Layout: It Matters

Our eyes are attracted to the abnormal. As Zettl comments on in his article, we see things that are not straight or abnormal even if they are only slightly off. We can level pictures with our naked eye. All of this to say, composition matters. Vertical, horizontal, or both, vectors and placement, it all matters. We do not decide what our eyes focus on, but as we compose pictures, videos and even artwork, it is important to understand. 

Layout is important in a lot of aspects of business. Advertisements live and die on their effectiveness. But in all advertising, focal point is key. If the highlight of a still ad is in the wrong place, the product may go unnoticed. With all of the money that went into that advertisement, to fail is a huge waste. Even in video ads, the product has to be placed perfectly. Today, we often incorporate minimal product placement. But the product placement we do have must be perfect. The point of a Nike ad may not be to show the new shoe, but rather to show the purpose of the shoe. Therefore, seeing the shoe’s role in the training is vitally important.

Layout is also important in architecture. As the article shows, angles and lines are an important part of building layout. But what it fails to mention is the importance to the buyer. Some buyers like the “everyday” feel of buildings with both vertical and horizontal line patterns. Yet others like the angles and contours of modern architecture. So it is all about knowing the market.

What patterns, contours, angles and shapes are your eyes attracted to?