Transparency In Visual Design

In design, we often refer to transparency and opacity as similar things. Essentially, opacity is measured by how much light passes through an object. Objects with lower opacity allow more light to pass through them, therefore becoming more “see-through.” The more solid an object is—the less light that can pass through it—translates to a higher opacity.

So to establish a direct connection: The level of opacity is directly related to how transparent an object is.

In 1890 the Milton Bradley Company published a historically significant manual on teaching color to children called Color in the School-room: A Manual for Teachers. It was exceedingly scientific for a textbook on kindergarten-level education, tackling topics like color blindness and having an entire chapter dedicated to “The Demand for a Definite Color Nomenclature.”

Somewhere early in chapter 4—“The Theory of Light and Color”—one can find the following passage: “It should be remembered that no substance is wholly transparent, and no material absolutely opaque.”

In design, we often refer to transparency and opacity as similar things. Essentially, opacity is measured by how much light passes through an object. Objects with lower opacity allow more light to pass through them, therefore becoming more “see-through.” The more solid an object is—the less light that can pass through it—translates to a higher opacity.

New Belgium Side Trip by Helms Workshop

So to establish a direct connection: The level of opacity is directly related to how transparent an object is.

Designers often use opacity to create a sense of depth in design by translating the effects of physical transparency into layers of line, shape, image, texture, and color to achieve a graphic transparency, with the intended outcome of making two or more surfaces or objects simultaneously visible.

Photo by cosasvisuales on flickr

There are an indefinite number of reasons we design with transparency: To create visual interest, to contrast elements, to create depth. Let’s take a look at 8 reasons in action:

The information found on this page is from an article written by Jon Robinson called “8 reasons for using transparency in visual design”. The author has been contacted for permission to use the article in this resource.