Vignette is a term used in various fields of design, including graphic design, photography, and user interface design. In graphic design, a vignette refers to a decorative design or illustration that is used to break up text or add visual interest to a page. It often appears as a small, ornamental image or pattern, typically placed at the beginning or end of a chapter or section. In photography and imaging, a vignette describes a gradual darkening or lightening of the edges of an image, creating a soft, faded border effect. This technique is often used to draw the viewer's eye towards the center of the image or to create a nostalgic or romantic atmosphere. In user interface design, a vignette can refer to a small, focused interface element or widget that provides quick access to specific features or information without navigating away from the current context. Vignettes in UI design are often used to highlight important content, provide contextual tools or options, or display previews or summaries of related information. The term vignette comes from the French word vigne, meaning little vine, as early vignettes often featured vine-like decorative borders.
graphic design, photography, user interface, image borders, visual elements
A vignette is a versatile term that can refer to various artistic and literary forms. In literature, it is a short and impressionistic sketch or scene that often captures a moment in time or a particular mood. In art and design, it refers to a subtle and gradual fading effect around the edges of an image or design element that creates a sense of depth and focus. Vignettes can also be used in photography to create a soft and dreamy effect around the subject. One of the key aspects of a vignette is its ability to draw the viewer's attention to a specific point or element within a composition. By gradually fading out the edges, the viewer's eye is naturally drawn towards the center of the image, creating a sense of depth and focus. This effect can be used to highlight a particular subject or to create a sense of intimacy or nostalgia. Another important aspect of a vignette is its ability to create a cohesive and harmonious design. By using a tonal color to fade out the edges, the design is given a sense of unity and balance. This effect can be used to tie together disparate elements within a composition or to create a sense of continuity between different design elements. Overall, a vignette is a powerful tool that can be used to create a sense of depth, focus, and harmony within a composition. Whether used in literature, art, or design, it is a versatile and effective technique that can add an extra layer of meaning and emotion to any creative work.
literature, art, design, fading effect, focus, harmony
Vignettes are an essential element within the realm of graphic design due to their ability to draw the viewer into the design and ultimately, to the message that is trying to be communicated. A vignette is a dramatic focus within a composition that contains elements that are typically separated from the background elements. This focus typically consists of objects, colors, and shapes that together create an aesthetically pleasing image. Within this image, the vignette serves as the starting point for the viewer’s journey, naturally guiding their vision around the piece to take in all its elements. The use of vignettes therefore allows designers to shape the viewer’s experience in such a way that they can easily inject dimension and depth into their work, making the message much more powerful and visually interesting.
Shapes, textures, colors, composition, composition flow, visual narrative.
Vignette, when pertaining to the design field, describes a subtle, yet effective, visual treatment of an element or entire composition. Usually, the goal of implementing a vignette is to call attention to a specific element in the design, or to utilize a tonal color to help level everything out and give the design a cohesive look. Vignette can be established through the use of various design elements, including the arrangement of a general color palette, the integration of textures, or the compositional arrangement of elements.
Harmony, Contrast, Balance, Flow, Visualization
CITATION : "James Wilson. 'Vignette.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=234100 (Accessed on April 25, 2025)"
Vignette is a noun, referring to a short impressionistic scene, an illustration drawn around the edges of a page, or a brief sketch or portrait. Synonyms of Vignette are scene, sketch, portrait and illustration. Antonyms of Vignette are lengthy, long, prolix and prosy. Cognates of Vignette include canvas, cartoon, contour and draft. Variants of Vignette include vignetting, vignetted and vignettes.
Etymology, Morphology, Vignette, Lexemes, Morphosyntactic, Semantics, Syntactic Features, Lexicology
Vignette is a French-derived term which means “little vine”, referring to the intricate designs that contour the borders of illustrations. It was derived from the Latin vinea, meaning “vine”, and the diminutive suffix -ette, which is thought to be of French origin. Historically, vignettes were used to decorate manuscripts and book covers. In modern times, the use of vignettes has evolved from artistic decoration to more practical applications, such as enhancing photographs and digital media images. The morphological structure of the word vignette is composed of the core content word vine and the suffix -ette. Furthermore, the addition of the diminutive suffix to the root diminishes scale, thus resulting in a modified meaning of the word vignette, which is to describe something small and intricate. From a pragmatic perspective, the use of vignette typically connote an aesthetic object or skill, particularly if it is used to describe a work of art or a piece of design.
Etymology, morphology, linguistics, historical, evolution, pragmatics.
The term “vignette” is derived from the French word “vinet”, and is used to refer to a short literary sketch, often accompanied by a brief story or a short prose passage. It is a type of literary work that often combines elements of both poetry and short fiction. In linguistics, vignettes are used as a tool to explore the language and its usage depending on the context. It is an effective way to learn vocabulary, writing styles, and understand the culture of a language. Many languages have their own analogues to the vignette. In Spanish, it is ensayo literario; in Italian, it is el ritratto intorno a un episodio; in German, it is Kurzprosa; in Dutch, it is kort verhaal; in Polish, it is opowiadanie; in Portuguese, it is ensaio; in Greek, it is mikro-diaphoreseis; in Russian, it is рассказ; in Japanese, it is 短編小説; in French, it is nouvelle.
Ensayo literario, el ritratto intorno a un episodio, Kurzprosa, kort verhaal, opowiadanie, ensaio, mikro-diaphoreseis, рассказ, 短編小説, nouvelle: multi-language equivalents of vignette for use in search engine optimization
Vignette is a type of graphic design that is used to create a soft, subtle, and slightly blurred effect around the edges of an image or graphic. It is typically used to create a more aesthetically pleasing look and feel to a design, as well as to direct the viewer's attention towards the center of the image.
Graphic design, vignette, visual effects, blur, aesthetics
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