Parkol: graphic design & negative space

Further explorations into the design of negative space takes us to the design studios of Nick Senin Parkol from Saint-Petersburg, Russia. Nick demonstrates how negative space affects the content and message of graphic design

Arrangement and organization of negative space makes graphic presentations more exciting

AS PART OF OUR EXPLORATION OF NEGATIVE SPACE, Nick Senin Parkol is a graphic designer and illustrator from Saint-Petersburg, Russia, who leverages negative space for dynamic graphic design layouts. In the design above Nick reinforces movement, direction, object and plane or field with tilts and shapes and colors. Nothing here is static. Note, however the importance of the lone dancer to the left is heightened by the white space, echoing the partner dancer in the foreground of the Red space … then the small receding blue triangle offers rest and an exit for the whole space by virtue of its color and position.

Nick tells us that he began drawing when only a child, and as the passion grew for visual dynamics, do too he cultivated a passion for music — which is reflected in the rhythmic shapes and colors in many of his designs.

logos designed by Nick Senin Parkol

Whether by design or by accident, Nick’s inherent feeling for negative space is reflected even in his logo work. We like to think this is specifically by design.

Negative space reinforces impact and dynamics in this layout

In this series of layouts, the shapes formed by the backgrounds become important elements in the overall design — forcing the reader’s eye to move through the designs. The negative space within the configuration of ‘boxes’ also becomes an interesting visual element. Is that a bird? Note how the negative spaces draw attention to the content of the posters, and the logo.

Nick attended design school (Art Future), IZO-studios, and continued with courses at the Institute of Printing and Design (Saint-Petersburg). He was awarded a ‘runner-up’ for his Pandemonium Poster 2009 (UK), above, and has won numerous other awards including Nilo 2005 (Finland), and Tvoi magazine competition in 1999 for his illustrations. Nick uses Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Flash, InDesign, Premiere. Corel Draw. Alias Maya, 3D Max, Steinberg Cubase, and Apple Logic Pro.

See lots more at www.parkol.net

We’ll be referring to some of Nick’s other works in our other articles on Negative Space.

Thanks for reading

Fred Showker

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