The point at which the title is placed may be called the optical line. Its center is the optical center of the page. This point has not only the highest at tention value, but from it as a center' the question of balance must be determined.
5. Balance in the Alvah Parsons, in "The Principle of Advertising Arrangement," has the following to say about balance : There are two types of balance recognized: first, the bi-symmetric balance, or the balance in which there is the same' degree of attraction on either side of a vertical line thru the center ; and, second, what is known as the occult balance, or a "felt" balance. Occult balance is that balance which is rather sensed than mathematically worked out. The bi-symmetric balance is simple, dignified, strong; the occult is interesting, more involved and more difficult to per ceive and control.
In laying out advertisements, it is advisable to con form to recognized principles. The proper relation of cuts, type, type-masses and ornaments to the op tical center should be determined. Equal masses should be caused to balance at equal distances from this center; unequal masses at unequal distances.
The proper division of the space in the vertical di rection is the most important matter in securing bal ance. Advertisements should not be divided in the geometrical center but, as in the case of the title, on the optical line. Balance on this line is more impor tant than balance on the horizontal axis.
6. Securing of balance gives a form of emphasis, but it is not always to be commended.
The fact that variation from the ordinary is reason ably sure to attract attention, often leads advertisers to depart from standard customs as a means of secur ing emphasis. The advertiser who has his advertise ment set so as to read from the bottom up, employs difference to secure emphasis, but he soon discovers that few will puzzle out what he has to say. Em phasis is properly secured by varying the following elements : (a) Position. The advertisement itself or thru its parts may secure emphasis by means of position.
(b) Size. If the advertisement is of large size compared with its surroundings, it not only attracts attention to itself but it also has an opportunity to emphasize its message by completeness of copy and display. The internal elements of greatest impor
tance, too, will receive the emphasis that comes from size.
(c) Shape. Either the whole advertisement or any of its parts may be emphasized by novelty of shape. Eccentricity in this respect, however, is usu ally purchased at the expense of sales value.
(d) Color. Strength or beauty of color empha sizes both the advertisement as a whole and its vari ous elements.
(e) Motion. The entire advertisement may actu ally be in motion, as in certain electric signs or in moving displays, or motion may be indicated and the attention directed toward the element that it is de sired to emphasize.
Display.—By the use of type, or illustration of a size, form or style differing from the ordinary, emphasis may be given_to any desired element of an advertisement.
7. Value of movement —So accustomed has the eye become to obey certain directions that it will obey those directions even if the command be made only in the form of suggestion. In reading, the eye is accustomed to move from left to right and downward, hence it habitually follows a, straight or dotted line, if the line runs in a direction corresponding to that of print. If emphasis be put upon the line, the eye will follow it no matter what its direction.
Another common tendency which the advertiser makes use of is to follow the gaze of a person looking in a certain direction. It is a matter of common ob servation that if one person in a crowd looks intently at an object or in a certain direction others will do the same. Thus the direction of the gaze as indicated by the way a person in an illustration is looking has the same effect. Action, too, impels the gaze toward a vanishing point.
In advertising language, this tendency of the eye to follow an indicated course from one point to an other is called movement. It is induced by (1) di rection of lines or dots ; (2) direction of gaze; (3) di rection of action.