CREATE
RELATIONSHIPS
The psychological Gestalt Principles may be a law that designers subconsciously know. The Gestalt Principles talks about the visual information and organization and how our brain takes these things we see and creates a relationship with them. We often perceive forms and objects that are not actually there because of this. Understanding the Gestalt Principles is important for a designer because the Gestalt principles create order and recognition for the viewer.
FIGURE
GROUND
Creating clear figure & background distinction
Here the designer uses the Gestalt Principle of figure-ground which suggest that shapes, objects, or other design elements can be used to create a distinction between the figure itself and the background. Designers can use contours and outlines to create this perception. Color and contrast can also lift or drop the figure off the background.
Light colors tend to make the element appear as if it is lifted from the background. While darker colors tend to recede the design elements.
Think about your design elements in black and white.
Think about your design elements in pieces, can you separate different parts of the design?
Are there different sizes to the parts of your element?
AMBIGUOUS
FIGURE-GROUND
Creating unclear figure & background distinction
Ambiguous figure-ground principle is similar to figure-ground, but the separation between the design element and the background is not a clear definition. This strategy is usually used for art and areas of visual communications design. If your message needs to be clear, do not use this type of figure-ground, as sometimes it effects legibility.
If your message essential for the user to read?
Are you making something that should be visually attractive?
Are people seeing this design quickly?
Do you have multiple things to say?
SIMILARITY
Forming groups through similar qualities
The Similarity Principle suggests that people tend to group shapes, objects, or design elements together that share some level of resemblance. This resemblance can come in the form of color, tone, texture, shape, orientation, or size.
Color tends to amplify this principle.
Are you working with many groups of data?
Do you need to separate groups of information?
What are the similarities and differences between the contents of your design?
PROXIMITY
Forming groups through distance
Proximity suggests that objects and design elements located close together tend to be seen as a group, while objects randomly located tend to be seen as separate or on its own. This law can be used to effectively communicate objectives by directing attention to important design elements.
Create hierarchy of information.
Is there information that holds equal importance?
Is there information that can be paired together?
COMMON
REGION
Forming groups through orientation, movement, & configuration
The Common Region Gestalt Principle proposes that groups of shapes or design elements with similar orientation, movement, or configuration, tend to be seen together as a group.
Color can amplify or reduce the strength of this principle.
Do you have groups of information?
Do you have data that relates to one or more groups but does not relate to others?
Do you have a lot of information that needs to be understood by your user quickly?
CONTINUITY
Using lines, curves, and planes to create rhythm
The Gestalt Principle, Continuity, proposes that shapes, objects, or other design elements that form lines, curves, or planes, will be seen as such. Continuity says objects lead the eyes to move from one element to the next.
Color can affect this principle.
Create hierarchy of information.
Is there information that holds equal importance?
Is there information that can be paired together?
CLOSURE
Using negative space to form patterns
The Closure Principles proposes that people recognize patterns in a complex arrangement of visual elements such as objects, lines, and shapes, and will fill in parts if they are missing. Designers can use negative and positive space to create this perception.
Color can affect this principle.
Are you showing progression?
Does your design need the entire block of color?
Can there be white space?
FOCAL
POINT
Calling attention to one piece of information
This Gestalt Principle, the focal point, states if there is a shape, object, or other design element that is different than the rest of the design, it will capture and hold the viewer's attention first. It will be the first point of interest that grabs the viewers attention and they move from there.
Color, scale, isolation, framing, and pointing are strategies that can create focal points.
Do you have a call to action?
If there was one thing the viewer took away from your design, what would you want it to be?
