Colour Schemes Gestalt

Colour Schemes Gestalt Gestalt is the German word for "form” The essential point of gestalt is that in perception the whole is different from the sum of its parts. The sum of the parts The ‘whole’ Form The whole is more than the sum of its parts

Colour Schemes Gestalt These mind puzzles, firstly you may see a vase or see 2 heads facing each other Gestalt engages us with the picture.

Colour Schemes Gestalt Gestalt is often used in logo design because it engages the viewer By Phil von (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 ( sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons - Woman Power logo from a women’s movement of the 1970’s (Germany) - source: By Rob Janoff [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons - _Computer_Logo_rainbow.svg By Youtube ( [Public domain], via Wikimedia. Source: Commonshttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ALogo_Youtube.svg

Colour Schemes Gestalt Use gestalt to: liven up your work challenge the viewer to get the view to look more closely at the work

Colour Schemes Gestalt Gestalt theory can be broken down into different theories or laws, such as: Law of Prägnanz Proximity Similarity Closure Figure and ground Good continuation Open form This presentation looks at the laws. However, the best way to understand them is to pick your own examples which simply give the impression the whole is more than the sum of the parts

Colour Schemes Gestalt ”Law of Praganz" A figure will be appear “complete” or “good” (e.g. symmetrical, simple, and regular). Here the figure looks as if it is a square with an overlapping circle, not a flat surface of lines. This is called Law of Prägnanz.

Colour Schemes Gestalt The brain perceives well-organized patterns rather than separate component parts Just 24 black circles arranged on a page? Or also 3 lines and a square? Even though there are 24 black circles, the brain perceives lines and a square. This is the law of Proximity because elements close together will appear as a coherent object.

Colour Schemes Gestalt Even though there are 24 black circles, the brain perceives lines and a square also as 3 linesas a square

Colour Schemes Gestalt Law of Similarity Elements that look similar will be perceived as part of the same form.

Colour Schemes Gestalt as 2 parts

Colour Schemes Gestalt Law of Closure There are 4 parts arranged on the page, such that another shape appears, a white square. Patterns take precedence over the parts. In the example the whole consists of a square and the 4 parts, so the whole is more. 'The whole is more than the sum of its parts.

Colour Schemes Gestalt Law of Closure The form that appears on the left becomes a “C” when placed next to other letters. This is because subconsciously we close the gaps to form the letter “C”. BACH C

Colour Schemes Gestalt Figure & Ground The brain can ‘see’ a foreground and background, instead of a flat surface. Similar parts may appear as the foreground on top of a background to give the impression of two “whole” parts, instead of a single flat surface. The well-known artist Escher often created works in which figure and ground interchanged. Foreground Background

Colour Schemes Gestalt The shape can appear as a white square on a circle, or as a circle with a square hole. ?? + or Figure & Ground

Colour Schemes Gestalt Law of Good Continuation The eye tends to continue contours if there is an implied direction. The eye “fills” in the remaining pattern. In graphic design, gestalt theory allows us to change how viewers respond to a design....

Colour Schemes Gestalt Creating an Open Form The image on the left is formal, static and uninteresting. The image on the right has been cropped. Parts of the image have disappeared from view, so the viewer has to complete the picture. Entry points now exist and the viewer has become actively involved. Entry points to the picture.

Colour Schemes Gestalt Creating an Open Form The static image on the left does possess entry points for the viewer. The image on the left has many entry points to actively involve the viewer Designs and compositions which actively involve the viewer always do better that those which do not

Colour Schemes Gestalt Example: applying gestalt to change poster design The picture on the right has become more abstract and challenging This the original, quirky and light-hearted design The end result has a “chewed” appearance - the viewer has to engage with it more

Colour Schemes Gestalt Colours can affect one another A colour can appear differently if it is close to another contrasting colour. Which colour square below matches the colour of the text? M O T I V A T I O NM O T I V A T I O N Here the black makes the lettering appear white, where as in fact the white is an off-white or grey colour. 1 2