Two of my absolute favourite design styles are white-on-white and black-on-black (see examples above). The reason I like them so much is that they appear to be timeless. It gives the product a classy feel like it’s been overtly considered. You could argue that these don’t design styles necessarily, and you be right, but there are some things we can learn from them.
The idea of white-on-white came from interior design. The designers would layer different textures of white material in a single space creating a room that was subtle but full of depth. Very different feels can be created from tiny accents. In the first example below you can see the textures of the furniture and walls has been accentuated by the lack of colour as that is the only remaining differentiator.
Below you can see an example in print, where the contrast is also created by the difference in text and not the colour. The Spot varnish text highlights the title, but the user is encouraged to “do work” in order to engage. More work = greater perceived value.
Quiet Your Design
Why is a graphic designer talking about interior architecture? Well if you’ve ever heard of Bauhaus or the Gestalt Principles you know that design both influences and is influenced by other disciplines.
By removing colour (and the majority of harsh tonal variations) you emphasise other elements that are more commonly overshadowed.
Consider the two images below. The portrait photograph is centred, symmetrical and framed by the negative space of the hair. However, the main light is offset to the left, creating asymmetrical shapes. Notice the texture of each surface feels dramatically different.
Now look at the business cards and noticed the similarities.
Contrast is a Designers Best Friend
Coming from an illustration background I always find myself saying “if it doesn’t work first in black and white, then it won’t work.” This is a useful trick digital illustrators do: desaturated a painting, correct the light/tones of the image and then re-introduce the colours.
Although this may not be viable for most graphic design situations, the principle still applies. What happens to your design when you remove a particularly prominent element? What happens when you remove texture, typography, tone etc?
Try it for yourself. It can be a very revealing process.
