04/01/2021
Part 2 of the Gestalt series, where I explore the principles of perceptual organization and how they can be applied to design.
Principle: Figure/Ground
What sort of things do we take into account to decide the subject and background of what we see?
1. Size/Nearness - The closer/larger an object is to the viewer the more important it appears to be. Elements of a design can be drawn attention to by changing their size, or by changing their color, to cause them to appear on top of other information.
2. Sharpness - The more detailed an object, the more likely it should be the focus of attention. Our vision naturally blurs at the edges, leaving out the details of what we aren't currently focusing on. The more complex an element is in a design, the more likely the eye will be drawn there.
3. Isolation - An element that breaks away from the consistency of a scene draws attention, as our senses are change detectors. Perception looks for what is different and ignores what stays the same. Need a headline to stand out? Be consistent throughout your design and then use a font for the heading that breaks the mold. It will get attention.
