Tension in Design

Design isn't always about balance. Sometimes it's about tension.

Tension in design isn't a mistake, it's a tool. It's what makes a reader stop mid-scroll, question an image, or feel something unexpected. When used intentionally, tension can elevate your editorial work from simply informative to emotionally impactful.

An example of tension in a layout design.

Here's how I create tension:

• Contrasting typography like pairing delicate serifs with loud, bold sans serifs.

• Bold colour palettes that challenge comfort zones such as applying highly saturated colour next to greyscale photography.

• Playing with scale like blowing up a headline so it almost breaks the page.

• Using unexpected pacing like one-word pages or intentionally minimal pages where the background extends to the very edge of the page.

• Disruptive white (or black) space, letting silence speak louder than words.

Tension tells your reader: "This is not passive content. Pay attention."

Whether you're designing a magazine spread, an article, or a report; don't be afraid to let your layout breathe, clash, stretch and challenge.