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Visual_orderVisual_order

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figure/ground

similarityproximityclosurecontinuance

translationrotationreflectionglide/reflectiondilation

symmetric balanceasymmetric balanceambiguous balanceneutral balance

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Gestalt is a pysochological term that means “unified whole”. The human eye naturally organizes visual elements into groups. German psyochologists developed this visual perception theory in the 1920’s to better describe why and how things are aestheti-cally pleasing.

principles of grouping

Gestalt Laws of Grouping

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VVVV

VV

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Figure/Gro

und

- Com

position is identified by figure and background

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9

Sim

ilarity- Objects that resem

ble one another are often percieved as a group

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VIS

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S S

S

S S

S

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Proxim

ity- Elem

ents in close range are identified as a set

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Closu

re- An incom

plete object is identified as a whole w

hen the viewer’s eye com

pletes missing inform

ation

UUU

U

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AA

AAAAAA

AA

AAAA

AAAAAAA

AAA AA AA

AA

AAAA

A A

AAA A

AA

A A

AA

AAAAAA

AA

AAAA

AAAAAAA

AAA AA AA

AA

AAAA

A A

AAA A

AA

A A

AA

AAAAAA

AA

AAAA

AAAAAAA

AAA AA AA

AA

AAAA

A A

AAA A

AA

A A

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Co

ntinuan

ce- Figures tend to be integrated into perceptual wholes w

hen aligned and implying a m

utual direction

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SS

symmetry

In this section, the correspondence betweenelements on the picture plane are observed. The viewer’s eye is directed and moves across theimage in relation to the alignment of the objects.

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Translatio

n- T

he figure is mapped out into equal linear points of correspondence

LLL

L

LL

L

LLL

LLL

LLLL

LL L

LLLLL

LL

LL

LLL L

LL L

LL L

LL

LLL

LLL

LLL

LL

L LL

L L L L L

L L L LLL L L L L

LLL

L

LL

L

LLL

LLL

LLLL

LL L

LLLLL

LL

LL

LLL L

LL L

LL L

LL

LLL

LLL

LLL

LL

L LL

L L L L L

L L L LLL L L L L

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OOOOOO

OO

OOOOO

OOOOOO

OO

OOOOO

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Ro

tation

- The figure is turned on a predeterm

ined point. All elem

ents are at a fixed distance from the axis

OO

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Reflectio

n- T

he figure is rotated on the plane 180 degrees. The result is a m

irrored image

RRRRRRR

R

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14DDDD

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Glide R

eflection

- Figure is rotated from the plane 180 degrees, gliding into a new

position

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Dilatio

n- A

n element changes in size at regular intervals

eee

eeeee e

eeeee

eeee

eeee

ee

e

eee

e

eee

ee

e ee

eee

e

e

eee

e

e

e e

ee

ee

e

ee

ee

e

ee e e e e

ee

ee

e e

ee

ee

eee

eeeee e

eeeee

eeee

eeee

ee

e

eee

e

eee

ee

e ee

eee

e

e

eee

e

e

e e

ee

ee

e

ee

ee

e

ee e e e e

ee

ee

e e

ee

ee

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BB

Balance is characterized by the distribution of elements within a composition. The relationship between forms on the picture plane are percieved based on the natural equilibrium in the human body. Forms can be placed to direct the eye and communicate the mes-sage to the viewer.

compositional balance

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Symm

etrical Balan

ce- Com

position is balanced with elem

ents relating to the same central axis. r r

r

rrr

rr

rr

rrr

r

r rr

rrr

rr

rr

rrr

r

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11111

1

11

11

1

1

1

11111

11 1

1

1 111

111111111

11111111

1

111

1

1

111

11111111111

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Asym

metric B

alance- Form

s are placed irregularly in relation to a central axis.

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Am

biguous B

alance- C

ompostion contains elem

ents that posess an unclear relationship and balance. 44

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Neutral B

alance- Elem

ents are placed at random creating a com

postition that lacks emphasis

***

*

*

**

*

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desn

200 in the graphic design program

at the kcai—m

ichael kidwell, assistant professor.

Kristen R. Ashton

Visual_order