Text on Image

Much of our work is in the field of advertising design. Most ads combine words and pictures to convey the message - we seek a synergy between the words and images in an ad. Combining them so that they work together, don't compete, are easy to "grab" is the skill we are seeking. When using type in design, the bottom line is always legibility. Legibility must always take precedence over design issues.

Placing text over images has special problems for legibility:

adding a black background is OK but .....

or perhaps making it semi-transparent....

or even blurring the image area behind....

Adding a black single pixel background helps...

but the most common is a drop shadow....

However the best is also the most difficult: blur a small number of pixels around of the edge around the typeface...

Conversely you can place image within text to achieve effects: