mario garcia

152

White on blackFrom time to time one sees effective use of white type reversed

over a black background. Some purists of design hate the technique;

it is even banned in some newsrooms.

There is no substitute for the legibility of black type over a white

background. That said, it is also true that white type over a black

background can look sharp, raise the presence of a quote or

highlight on a page, and add a visual to a page where there

might be none.

Like all other tools available to the designer, reverses work best

when used in small sizes. A very large box going from the top to the

bottom of the page, all black, with a long article set in white over it,

will not be legible. In fact, it will look hard to penetrate, and few

will enter it. But used in small versions, and not repeatedly, it can be

another efficient way to offer contrast and hierarchy for an item

on a page.

pure design

153

Three dimensional motion: This frontpage from a proposed Spanish dailyedition for The Dallas Morning Newsshows the power of a headline set inwhite against a black background.