Elision

Elision

Elision is a term used in design, particularly in typography and graphic design, referring to the omission or suppression of a part of a word, phrase, or design element. It is a technique employed to simplify, streamline, or create a specific aesthetic effect in a design. In typography, elision often involves the removal of letters, such as in contractions like don't or can't, where the apostrophe represents the elided letters. This practice helps to make the text more concise and visually appealing. In graphic design, elision can involve the strategic removal or simplification of elements to create a cleaner, more minimalist composition. This can include the omission of unnecessary details, the reduction of complex shapes to more basic forms, or the use of negative space to imply the presence of an element without explicitly depicting it. Elision is a powerful tool for designers, allowing them to create designs that are more efficient, effective, and aesthetically pleasing by focusing on the essential elements and removing the superfluous. It is a technique that requires careful consideration and a keen understanding of the design's purpose and audience to ensure that the intended message is still effectively communicated despite the omission of certain elements.

typography, graphic design, minimalism, negative space

— John Armstrong