dance. 

The principles of design and those of choreography are highly related. Typography, for instance, is the dance of the letters — those abstract little forms that we put together to compose words, sentences and complete messages.

Good typography is not only visually attractive, it also expresses a message clearly and effectively. And good dance is not only good movement — it also tells a story, or transmits a message, or makes the audience think or feel something.

At the very least, good dancing holds our attention. 

Contrast is your friend

Do you feel compelled to read a page that looks like this?

 

I don't. It's very hard to read. There is no hierarchy, no highlights. There is no space around any elements, no place to rest my eyes. The message gets lost, I'm too dizzy to decipher it. Plus, it's very boring. I lost interest in it almost immediately.

Well, it's the same when we throw together a mishmash of steps and call it a choreography.

Why throw a mishmash when you have at your disposal the magic of contrast? Take a look at the page below and notice how the use of empty space makes the piece attractive and readable. Observe how different font sizes give the titles their proper rank and how the picture's placement and caption now make sense.

Just like I deliberately chose each design element to make this page clear and readable, you can choose among all elements of movement to compose your dance. Of those elements, we already mentioned musicality. 

Next, we'll take a look at Dynamics. 

CANDLE TRAY WORKSHOP
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