STUDY TASK 05 - FIGURE/GROUND

Are there rules for design?

"Early this century, German and Austrian psychologists developed a school of thought known as Gestalt, a German word meaning "shape." It was their goal to learn how the mind perceived and processed visual input based upon pattern seeking.   The result was a theory of principles, supposedly free from subjective aesthetic bias, that artists have been able to use to present visual information - whether it be the printed page, painting, or photography. This theory is called "Gestalt theory," and although it may use unfamiliar names or titles, these principles will be familiar to most photographers. Gestalt is not design, but knowing the visual principles of Gestalt and their corollaries will give you a valuable design toolbox. This is the fifth article in a series."

You'll have trouble seeing this albino elk during a recent snow storm...

...but you can see him now, because there is sufficient contrast for your eye to perceive him against the background. This is a simple use of the principle of figure/ground. Magazines are a perfect representation of figure and ground, each piece of design criteria needs to be carefully selected in colour/shape/form. To bring out the full extent of the image. The yellow background for the logo to create a high contrasting colour which will make it stand out. The cold light background is used to highlight the main attraction in this case the figure. Once combined it brings a certain fluidity to the overall design.  If you see graphic design as a process of arranging shapes on a canvas, then you’re only seeing half of what you work with. The negative space of the canvas is just as important as the positive elements that we place on the canvas.

                      

The gestalt principle that applies most to space is that of figure-ground. Everything in a design of yours will be seen as one or the other, and the relationship between them is mutually exclusive. Neither can be perceived except in relation to the other, and changing one is impossible without changing the other as well.

The figure-ground relationship is also complementary. Figure and ground can enhance or detract from each other, and organizing the two in relation to each other is one of the more important aspects of design. It sets a context for how your design communicates and how it will be interpreted.