What can negatively impact the readability of a verse?

Negative space refers to the area around and between subjects in a design. While it can enhance the overall aesthetic, if improperly used, it can create confusion and clutter within a layout. This clutter can obscure the main focal point, making it difficult for readers to easily discern the content of the verse.

In contrast, positive spacing, effective matting, and a clear layout are elements that typically enhance readability. Positive spacing provides adequate room between letters and lines, effective matting offers a suitable background that highlights the text, and a clear layout ensures that the arrangement of text is intuitive and easy to follow. Each of these elements contributes to clarity and helps the reader engage with the content without distraction. Therefore, recognizing the role of negative space as potentially detracting from readability is critical in calligraphy design.