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Space... the final frontier. Sorry. Nerd moment. LOL!
Seriously, though, the central design concern of any page is space,
or what is sometimes called browser "real estate." Real
estate is a tricky issue, because it varies from computer to computer.
Not only does the space for the page change from Netscape to Explorer,
from Windows to Mac, and most especially from 800x600 to 1024x768
screen resolution, but the whole issue is further complicated by
what toolbars someone has activated in their browser. Arghhh!
Despite all that variation, there are some terms we can use to
think about and describe how that real estate is being used:
- Horizontal Space: As its name suggests, horizontal space
is the space from the left edge of the page to the right edge
of the page. It is the width of the real estate. When we use the
term, we're really talking about how well that space is being
used. For example, if you've ever been to a site that has all
the text centered and scrolls down forever, then you could say
that the page is not effectively using horizontal space; to the
contrary, it privileges vertical space.
- Vertical Space: Vertical space is the counterpart of
horizontal space. It refers to the real estate from the top of
the page to the bottom. We speak of effective use of vertical
space when elements of the page make use of the real estate from
top to bottom. But unlike horizontal space, vertical space is
(theoretically) infinite (well, OK, technically so is horizontal
space, but let's not get into that) because a page can scroll
on forever. Of course, just because a page can do that
does not mean that it should. In fact, it's important to pay attention
to the fold.
- The Fold: The fold is the line that divides the part
of the page first visible to a visitor from the part she or he
has to scroll to see. Content that is immediately visible is called
"above the fold." This term comes to the web from the
newspaper field, and it's useful for thinking about what's important
on a page. Essentially, if it's important, put it above the fold,
because you can't assume someone will scroll to see anything else.
Thus, navigation (for example) is usually above the fold.
- White Space: White space is not always white, but the
term comes from print as well, where pages really were
white. White space is that space with nothing on it. We might
also think of it as "negative space"—the blank
areas of the page. White space is important to consider because
it can attract the eye as much as used space can. Too much white
space detracts from content; not enough and the page is crowded
and unreadable. White space, therefore, is essential to balance.
- Balance, Symmetry, and Asymmetry: Balance is just what
it sounds like—it is achieved when elements of the page balance
each other. So, if there is a block of text in the upper left
corner, have something to balance it in the lower right. If there
is a large image on the middle left, have something to balance
it on the middle right. Balance, that is, works by symmetry. Symmetry
is hardwired into our brains through the shape of our bodies—it
just intuitively looks good. But because symmetry is so automatic
to us, asymmetry can be quite powerful. Elements placed out of
balance, if done purposefully and well, can be a strong mechanism
to draw attention. Because we sense the asymmetry, it screams
to us, and so we note it and pay attention.
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These are the basic terms we're going to use to describe space.
Later in this assignment, you'll see them in action. For now, just
make a mental note of them and begin thinking about how you may
or may not have noted these elements as you just wrote about a well-designed
site.
Space, we might say, is the structure of the design, its layout.
But the look of the design says a lot, too. Let's start with color.
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