Gestalt and Ambiguous Figures

Gestalt, known as ‘visual perception’, combines visual geometric elements into groups as a form of visual communication. Most designs of symbols and signs we see now every day that makes use of shapes all come from the heart of the ‘The Gestalt Principles’ or in other words, the ‘Gestalt Theory’. To name a few: Similarity, Continuation, Closure, Proximity, Figure/Ground, are some of those principles that we see, most commonly in logos, especially in Graphic Design, as designers would often play around with shapes, creating abstract symbols that will help how we visually perceive objects, to communicate what they are and what it means. 

My own illustration on using the Similarity principle of the Gestalt Theory, where it is to communicate two objects in one symbol. We first perceive the image as a cutlery – a fork, but with close observation, we can also see it as an arm and hand. In this we can see that the two objects (fork and the arm/hand) are similar in terms of shape and form with such simplicity, thus perceiving our eyes to see one or the other.

The Gestalt Theory, while it may just be the use of geometric simplification, including colour, pattern, simplicity and composition, has been used in many ways to communicate as much as others that involve a lot of complexity from within, such as Illustration. Symbols such as road signs, is one example that, unlike most of Gestalt illustrations, uses very little geometric shapes that can communicate information to the drivers. While it may not have as much psychological effect unlike some Gestalt illustrations, the use of the ‘Continuation’, ‘Closure’ and ‘Proximity’ Principles can be seen in these graphics, as quoted from the article ‘Design Principles: Visual Perception and the Principles of Gestalt’ “(1) These principles sit at the heart of nearly everything we do graphically as designers.”

The Roundabout sign that has the ‘Proximity’ principle

In illustration, we can see the principles of the Gestalt Theory being applied, most noticeably the principles of ‘Closure’, ‘Continuation’, ‘Proximity’ and if not all, mostly the ‘Figure/Ground’. Instead of using abstract shapes, artists such as M.C. Escher, would make use of more than one subject matter, or a collection of everything that we see in the composition, to create a sense of illusion of a another subject matter from within. 

‘Day and Night’, 1938, M.C. Escher

‘Drawing Hands’, 1948, M.C. Escher

Illustrations such as these can have a psychological impact or bring a sense of confusion to figure out why we perceive such things as a whole that makes us wonder, as quoted from The Gestalt Principles “(2) Gestalt is a psychology term which means "unified whole." It is often used to explore the minds and the psychology, of how we as human beings explore and perceive different things that makes us question the reality and the imagine, and to understand our ability to find meaningful perceptions of our world in psychological practices.

References

(1) Bradley, 2014

(2) The Gestalt Principles

Bibliography

Bradley, S. (2014) Design Principles: Visual Perception and the Principles of Gestalt [Online] [Accessed: 21^st March 2015] Available from: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2014/03/28/design-principles-visual-perception-and-the-principles-of-gestalt/

The Gestalt Principles [Online] [Accessed: 21^st March 2015] Available from: http://graphicdesign.spokanefalls.edu/tutorials/process/gestaltprinciples/gestaltprinc.htm