The Power of Scales

Understanding where the real maximums and minimums are can help us push our design.

The great thing with scales is that they always have limits. Get too hot and the thermometer explodes, pouring mercury all over your desk. Too loud and your mic will pop.

The great thing about limits is that most people avoid them, and they can be explored.

Every time someone says “Never use pure black” I immediately have an urge to use full black. Is it too black? Sometimes, yes. But not always.

Explore the limits. In the old days of print this was more challenging. Would the press cope with that thin line? Well you know what - it’s just as challenging now. Sitting here with my 4K monitors and retina laptops it’s easy to forget that those $100 smartphones might not be quite as crisp.

Explore the limits. Find the minimums, and the maximums. Then know when to ignore them.