Line and Visual Tension

Generally speaking, if you have a really interesting, bizarre, or fascinating visual, you should keep the line really straight forward. Don’t get too clever with it.

Similarly, if you’ve got a brilliant headline, don’t work overtime trying to make the visual quirkier than it needs to be.

These are rules of thumb. It's nothing written in stone. But look through the first few pages of the latest CA annual, and you'll find a few salient examples.

Interesting visual, straight line…


Straight visual, interesting line…


And of course, a couple that defy this advice…