The Elements of Visual Style IF YOU EXAMINE a variety of documents, you'll notice that some immediately pique your interest and provide clear, organized information. But you'll find so many more that are unappealing, disorganized, and confusing. The difference is what I like to call visual style. Some documents have it; some don't. Visual style isn't cosmetic. It's not something that we can add to an average-looking page to improve it. We can define it in practical terms. Visual style is present when text, space, and art have been thoughtfully arranged so that a page:   · Catches the eye   · Directs attention   · Organizes information   · Is easy to comprehend   · Is void of distractions How can we achieve these goals? We can do it by understanding how people process visual information. If we arrange graphic elements carefully, we can help determine the way people will focus attention, read, see patterns, and remember. In other words, we can make it more likely that our documents will have the impact we want them to have. And, as you'll see in the following pages, it's not as hard as you might think. The Elements of Visual Style will show you how to boost the visual appeal and clarity of the documents you create. It will give you the tools you need to arrange text, space, and art on a page to attract, inform, and persuade readers. And it will help you understand why some design choices work and others don't. The material in the book has been drawn from the fields of graphic design and cognitive psychology. But you won't find any theoretical discussions or dry facts. All of the principles have been translated into specific, practical tips that you easily can apply to your own work. So you'll be able to see for yourself the positive impact on visual style these simple techniques can have. What Others Are Saying "...an essential weapon in the battle to make...average-looking documents obsolete." — Home Business Magazine   Visual communication...should be seen as...the integration of the beautiful and the useful.    — Paul Rand