Legibility, tone of Voice and Visual Hierarchy.
These three things are essential when considering and planning your outcome. What do you want it to say? What tone do you want it have? What do people need to see first? Is it communicating the right message? Shown below are a few examples to help explain these notions.
Elsa - Mark Ryden
This sketch is a simple but effective way of showcasing these points. The drawing is almost entirely monotone except for the small splashes of red, which makes them stand out more. It catches our eye first. Because the drawing is also very soft, the red is more shocking and helps convey the dark message of the picture more strongly.
The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus - Film poster
A great example of visual hierarchy at work. Because this movie poster is so busy with so much happening within the composition, a focal point had to be chosen. This is the girl, who we are immediately drawn into with her large eyes and red hair, and also her central position within the frame. Next our eyes are drawn down to the smaller segments of bright colour, and then finally on to the various other characters and events within the picture. We are pulled further and further in, analyzing the details. It is this slightly confusing and odd design that peaks our curiosity, and might just make us go and see the film.
Emily the Strange
Finally, the genius of simplicity. Emily the Strange is in my opinion one of the best character designs in recent times. The reason she works so well is because of how broken down the human form is into basically just black and white blocks. It’s the shape of those blocks that we read as a sulking face, or a haircut, or shoes etc, yet she retains so much personality about her. This is legibility at work.
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