Adventures in Whitespace: From Big Bang to Brilliance

By Matt Gartland

Welcome to the first and final frontier of creativity: whitespace.

Whitespace is the blank page blinking back to the writer on her monitor. It’s the virgin canvas that the painter has yet to touch. It’s the rough piece of stone that the sculptor has yet to chisel. It’s the whiteboard in the design room where smart product engineers must solve tough problems.

When a creative pro or creative team confronts whitespace, she (or they) confronts the immaculate Big Bang moment of an idea.

This point of singularity can be awe-inspiring. Or addicting. Often terrifying. Frequently debilitating. It can be all these things because whitespace is both everything and nothing at once. Small wonder then that some creative pros dance in whitespace while others drown. When we’re asked to solve a problem or architect something captivating, we’re asked to tame whitespace. Like a child in an art class, we’re handed a blank piece of construction paper and told “Here you go. Make something beautiful.”

As I observe fellow creative pros advancing their craft, growing their business, or refining their “eye”, I notice that each of these creatives is exploring this alien world in different ways – unearthing different gems as they do. It’s important to recognize the opportunities and potential pitfalls of this whitespace moment of the creative process.

So we’re beginning a new mini-series here at Accidental Creative dedicated to whitespace – it’s dimensions, difficulties and opportunities.

Why spend so much precious attention on whitespace?


Because we engage whitespace to share an insight, spark a movement, foster joy, or solve a need. We battle the forces of whitespace so that our readers, clients, patrons, and fans can see what we see and know what we know.

Whitespace is the space-time continuum of ideas.

To the writer, this whitespace determines the “between the lines”  depth in the work from which meaning is extracted. To the web designer, small choices in this whitespace moment either invites users into an engaging environment, or dooms them to usability purgatory. To the creative team member, the whitespace moment sets up collaboration and productivity that is to follow on a project.

Into whitespace and beyond!

This marks the beginning of our adventures into whitespace. It promises to be a fun and inspiring ride!

But only if you help…

What do you most enjoy about whitespace, and what is the most challenging aspect?

These thoughts and questions will help us plot our journey. So please share them in the comments below.

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Image Credit: Stefan

Avatar of Matt Gartland

About Matt Gartland

Matt Gartland is Editorial Director for Accidental Creative. He's also the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Winning Edits, an editorial agency helping indie authors win reader hearts-and-minds. You're cordially invited to enter Matt's psyche on Twitter.


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Comments

  • http://twitter.com/HolaMindy Mindy

    I really appreciate the point about some people dancing in the whitespace while others drown. I think this, for many people, is how they decide whether or not they are “creative.” When someone claims not be creative, it may just be that they have trouble with the expansiveness of an open field. They are creative, they just require some rails to work within.

  • Anonymous

    Whitespace terrifies me more than it excites me, but I’m working on it. Sometimes I just have to get anything out and sort out the bad stuff first. I’ve been working on being less worried about horrible ideas and more about getting it all out so I can find the gems. I’m a recovering “lost-creative”, if that makes any sense, so I’m still working out my process. Thanks for great, inspiring posts.

  • http://www.therealtorstoolbox.blogspot.com Sean Carpenter

    Excellent post. reminds me of a famous quote by Pablo Picasso that said,
    “There are painters who transform the sun into a yellow spot, but there are others who, thanks to their art and intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun.”

             

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  • http://www.annesamoilov.com/ Anne Samoilov

    This was a really intriguing article for me to read – since I just finished an ebook on the topic of clearing more white space in your life – so that you can do your best work and really live your best life.  I think that white space can be terrifying and freeing all at once for many of us.  Without any space, you can’t create or come up with those ground breaking ideas or a plan to reach those dreams you’ve held inside. But sometimes with too much of it, the same thing happens and there is a feeling that there’s so much to create/do that you create nothing. 
    For me personally, I look for those spaces between all the roles I play in my life and dive in — allowing creation to happen, not worrying whether or not I’m getting it right or if it looks graceful or not.

  • http://twitter.com/andybondurant Andy Bondurant

    For me it depends if I am tearing off the brand new whitespace or someone is handing you a blank page and asking you to create off the cuff. 

    I do much better when I’m in control.

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