Legal Writing

Type & Image ? Part II

Yesterday,  we examined at this comp (below) in which copy (foreground) was knocked out of a photo (background).

Obviously, the comp’s a dud: thin white type on a light yellow background is hard to read, and that’s not good.

Compare that to this comp from the same site:

Much easier to read, is it not?

Before we get into it, let me ask you this — Did you look at some TV commercials like I said you should?

You really need to.

If you haven’t, then before you read any further, look at some commercials. Look for type on a real image, static or moving. Go do it now, before you read any further.

Why look at TV commercials to see how to present your firm’s home page?

Here are some good reasons:

1. Good TV commercials cost a fortune, at least compared to the cost of a fabulous home page for a law firm’s web site. With so much at stake, buyers of air time demand the best.
2. The companies that produce good TV commercials rely on professionals ? they’re schooled in their profession, and they pride in their work.
3. TV screens and computer screens emit light; books and magazines reflect light. What works for one works for the other.

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OK. I’ll bet you couldn’t find too many examples of type on a real image (when you looked at type on TV). There must be some reason for that, right?

overprint	knock out

I’ll bet that where you found type, the background was flat, or showed little contrast.

busy background	flat background

I’ll bet that you found lots of contrast. When the background is light, type is best served dark.

low contrast	high contrast

And I’ll bet you found that much of the type was stylized in some way — it had a drop shadow or it’s outlined.

drop shadow	outline

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That’s it for today.

Before we get further into this, go to a bookstore and browse the magazine rack. Look at the type on the covers of the magazines. Look at the advertisements in the magazines, some of which use type on real images.

As you do, see if you can come up with a list of five things that effect the legibility of type.

Until next time . . .

Full post as published by Set in Style on March 04, 2010 (boomark / email).