Comments on: It’s a better design if your audience can read it.

By: naniprints

naniprints — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:18:30 +0000

Hi everybody,

I just read a great article about legibility in web design (especially on dark backgrounds), written by Kayla Knight for http://www.webdesigndepot.com. She includes some very good visual examples.

See http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/08/the-dos-and-donts-of-dark-web-design/

~Nani

By: naniprints

naniprints — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:43:00 +0000

Hi Rob, glad to hear that the article was helpful to you. You’re so right, the heavy blue and black combination does not work because of lack of contrast and because the value or visual weight of the two colors is so close. Yes, the RGB color model is so different, with the light of the monitor making things work that just don’t work the same in reflective art.

Sometimes, seeing is believing. If your client is insistent on a combo you know won’t work, providing a digital proof or even a digital press proof can demonstrate the problem pretty convincingly. A test can be money well spent. I wrote about press tests in another post, here: http://naniprints.wordpress.com/2009/05/12/in-praise-of-press-tests/

Thanks for stopping by! ~Nani

By: Rob Cubbon

Rob Cubbon — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:33:11 +0000

I just stumbled across this useful article after a client of mine insisted I put black 6 point Helvetica thin type no a fairly heavy blue background. I knew it wouldn’t work but I didn’t know if there was any rule I could give them as to why. Quite often some color combinations can look OK on screen but be a disaster in print and this is quite hard to explain.

By: naniprints

naniprints — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:32:05 +0000

Hi David, Thanks for stopping by the Printing Disasters blog again. Thank you for your comments on Lighthouse International. Sounds like they are being of great service in San Francisco.

I’ve often given designers (who asked ) my “Old Fart Type Test” assessment of their designs! Some have insisted that the type was really more of a design element than something meant to actually communicate. (Huh?)

I never thought to apply the OFTT to yard signs–great idea! Be well, ~Nani

By: David Long

David Long — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:08:03 +0000

Hi Nani:

Kudos for referencing the Lighthouse International Accessibility web page in your article. LightHouse in the San Francisco Bay Area features Black on Yellow navigational aids, large type and generous negative space on big business cards. Finishing considerations can also help minimize glare from redacting lines of text, forcing the eye to habitually reposition.

From where I stand, even the malnourished roadside yard sale promotion would benefit from LI’s big business approach.

David Long
Torme Design