Contrast
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| contrast | 对比 | duì bǐ |
| visual hierarchy | 视觉层次 | shì jué céng cì |
Difference creates energy
- Contrast 对比 is the difference between elements.
- It can be of value, colour, shape, texture, or size.
- Contrast creates energy, variety, and readability.
High or low contrast effect?
Sort each result by whether it comes from high or low contrast.
Contrast is best described as the ____ between elements.
Contrast is the difference between elements.
Select all kinds of contrast.
Value, colour, and size are kinds of contrast; time is not a visual element.
Match each level of contrast to its effect.
High = drama; low = calm; hierarchy = order.
Contrast and attention
- Strong contrast attracts attention and defines a focal point.
- Low contrast unifies a work and feels calm or subtle.
- The right amount of contrast guides the viewer's eye.
Low contrast tends to unify a work and make it feel calm.
Low contrast is calming and unifying; high contrast is dramatic.
Visual hierarchy
- In design, contrast creates visual hierarchy 视觉层次.
- Bigger, bolder, higher-contrast elements are seen first.
- This tells the viewer what matters most and in what order.
In design, contrast creates visual ____, guiding what the viewer reads first.
Visual hierarchy ranks elements by importance through contrast.
Contrast is a tool with a dial, not an on-off switch. High contrast grabs attention and adds drama; low contrast unifies and calms. Too much everywhere is chaotic; too little is dull. Use contrast deliberately to guide the eye.
A poster puts the headline in huge dark bold type and the fine print in small grey text. The strong contrast in size and value creates a clear visual hierarchy — you read the headline first, exactly as intended.
Contrast is difference — of value, colour, shape, texture, or size. Strong contrast attracts attention and defines a focal point; low contrast unifies. In design, contrast creates visual hierarchy, telling the viewer what to read first.