Rubrication

Info

Based on the article by Gwern Branwen

The Turing Typora theme was used as a base.

This theme isn’t the most appealing for exporting, or looking good. What it is good for is putting ==emphasis== on the things that matter.

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What does “Rubrication” even mean?

In the aforementioned article, Gwern states:

​ Dating back to medieval manuscripts, text has often been highlighted using a particular distinct bright red. The contrast of black and red on a white background is highly visible and striking, and this has been reused many times, in a way which I have not noticed for other colors. I call these uses rubrication and collate examples I have noticed from many time periods. This design pattern does not seem to have a widely-accepted name or be commonly discussed, so I propose extending the term “rubrication” to all instances of this pattern, not merely religious texts.

​ Why this rubrication design pattern? Why red, specifically, and not, say, orange or purple? Is it just a historical accident? Cross-cultural research suggests that for humans, red may be intrinsically more noticeable & has a higher contrast with black, explaining its perennial appeal as a design pattern.

​ Regardless, it is a beautiful design pattern which has been used in many interesting ways over the millennia, and perhaps may inspire the reader.

Essentially, Rubrication is a way to draw attention to the important stuff on the page. This makes it a good tool for note taking, as you can cut through the fluff and find what you need.

Screenshot: