Gestalt theories and design

Baraa Ismail 012773

Design and psychology

1 abstract
This report discuss gestalt theory, its definition, its principles, how
to use it in design and gestalt theory applied. The principles
explain many difficulties that readers in processing texts and
graphics, what are the gestalt laws of perceptual organizations and
they explain why well designed pages and graphics are affective.

2 introductions

When your first impression of a design is positive, when you

instinctively see the design as being good, its likely because one or
more Gestalt principles of perception are at play. When you look at a
design and admire one or two of its parts, its likely because those
parts are adhering to one or more Gestalt principles.
One of the best things you can do as a designer is to learn these
principles and understand what they tell us about how people
perceive visual objects and the arrangements of visual objects.

What is gestalt theory?

When human beings look at a painting or a web page or any complex
combination of elements, we see the whole before we see the
individual parts that make up that whole. This idea of seeing the
whole before the parts and even more the whole becoming more than
the sum of its parts is Gestalt.
The German word gestalt can be translated as shape or form and
the term refers to how visual input is perceived by human
beings. Gestalt psychology was founded by Max Wertheimer and has
been added to over the years by other authors .
Wertheimers original observation was that we perceive motion
when there is nothing more than a rapid sequence of individual
sensory events such as a series of lights flashing in sequence. Imagine
a string of Christmas lights. Each light turns on and off in sequence
along the string. We see the movement of light from one end of the
string to the other, when in reality nothing has moved.

Mr. Koffka didnt like that translation, and pointed out that in his
statement, he means the whole exists independently from the
component parts

3 methodologies

1.3 gestalt principles

-Figure / ground: Elements are perceived as either figure (element
of focus or ground (background on which the figure sites)
-Similarity: things that are similar are perceived to be more related
than things that are dissimilar
-continuation (continuity): elements arranged on a line or curve
are perceived to be more related than elements not on the line or
curve.
-closure: when looking at a complex arrangement of individual
elements, we tend to look for single recognizable pattern.
-Proximity: Things that are close to one another are perceived to
be more related than things that are spaced farther apart
-Common Fate (Synchrony):
Elements moving in the same direction are perceived as being
more related than elements that are stationary or that move in
different directions. Elements that change at the same time group
together

-Symmetry: The idea that when we perceive objects we tend to

perceive them as symmetrical shapes that form around their center
-Parallelism: Elements that are parallel to each other appear more
related than elements not parallel to each other

- Past Experience: Elements tend to be grouped together if in the

past experience of the observer they were often grouped together.
-Law of Focal Point: a point of interest, emphasis, or difference
will capture and hold the viewers attention

Similarities

Area ( figure / ground )

Figure / ground

.
)Continuation (continuity

Through repetition of color, size,

orientation, texture, font, shape,
etc. we can design elements so
they appear more related

Closure
PROXIMITY

Symmetry

Parallelism

Focal point

2.3 How to use gestalt theory in design?

At its simplest, gestalt theory describes how the mind organizes visual
data. The stronger the clarity of form, the more effective the design.
So How to use its principles:
Figure / ground: it's especially important for incorporating typr into visual , the
type must be sufficiently separated from the other visual or the type will be hard
to read .
Several problems with figure ground segregation are illustrated by Edward Tufte
in his chapter data link and graphical redesign his illustration shows what happen
when the grid on the paper is too heavy for the type that is to be placed on it .

Proximity:
A problem accrues when there are several visuals on a page and the heading
associated with one visual ambiguously close to several of visuals.

Symmetry:
Refers to the perception of balance in the size , shape and relative positions of
parts of opposite side of diving line

Types of Symmetry
There are three types of symmetry: reflection (bilateral), rotational (radial), and
translational symmetry. Each can be used in design to create strong points of
interest and visual stability.

Translational symmetry

Rational symmetry

Reflection symmetry

Use Symmetry Strategically

Strategic use of symmetry (and the lack of it) is a powerful design tool. Designs th at
need more stability, a strong organizational structure, and a classic and trusting
.message, tend to use more symmetry in the design
For risk-loving designs, providing asymmetry can reinforce the message. You can use
asymmetry to punctuate an otherwise orderly, boring design.

Similarities
In both the old and new Reuters logo similar color and dot sizes are used to
make the logos cohesive even though the dots never touch. In the old logo
the various letters of the word Reuters are easily legible because the dots
share a similar size and color. The current logo adds a more dynamic feel by
using slightly varying dot sizes while still being linked together by the use of
the orange color.
.

Closure:

The Law of Closure is all about drawing conclusions and filling in missing pieces.
That is why designers want to leave the drawing conclusions part to the audience this
makes content presentation more interesting and engaging. Overall effectiveness of
Closure depends on the amount of visual clues given to users.
:
No need to draw
additional lines in the
WWF Logo to see the
:whole image of panda

The IBM logo is created of

horizontal lines though we
perceive it as a complete
image, but not as a set of
diverse lines

On both logos, shapes are placed near one another, but, as you can see, none of the shapes actually touch,
this causes us to think a bow-tie or a peacock is present (someone can see some other image, because image
)perception depends on the perception of an individual

Continuity

There is a tendency to perceive a line continuing its established direction. This

principle is considered to be one of the most important among other five, because it
has the vastest application in design. This principle is applied not only in web design
but also in interior design, design of clothes, landscape gardening design,
architecture etc. In architecture Continuity Law can be traced easily in all styles
starting from the ancient Greek and up to the Postmodern and Art Deco
Patterns with Continuity law applied may suggest the person who is looking at it,
that the pattern continues even after the end of the physical pattern itself, i.e. our
brain can trace the connecting lines between various elements of the design if there
are none. This brain-function enables us to see some elements slightly different from
what they are in reality, this is our personal Photoshop that fills in the picture with
some elements, allowing us to see picture in the whole but not separate parts.
Gestalt psychology tries to understand how people perceive the pattern instead of
many separate parts.
This principle of organization
presumes that there is a
tendency to perceive a line as a
continuation of its established
direction
The edge of any shape continues
into the space and meets up with
other shapes or the edges of
.other plane

When two lines of objects .

intersect, the continuation of
.each line is apparent

3.3 gestalt theories applied :

!) Gestalt therapy:
is an existential/experiential form of psychotherapy that emphasizes personal
responsibility, and that focuses upon the individual's experience in the present
moment, the therapist-client relationship, the environmental and social contexts
of a person's life, and the self-regulating adjustments people make as a result of
their overall situation.
Field-theoretical strategies.
The field can be considered in two ways. There are ontological dimensions and
there are phenomenological dimensions to ones field. The phenomenological
dimensions are all those physical and environmental contexts in which we live
and move. They might be the office in which one works, the house in which one
lives, the city and country of which one is a citizen, and so forth. The ontological
field is the objective reality that supports our physical existence. The ontological
dimensions are all mental and physical dynamics that contribute to a persons
sense of self, ones subjective experiencenot merely elements of the
environmental context. These might be the memory of an uncles inappropriate
affection, ones color blindness, ones sense of the social matrix in operation at
the office in which one works, and so forth. The way that Gestalt therapists
choose to work with field dynamics makes what they do strategic.[18] Gestalt
therapy focuses upon character structure; according to Gestalt theory, the
character structure is dynamic rather than fixed in nature. To become aware of
one's character structure, the focus is upon the phenomenological dimensions in
the context of the ontological dimensions

2) Interior design:

Similarity / a proximity

Ground / figure ground

Continuity / similarity

4) graphic design

Closure
Continuity

Closure

Continuity / focal point

Figure / ground

/ similarity /
parallelism

Conclusion:

-Knowing the principles of gestalt psychology can student a vocabulary for

analyzing the visual dimensions of their designs and any other design
-gestalt theory focuses on cognitive perception : how human brain groups
distinct shapes
-gestalt theory is not about rhetorical concerns as the individual character
of a speaker or audience , human emotions , and so on . that is gestal
t psychology does not address some of the most important characteristics
that make us human ; our capacities for believe and for feeling emotions

References:
-Using gestalt theory for teaching design and graphics
Patrice Moore /the university of Arkansas
http://www.public.asu.edu/~kheenan/courses/372/sp03/gestalttheory%2
0teaching.pdf

http://gestaltrevision.be/en/what-we-do/overview/39-researchareas/mid-level/60-figure-ground-organization

-the designers guide to Gestalt theory

http://www.creativebloq.com/graphic-design/designer-s-guide-gestalttheory-10134960

-Gestalt Principles Applied in Design

http://sixrevisions.com/web_design/gestalt-principles-applied-in-design

-Symmetry in Design: Concepts, Tips and Examples

http://sixrevisions.com/web_design/symmetry-design

Gestalt Principle: The Law of Similarity & Anomaly

http://jeremybolton.com/2009/10/gestalt-design-principles-the-law-of/similarity-anomaly
- ]How CloseGestalt Law of Closure [Die Gestalt im Design
http://blog.templatemonster.com/2012/05/23/gestalt-closure-lawtemplatemonster-templates/