This document discusses typography and visual design principles such as using color, type size, sans-serif vs serif fonts, and managing visual noise and clutter. It provides guidelines for using these principles effectively, such as using color contrast instead of small type for readability, and considering how text and images interact. Examples are given of studies that show yellow text on red is harder to read than larger black text on white. Sans-serif fonts are recommended for readability while serif fonts help guide the eye along lines of text. Too many visual elements can distract from the core message.
13. Bonus article David, C. & Richards, A. (2005). Decorative Color as a Rhetorical Enhancement on the World Wide Web. Technical Communication Quarterly. 14(1) 31-48. Our reaction to color in art, design and our general surroundings can be described as emotional, rhetorical and psychological. Modern computer monitors are able to display 16 million colors along with the seemingly never-ending supply of information provided through the internet. Designers are using established color theory to elicit emotion-laden reactions from the electronic media audience. The article's accompanying website.
