Connecting paper style with web style

Styling web pages and conventional printed documents have many similarities. One must create a legible document. Using busy backgrounds on a website is similar to using unusual paper with stripes or using a color of paper that is similar to the color of printed text. Text is hard to read in either case, and should be avoided at all costs. Second, text must be easy to read. The choice of font size can create an easy to read document or one that is difficult to read. Small print is very difficult to read on any surface. Large print is distracting. The amount of time required to read a document increases significantly, although it is easier to correct on a computer. One may need to use a magnifying glass with a piece of paper.

There are also differences with the choice of medium. Using a web page offers an advantage. An author can include video or audio content in a presentation and offer interactivity to the user. These elements engage the user, thereby giving a rich, interactive experience. With paper documents, one is limited to text often black with a white or off=white paper. Pictures can be included in documents, but the quality of the image is limited to the paper and printer used. Web pages also allow authors to use color in their presentation. High printing costs limit the use of color in printed documents. Color helps an author show emphasis on sections of material which might be difficult with a paper document where bold and italic styles are available.

One consideration with web documents is that they are not overdone. The limits imposed on printed material also offer guidance in styling them to conventions. With the web, authors frequently embellish content beyond the need to emphasize it. It is quite easy for a web author to go too far.