On the other hand, the use of a containing shape can sometimes be
the salvation of a decent design that might fail for other considerations,
such as lack of contrast (16). In sample (1), for instance, the leading edge of a white golf ball would have no contrast against a white background. The addition of “zoom marks” on the dark side completes the edge. Containing
a design can give it a logical boundary or stopping place for an image, like a picture frame (2, 8, 12, 23). Containers can contribute mass to designs that might be too insubstantial without them (2, 4, 6, 17, 20, 21). Containers can compensate somewhat for a color that is almost too light (14, 22), giving the design color mass, distinct from image mass already mentioned. Containers can provide unity and cohesiveness to word-cluster-style wordmarks or reinforce the shapes in a wordmark (7, 9, 13). Containment can echo the shape of a specific letterform (17, 18, 19, 22). Containers can contrast with the shapes contained (3, 5, 6, 12, 15, 20) or harmonize with them (7, 11, 14, 17, 18, 19). Containment can give symmetry
or help center unsymmetrical shapes
(3, 5, 8, 12, 14, 15, 20). Containment can change the overall shape of the significant design element ((3, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, 22). Containment can be the template for the whole design (11, 19).
(Excerpt from Logo Theory: How Branding Design Really Works,
Section 28: Visual Tecchnique #1: Containment) |
