Accentuation Through Reduction

Occasionally, interface designers encounter scenarios where a primary element lacks sufficient visual prominence, yet conventional enhancement techniques prove inadequate for establishing appropriate emphasis.

Consider this navigation component—despite applying distinctive coloration to the active item, it fails to achieve meaningful differentiation from surrounding inactive elements:

When confronting such challenges, rather than intensifying the focal element's visual attributes, consider diminishing the prominence of competing elements that dilute its impact.

In this navigation example, applying subdued coloration to inactive items effectively relegates them to the background, enhancing the active element's prominence through relative contrast:

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