Our 5 Most Useful Gestalt Principles
- Similarity
- Figure-Ground Relationship
- Grouping
- Closure
- Continuation
1. Similarity
Objects that look similar are perceived as similar.
2. The Figure-Ground Relationship
Elements are perceived as either figures (distinct elements of focus) or grounds (the background on which the figures lie).
- Stable – (left) it’s clear the circle is the figure and the grey space is ground
- Reversible – (center) each column has equal claim to figure or ground, creating tension that can be used in dynamic design
- Ambiguous – (right) while it’s still unclear which is figure and which is ground, there’s a lot more room for interpretation left to the viewer
3. Grouping
Items that are dissimilar can still be grouped together to appear similar. Hick’s Law
- Enclosure – Enclosing dissimilar objects together within a perceptible boundary will unify them in the viewer’s mind.
- Proximity – Objects grouped closely together will be perceived as similar, especially if separated from other groups by even more space.
4. Closure
Based on the principles of Reification that we talked about earlier in the chapter, closure is the principle that humans will provide their own closure to incomplete objects by filling in the gaps themselves. This can be used to a designer’s advantage, firstly by affording them some leeway with partial designs, and secondly by encouraging minimalist styles that communicate elegance.
5. Continuation
Related to closure, the principle of continuation states that a user’s eye creates momentum as it moves from object to object, giving lines a special power in layout design.
