German for shape or form, the Gestalt theory was created by three different German psychologists in the 1920's. It is a psychological concept on how the human brain reacts to visual perception and how we unconsciously group entities together based on their similarities.
Five Principles:
- Proximity- when elements are near one other, our minds see them as together- e.g. on the left is a square made from dots and on the right are three columns of dots. You don't just see a collaboration of dots but groupings of them
- Closure- if something is incomplete that we would usually see as a whole our brains will connect or complete the image- this can also be seen as an ontological perception- e.g. the completion of the light bulb in the image below
- Similarity- achieved when similar shapes are used to make a larger image- effective for making a more memorable image, and commonly used for a consistent functional design- e.g. the boarder for this logo uses two sizes of triangles circling the image of the bird which is built into three of the triangles at the bottom of the image
- Symmetry- images perceived collectively, usually half of one image reflected into one- aesthetically pleasing due to the repetitive nature, good usage for a communication tool- e.g. this image is completely symmetrical at all angles
- Continuity- if shapes are aligned in a curved or straight path they are viewed as one line rather than a cluster of objects- e.g. the graphic cluster of dots below
Shape Principles
Meanings:
- Circle- eternal, movement, complete, wholeness, friendly, protection
- Triangle- stability, eye-catching, religious, navigation, equality
- Square- equality, common, plain, stable, trusting, safe, immovable
- Arrow- navigation, direct
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