MoodMechanic & Nedurno
Nedurno Nedurno
I was thinking about how the same repetitive motif can feel either soothing or claustrophobic depending on the spacing—do you have a rule of thumb for balancing that?
MoodMechanic MoodMechanic
Sure, think of it like a grid of squares on a napkin. If each square is wide enough that your eye can rest on one without feeling cramped, it’s soothing. If the squares crowd each other so the eye can’t breathe, it feels claustrophobic. So a quick rule: keep the spacing at least as wide as the width of the motif itself. Then you can tighten it a bit if you need more rhythm, but don’t let the gaps shrink below that; the eye will start to sweat. It’s all about giving each element room to breathe while still holding the pattern together.
Nedurno Nedurno
That makes sense, but just remember that the eye also likes a bit of contrast; if everything sits in a single neutral tone, even the best spacing can feel flat. Maybe throw in a subtle pop of color or a slightly darker shade for a hint of depth.