Step 3 to effective large-format graphics: Contrast is your best friend

In my last column, I discussed making your text large enough to be legible so you're sure your audience can easily read your large-format marketing materials. Well, that's only one of many aspects to ensuring legibility in your marketing efforts. This month, learn how to maximize your target audience by building adequate contrast into your designs.

Tip 3: Use contrast to ensure maximum legibility.

There is a fragile eco-system at work whenever marketing material is distributed, whether large format or small. Your message, which should be the most important part of your marketing efforts, has to coexist with and more often than not subdue, other elements vying for a potential customer's attention. Depending on the piece, the message could be in the ring with the baddest of the bad, such as other imagery, the format of the piece, surrounding space, and even the typeface the message itself is rendered in. And that war rages on way before anyone important ever actually sees it.

When it is finally glimpsed, your message finds another challenge to contend with. You see, everyone sees color differently. Our perception of color can be affected by anything from our biology to simple things like our mood and diet. Many designers don't even consider the consequences of their color choices on marketing materials, and that leaves your message completely alone, with noone to notice it. After all, if something is difficult to see, people won't bother looking at it.

And so, controlling contrast on your marketing materials turns an ignored design into a successful marketing campaign. I would even go so far as to say that contrast is your best friend.

So, wherever you have text, you should use contrast to make it completely distinguishable from it’s background. That means if you have a dark background, place white text on it, and vice versa for a lighter background. Be mindful to use colored text and drop-shadows sparingly, because they can have a nasty habit of obscuring your text, even though all you wanted to do was to distinguish it from its background. White or black text with no shadow is usually the best.

In most cases, one of the reasons why colored text doesn't work is that designers aren't being careful to separate their normal values. The normal value is the shade of gray you get when you take out all the hue and saturation from a color and are left with only the brightness. Basically, if you were to run the graphic through a black and white copier, you’d see only its normal values. If you have a red blurb and a blue background with the same normal value, it will be very difficult to distinguish the text from the background, even though the colors are supposedly different. Since everybody sees color a little differently, making certain the normal values are different may be the only real way to be 100% certain your text will be read.

Finally, before sending your graphic along to the printer, proof the normal values by either printing it out in black and white on your desktop printer, or just converting a copy of your file to grayscale in Photoshop. You'd be amazed at what sorts of problems a hard proof will help you spot.

Read Ben’s Step 2 to effective large-format graphics: Size your fonts correctly

Ben Lawless wants to remind everyone to not drink beer with contrast. It may be your best friend, but it sure as heck ain’t your drinking buddy. Contrast will always expect you to pick up the tab. Trust us on this one.

Color Illusions

How Color Can Play Tricks With Your Eye

Color is one of those elusive subjects; it is very difficult to communicate precisely. Many variables, from lighting conditions to the surrounding environment to the age of the viewer, have an effect on the way we perceive color. Some variables in particular change the way colors are perceived when prints become large. In this article I show you some visual aids to demonstrate how a color can be perceived differently simply by changing the surroundings.

The Luminance Illusion

Lets start with a simple grayscale example. The image below demonstrates how our perception of depth and shadow effects the way we perceive color. To be more precise, the following illusion will show how the eye perceives the luminance of an object different from the actual luminance values. Press “Play” to reveal the illusion.

The Cornsweet illusion: our eyes perceive the luminance of the top and bottom object as different, when they are actually the same luminance, or brightness.

You will see that the top and bottom grey are actually the same value! This effect is know as the Cornsweet illusion. You can read more about it here at Wikipedia.

Discounting the Illuminate

This next illusion demonstrates how the surrounding lighting environment changes the way we perceive color. The cube on the left is lit by a yellow light, the cube on the right is lit by a blue light. Slide the bottom slider to reveal the illusion. Clicking “Revealing Color Table” will show swatches of the colors used in the cube surrounded by white light, thus revealing their true color values.

Color Constancy: “…a feature of the human color perception system which ensures that the perceived color of objects remains relatively constant under varying illumination conditions” —source: Wikipedia.

As you can see the "blue" squares on the left and the "yellow" squares on the right are actually both neutral grey. The surrounding environment causes us to perceive them as having a color. This is known as Color Constancy, where the eye adjusts to varying lighting conditions allowing us to perceive colors as relatively constant. This is why the yellow squares of the left image still look yellow in the right image, even though they are actually grey in the right image.

The Same-Color Illusion

Our last illusion demonstrates something a little simpler and more subtle. Click "Play" to see it in action.

This demonstration shows that two spectrally-identical circles will be perceived differently when surrounded by different backgrounds.

The two circles pictured above are the same color. By coloring the surrounding space with slightly different colors we change the circles perceived color. For all the graphic designers reading this: imagine that the circles represent your customer’s Pantone™ swatch (which they chose from a color pallet previewed on a white background). Your printer might match the color dead-on, but because of the surrounding environment, each will be perceived incorrectly.

Conclusion

Hopefully this helps you understand how our eyes can perceive colors differently under varying conditions. If you are interested in reading more on this subject I suggest you check out the following resources:

Purves Lab: This is where the sample images you saw above came from. Purves lab is a wealth of information and examples about how we perceive color.

Wikipedia: Visit the Optical Illusions category at Wikipedia for a collection of illusions and their explanations.

Article written by Jon Beebe.

Color Perception and the Human Body

Part 1: Color Perception and the Retina

figure 1a. Human retina as seen through an opthalmoscope

The retina of the eye is formed by a layer of cells lining the inside of the eye. It is viewable through the pupil of the eye and is the object of interest when an optometrist examines the eye with a light. Along with the many blood vessels running through the layer, two discrete spots are discernable from this vantage point: the fovea and the blind spot, or optic disk (See Figures 1a, b). The fovea is also referred to as the focal point. It is this slightly indented region, containing high concentrations of cone cells, upon which the lens focuses entering light. All other areas of the retina are responsible for the perception of peripheral vision (1. Kolb, 2005, 2. Silverthorn, 1998).

The blind spot gets its name from the fact that, due to the lack of either photoreceptor (rods or cones), it is literally an area of the retina incapable of detecting light. This is the area in which the long axons of ganglion cells, which carry light information from all parts of the retina, converge to form the optic nerve (the nerve connecting the eye to the brain). It is also the entry and exit point of veins and arteries that feed the retina (1. Kolb, 2005, 2. Silverthorn, 1998).

figure 1b. Cross section of the eye

figure 2. Light absorption of visual pigments

Among the layers of cells within the retina, the rods and cones are the only photoreceptive cells; they are the cells that react in response to light (See figure 2). Rods are responsible for night vision. The retina contains around 90 million rod cells which grow in concentration the further the distance from the fovea. Rods are 100 times more sensitive than cones, thus enabling them to function in extremely dim light. Their sensitivity is greatest in the blue area of the spectrum (498 nm), making reds difficult to see at night. Despite their sensitivity, many rods synapse on (communicate with) one bipolar cell, creating a large receptive field. This means that the signal to the brain is not specific as to which particular rod within the group signaled the perception of light. This high rod to bipolar cell ratio is responsible for grainy night vision, in much the same way that the large crystals in high-speed film produce a grainy image (2. Silverthorn, 1998, 3. Rod Cell, 2007).

Alternately, Cones are responsible for the perception of color. There are approximately 4.5 million cones in the human eye, concentrated mainly at the fovea. They are less sensitive to light than rods, but can perceive finer detail and respond more rapidly. The greater acuity is due to the lower ratio of cones to ganglion cells. In fact, at the fovea, many cones answer to only one ganglion cell. This exclusivity allows for much finer pinpointing of the source of stimulus. Three variations of cones exist; they are commonly called red, green and blue cones; however, they are better termed short-wave (which peaks at 420nm in the blue-violet range), medium-wave (534nm in the bluish-green range), and long-wave (564 nm in the yellow-green range). Notice that reds (700nm) are poorly detected by the long-wave cone (not to mention, the rod). Thus well-lit conditions are required in order to perceive reds. Additionally, the ratio of each type of cone is not a set value. Short-wave cones occur in much lower concentration than medium and long, while the ratio of the medium to long varies wildly from person to person (see Figure 3)(2. Silverthorn, 1998, 4. Cone Cell, 2007). Amazingly, these variations have no effect on color perception; a person with an abundance of long-wave cones can pick out a true yellow as easily as one whose medium-wave cones dominate.

figure 3. Concentrations of red, green, and blue cones in two individuals

Looking at the retina in cross section, one observes that there are many cells positioned between the incoming light and the photoreceptor cells (rods and cones) (See Figure 4). The only exception is at the fovea, where the cells are parted to allow direct access to the cones. Light emerging from the lens of the eye passes through the cell layers and is finally absorbed by the pigmented epithelium that serves to prevent the scattering and reflecting of light. The rod cell is stimulated by light at its cylindrical end where sections of the cell membrane are invaginated into a multitude of layers to form a stacked-pancake appearance. These folded layers create greater surface area to house high concentrations of the molecule Rhodopsin. Upon exposure to light, rhodopsin breaks down into its two component molecules: opsin and retinal (a derivative of Vitamin A). The dissociation of this molecule causes a chain reaction within the cell which will ultimately send a signal to the bipolar cell upon which it synapses. Cones are stimulated by light in a similar manner, except that, rather than housing rhodopsin in their conical stacks of membranes, they posses one of three variants of photopsin. Each photopsin is responsible for the variations in wavelength absorption among the three cone types. Like rhodopsin in rods, photopsin breaks down into two components, opsin and retinal, upon exposure to a sufficient level of light. A chemical chain reaction occurs as a result. In broad daylight, all of the Rhodopsin in rod cells dissociate due to the high sensitivity, leaving only cones functioning. After the exposure, the cells enzymatically re-combine opsin with retinal to re-form rhodopsin in rods and photopsin in cones (2. Silverthorn, 1998 3. Rod Cell, 2007 4. Cone Cell, 2007).

figure 4. Cross section of the retina

As mentioned earlier, photoreceptors synapse upon bipolar cells, and a bipolar cell may have many photoreceptors that synapse upon it (either rods or cones, but not both). When a photoreceptor is at rest (not stimulated by light), it secretes a constant amount of the neurotransmitter, glutamate, into the synapse between itself and the bipolar cell. When light stimulates the photoreceptor, the chain reaction begun by the breakdown of rhodopsin or photopsin causes a reduction in the amount of glutamate secreted into the synapse. Depending on the type of bipolar cell, it will be either stimulated or inhibited by this change in chemical concentration. In turn, multiple bipolar cells can synapse upon a ganglion cell and either excite or inhibit it. The ganglion and its corresponding photoreceptors create what is termed a receptive (visual) field (6. Photoreceptor, 2007 7. Receptive Field, 2007).

figure 5. On-center and off-center ganlia

There are two parts to the receptive field, the "center" and the "surround" (Figure 5). There are also two types of ganglia: on-center and off-center. A ganglia which is on-center will be stimulated when light-induced signals are primarily focused on the "center", but inhibited when along the edges or "surround" of it's receptive field. Conversely, an off-center ganglia will be excited by stimulation of the "surround", but inhibited by the "center". Both types of ganglia will give a weak response if light is evenly distributed between the two areas. The Horizontal cell is responsible for the "center" and "surround" signal that is perceived by the Ganglion. These cells, whose activities are poorly understood, connect to all the photoreceptors within the receptive field of the ganglion cell and receive signals from these photoreceptors. Stimulation of the horizontal cell causes it to feedback onto the photoreceptors in a manner which inhibits them. Photoreceptors receiving minimal light become completely inhibited. Photoreceptors receiving the most intense light also experience the inhibitory effects of the Horizontal cells, but the light intensity overrides the signal. In this manner, dimly lit photoreceptors are silenced. This process, termed lateral inhibition, increases contrast and sharpens edges (6. Photoreceptor, 2007 7. Receptive Field, 2007 8. Horizontal Cell).

Amacrine cells are poorly understood, but are thought to work on the bipolar cells in a manner similar to horizontals, adjusting brightness and allowing the detection of motion.

References

1. Kolb, Helga, Eduardo Fernadez, Ralph Nelson. "Webvision: The Organization of the Retina and Visual System." John Moran Eye Center. 2005. University of Utah. 20 March, 2007 http://webvision.med.utah.edu.
2. Silverthorn, Dee Unglaub. "Human Physiology, An Integrated Approach." New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1998.
3. Rod Cell. "Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia." 2 March 2007, 0121 UTC Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 19 March 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_cell.
4. Cone Cell. "Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia." 19 March 2007, 1448 UTC Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 19 March 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cone_cell.
5. Thompson, L.T. "Sensory Systems II." Aging and Memory Research Center. 14 Dec. 2006 University of Texas at Dallas. 19 Mar 2007 http://www.utdallas.edu/~tres/integ/sen3/display7_09.html.
6. Photoreceptor. "Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia." 16 March 2007, 2051 UTC Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 19 March 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photoreceptors.
7. Receptive Field. "Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia." 23 Feb. 2007, 1635 UTC Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 20 March 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Receptive_fields.
8. Hubel, David. "Bipolar Cells and Horizontal Cells." Eye, Brain, and Vision. Harvard Medical School, Neurobiology Dept. 20 March 2007 http://neuro.med.harvard.edu/site/dh/b12.htm.
9. Horizontal Cell. "Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia." 13 March 2007, 1500 UTC Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 19 March 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizontal_cell.

Article written by Christine Dahlquist.

Trade show results through design consistency

Increase your trade show results through design consistency

Feet throbbing, calves aching, staring blankly at the ceiling as I lay on my back in my hotel room; glad this was the last day of the tradeshow. It’s amazing, the simple things a numb mind will focus on, like the fire sprinkler over my bed... Tradeshows — the three ringed circus of the corporate world.

Your booth needs to communicate everything in 3 to 5 seconds.

There is one last task before I can go to sleep, however. I have to figure out what I’m going to take home. We all know tradeshows are a cacophony of chaos and these bags of cheap swag and brochures next to my suitcase are proof. This is the process (you’ll want to pay attention here):

• Cheap pens, key fobs and other useless giveaways — trashed.
• T-shirts and neat toys my boys will like — set-aside.
• Letter openers, pocket knives and the likes — trash, airport security will make me toss ’em anyway.

So, here’s the question… how do you design in such a way as to keep your literature out of the hotel room trash can? The answer is simple but implementation is not.

In order to save your marketing materials from a recycle-bin fate, I need to see a rock solid image and branding campaign. It needs to carry across every aspect of your company’s marketing materials, from web site to tradeshow booth. Let's say your booth has a modern style— a bright white booth with sweeping red accent lines and dramatic black and white imagery. The literature you hand me, in stark contrast, is more earth-tone colored with stylized illustrations. Back in my hotel room, when I’m flipping through my mound of tradeshow junk, how do I connect you and your modern booth with the earth-toned literature in my hands? Most likely I wouldn’t. Trash.

Here's a real-world example that got it right. Retail Anywhere with the help of 20|20 Creative Group produced one of the best integrated campaigns I’ve ever seen. Then to top that off, the design of each piece clearly demonstrates their understanding of each medium used.

This booth is clean, bold and effectively communicates what they do. No guessing here.

At tradeshows you have 3 to 5 seconds to catch the attention of the show attendee. This is only done through big bold graphics that concisely convey what you do. I don’t know how many times I’ve said this and am amazed at how many times it’s ignored. Your booth needs to communicate everything in 3 to 5 seconds! Simply “Acme Company - We sell widgets.”

The colors, the imagery, the text. They all flow from the booth to the brochures, creating a visual tie that the trade show attendee will not soon forget.

The marketing materials match the booth. They delegated more detailed information to the brochures where it will be read, and away from a tradeshow poster where it will be ignored.

The literature you give out at the show is a great place to give more details about your company and product. This literature should look like the booth. The attendee will place your booth, the face of the person they talked with and the conversation they had with your staff in the same memory slot as the brochure.

The site carries the look of both the booth and literature.

Your company web site should also carry the theme of your marketing materials and tradeshow booth. This is the best place for very detailed information. Here an attendee can search and read to their hearts content. This is where you want people to go. The attendees can easily pass your information to the correct individual within their company. Best of all you can track what is being read and if your site is configured right you can track who is reading. Don't fill your tradeshow poster with information that really only belongs in your brochure or on your website.

So here’s the bottom line:

• Your booth should convey your message in 3 to 5 seconds.
• Your literature should repeat the same look and message of your booth. When people pick up your literature, it should have more detailed information and point them to your website.
• When they get there, your site should look like your booth and literature. It should be easy to navigate and you should track the activity of visitors.
• But, above all, make sure your entire marketing campaign is both informative and interesting. That's the best way, really the only way, to save your campaign from a recycle bin fate.

Written by Ken Pettit.