Thinking about proximity helps you to think about how your audience is finding relationships between the parts of your document. Any components that are similar in shape, colour, texture, size, or other visual attribute can achieve proximity. The shapes used do not have to be geometric to create the effect of proximity. In this case, the viewer interprets them as falling off or away from the main shape. If, like the example above, some of the components form to create a large ‘whole,’ similar elements positioned away from the main shape will also be associated with the large shape. If individual elements are similar, they will probably be perceived first as a whole and second as discrete components. Proximity is an arrangement of elements that creates an association or relationship between them (see Figure 12.4). The above optical illusion is also an example of closure, because your mind ‘closes’ the head shape. The partial triangle, outlined in black also hints at the missing shape. In the example above, the triangle is formed by the viewer’s mind, which wants to close the shape formed by the gaps and spaces of the adjacent circles and lines. In essence, the mind ‘closes’ a form, object, or composition. The principle works if the viewer is given enough visual information to perceive a complete shape in the negative space. Closure Figure 12.3 ClosureĬlosure is a design technique that uses the mind’s tendency to complete incomplete shapes (see Figure 12.3). You’re able to see the faces because your mind “continues” the lines to complete the shape of the face. To understand this principle, think about this famous optical illusion, which is a drawing of a tree that has several faces hidden in it. The eye will continue along the path or direction suggested by the composition even when the composition ends, continuing beyond the page dimensions. This tendency can be used to point toward another element in the composition, or to draw the eye around a composition. The eye is drawn along a path, line, or curve, as long as there is enough proximity between objects to do so. Continuation Figure 12.2 Continuity Ĭontinuation is the tendency of the mind to see a single continuous line of connection rather than discrete components (see Figure 12.2). If you start using a particular font and size for a heading, you should continue the pattern so that readers aren’t confused. For example, every ‘Questions for Reflection’ section in this book have the same colour, shape and layout. Basically, if something has he same shape, colour, size or texture, humans will see them as linked. This effect can be used to create a single illustration, image, or message from a series of separate elements. When visual elements have a similar shape or look as one another, a viewer will often connect the discrete components and see a pattern. There are six basic Gestalt principles: (1) similarity, (2) continuation, (3) closure, (4) proximity, (5) figure/ground, and (6) symmetry and order. Gestalt works because the mind seeks to organize visual information. It was developed in the 1920s by the German psychologists Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Kohler, and Kurt Koffka. Gestalt Theory is framework of understanding how people look at visuals as a whole. Sometimes, it helps to have some language to talk about design choices. This can make it hard to fairly evaluate graphics when we’re not the target audience. But, these gut feelings are highly subjective and based in our individual context. People often have strong opinions about what they like and dislike when it comes to visuals. Graphic design can be a source of conflict in some workplaces.
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