Contrast

Contrast
Contrast happens all the time, although its presence may be overlooked. There is contrast when a form is surrounded by blank space. There is contrast when a straight line meets a curve. There is contrast when one form is much bigger than another. There is contrast when vertical and horizontal directions coexist .

We experience all sorts of contrasts in our daily life. The day is in contrast with the night; a flying bird is in contrast with the sky; an old chair is in contrast with a modern sofa.

Contrast ranges far beyond commonly acknowledged opposites. It is quite flexible: it may be mild or severe, vague or obvious, simple or complex. Form A may appear contrasting to form B, but when form C is brought in, forms A and B may appear similar rather than contrasting to one another, and both of them can be contrasting to form C in varying degrees.

Contrast is just a kind of comparision whereby differences are made clear. Two forms can be found similar in certain aspects and different in other aspects. Their differences become emphasized when contrast takes place. A form may not look big when it is seen alone, but may appear gigantic against tiny forms next to it.

[Wong, Wucius. Principals of Two-Dimensional Design. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1972.]

Contrast - Of Appearance
Contrast can be applied to one or more aspects of a form's appearance--its shape, size, color or texture.

Contrasting shapes can differ externally or internally, or have different basic shapes. Contrast can be introduced by relating large and small forms.

In a black-and-white design, a planar form and a linear form establish contrasting tones. Contrast of texture happens when some forms display fine details and others are plainly visualized forms.

[Wong, Wucius. Principals of Two-Dimensional Design. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1972.]

CONTRAST - Contrast of Visual and Relational Elements
Let us examine the use of contrast in respect of each of the visual and relational elements:

a) Contrast of shape. Contrast of shape is quite complicated because a shape can be described in a multilplicity of ways. There is contrast between a geometric shape and an organic one, but two geometric shapes can be in contrast if one is angular but the other non-angular. Other common cases of contrast of shape are: curvilinear/rectilinear, planar/linear, mechanical/calligraphic, symmetrical/asymmetrical, beautiful/ugly, simple/complex, abstract/representational, undistorted/distorted, etc.

b) Contrast of Size. Contrast of size is straightforward. Big/small contrast is seen among planar forms, whereas long/short contrast is seen among linear forms.

c) Contrast of Color. Detailed discussions of color contrasts are beyond the scope of the present book, but some common cases can be mentioned here: light/dark, brilliant/dull, warm/cool, etc.

d) Contrast of Texture. Some tupical cases of textural contrasts are: smooth/rough, fine/coarse, even/uneven, matt/glossy, etc.

e) Contrast of Direction. Any two directions meeting each other at an angle of 90 degrees are in maximum contrast. Two forms directly facing each other create a directional contrast of quite a different nature, because they are not unparallel, although one of them has been rotated a full 180 degrees.

f) Contrast of Position. The position of a form is recognized as related to the frame of reference, the center, the structural subdivision that contains it, the structural lines nearby, or another form. The common positional contrasts are: top/bottom, high/low, left/right, central/off-center.

g) Contrast of Space. When space is considered as a flat plane, contrasts are perceived as occupied/unoccupied or positive/negative. Blank space can be seen as congested or expansive, and can have contrasts of shape and size if it is read as a negative form. When space is considered as illusory, forms may appear to advance or recede, to be near or far, flat or three-dimensional, parallel or unparallel to the picture plane, etc., in spatial contrast with one another.

h) Contrast of Gravity. There are two types of gravitational contrasts: stable/unstable and light/heavy. Stability or instability may be due to the shape itself, or due to conformity to or devia tion from either verticality or horizontality. A stable form is static, whereas an unstable form suggests movement. Lightness or heaviness of a form may be due to the use of color, but is also affected by shape and size.

[Wong, Wucius. Principals of Two-Dimensional Design. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1972.]

Contrast - Of Quantity
Contrast of quantity refers to the density and sparseness of elements in a composition when only one type of unit form is used.

Contrast of quantity as mass and void can be arranged as forms surrounding a blank area, or as forms gathered closely with a surrounding void.

If two types of unit forms are used, fewer instances of one form can be contrasted with many instances of another.

[Wong, Wucius. Principals of Two-Dimensional Design. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1972.]

Contrast - Contrasts within a Form
It is common for individual forms or unit forms to contain contrasting elements which may help to make them look more interesting. Sometimes contrast exists without being noticed, but a designer should be sensitive of its presence. Effective use of contrast is of paramount importance in designing . . . .

[Wong, Wucius. Principals of Two-Dimensional Design. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1972.]

Contrast - The Contrast Structure
Manipulation of contrasts of the relational elements can establish a contrast structure. This kind of structure is completely informal, with strict regularity excluded as far as possible.

As we have already seen, a formal structure [repetition, gradation, or radiation] consists of regularly constructed structural lines or subdivisions which guide the organization of unit forms into a definite order. An informal structure has no structural lines, and unit forms are positioned freely. Balance is to be maintained in both cases, but the kind of balance in each case is different. To illustrate this, balance in a formal structure is like distributing two equal weights equidistantly from the fulcrum, whereas balance in an informal structure is like distributing two unequal weights at unequal distances from the fulcrum, with the lighter weight farther away, the heavier weight nearer by, with careful adjustments.

In a contrast structure, unit forms are seldom repetitive in both shape and size but are in a loose relationship of similarity. They may have more than just one kind, but usually there is one kind that dominates. Among the two or more kinds of unit forms, contrasts of shape, size, and/or color may exist.

No definite rules can be established in the organization of a contrast structure. Shapes and sizes of unit forms are adjusted as felt necessary. Similarity is sought, not just along each of the visual elements, but among the relational elements as well in order to maintain a sense of unity, with occasional contrasts to produce tension and visual excitement.

We will now see how each relational element can be manipulated in a contrast structure:

a) Direction. Most of the unit forms may have similar directions. Contrasting directions are used to provoke agitation. We can also arrange the unit forms in all sorts of directions, creating varying degrees of contrast among them.

b) Position. Unit forms can be positioned towards opposite borders of the frame of reference, creating tension in between.

c) Space. The encounter of positive and negative unit forms [resulting in subtraction] is a way of producing spatial contrast. Space can be pushed and squeezed by unit forms which are thrust against each other. It can also be left void, in contrast with congested areas.

d) Gravity. Unit forms dropping from high to low positions, or stacking from low to high positions, can suggest a gravitational pull. Stable and unstable unit forms, static and moving unit forms, or heavy and light unit forms can be put together in effective contrast of gravity.

[Wong, Wucius. Principals of Two-Dimensional Design. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1972.]

Contrast - Of Placement
Contrast of placement refers to the position, direction, and spatial relationships of forms.

Position. Contrast of position refers to the arrangement of forms within the frame of reference.

Direction. Forms arranged in conflicting directions establish contrast. Contrast of direction can also be achieved by rotating forms and presenting different views.

Spatial Relationship. Overlapping forms suggest depth. Forms of varying sizes suggest relative distances.

[Wong, Wucius. Principals of Two-Dimensional Design. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1972.]

Contrast - Dominance and Emphasis/Majority and Minority
Two factors should be considered in a contrast structure:

1) Dominance of Majority. Dominance is gained by one kind of unit form which occupies more space in a design than other kinds. These unit forms, as distinguished from all others by shape, size, color, texture, direction, position, space, and/or gravity, are in a majority because they are spread over a wider area. Dominance of majority helps to pull the design together into an integrated whole.

2) Emphasis of Minority. Dominance of majority does not necessarily put the minority into oblivion. On the contrary, the minority often gets emphasized and demands greater attention. It is like an anomaly, which is more readily seen.

Dominance of majority and emphasis of minority normally work together in a contrast structure. Even if there is only one kind of unit form in the design, various relational elements can be manipulated to create dominance and emphasis. Dominance of majority is like the heavier weight, closer to the fulcrum, and emphasis of minority like the lighter weight, farther away from the fulcrum, establishing a balance . . . .

[Wong, Wucius. Principals of Two-Dimensional Design. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1972.]

C O N S I D E R:

To Differentiate

The Relative Difference

Clarity or Sharpness

Focus

To Distinguish

In Reference to . . . . .

To Compare

Juxtaposition

Opposition

Intensity

High and low contrast

Deep and shallow contrast

Heavy and light contrast

Mild and intense contrast

More or less focus

Opposition or juxtaposition of different forms, lines or colors in a work of art to increase intensity

Photog - coarse or sharp gradations of tone, esp. between dark and light areas.

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