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Dana Terry
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1 2-D Design (KCPA 110) Elizabeth Hawkins Office: 607 Office Hours: By appointment Project #1: Gestalt Principles Gestalt is a German word meaning form, or shape. Gestalt Principles help us form a whole finished composition from various unified visual parts. According to Gestalt theory the human mind attempts to recognize objects as a whole before examining their individual parts. Information that is unrelated in size, shape, orientation, etc will appear chaotic and unorganized to a viewer. Dates: Assigned: Due: Materials: // Minimum of three found examples for each principle // Black Sharpie Markers, various sizes // Middle Grey Marker (optional) // High Quality Drawing Paper // X-Acto Knife and SHARP blades // Utility knife and SHARP blades // Black or White Crescent Mounting Board (1 20 x 30 or 2 15 x 20 ) // White Crescent Illustration Board (hot press / smooth) (optional) // Rubber Cement & Pick-up // Graphite pencils // Cork Backed Ruler // T-Square Objective: To understand how to achieve a unified/harmonious design with relationships between objects using the Gestalt Principles. Using the principles of similarity, proximity, closure, continuation, figure / ground, and symmetry, you will identify examples from the internet, magazines, found photographs, etc, and then create our own compositions using graphite pencils with final images created with sharpie markers. Process: Research images from the internet, books, magazines, photographs, etc. to find a minimum of three examples of each Gestalt Principle. Research and find three photo reference images that best exemplify each principle from an actual pattern, texture, object etc. (do not use online Gestalt images). Change these to achromatic values and print them. Draw examples for each principle. (You may crop your photo references as applicable to the assignment). HINT: Try to find unique and interesting images to describe each category, don t settle for your first attempts. Your final image will be drawn in sharpie marker, be achromatic, and attached to illustration board or directly mounted to a presentation board of your choice. The final compositions you create should be presented at a minimum size of 4 x 4. Your found images should be no smaller than 2.5 in any direction. The finished board should have 6 groups of three images and include the following labels: // (Project name) Gestalt Principles

// Your name // My name & class title // Similarity // Proximity // Closure // Continuation // Grouping // Containment Examples: // Grouping: Elements that are

This example (containing 42 distinct objects) appears as two distinct groups we naturally want like objects to exist together.

Other methods for grouping by similarity include orientation, shape, value (color), size, subject matter, etc.

2 // Your name // My name & class title // Similarity // Proximity // Closure // Continuation // Grouping // Containment Examples: // Grouping: Elements that are alike one another perceptually join to create whole units or figures. If a shape is repeated often enough it creates a pattern or recognizable form/figure. This example (containing 42 distinct objects) appears as two distinct groups we naturally want like objects to exist together. The circular shapes become one group, while the square shapes become a separate group. Other methods for grouping by similarity include orientation, shape, value (color), size, subject matter, etc. // Proximity: When individual elements are placed close together they tend to be perceived as a single group. The nine squares above are placed without proximity. They are perceived as separate shapes. When the squares are given close proximity, unity occurs. While they continue to be separate shapes, they are now perceived as one group.

3 // Closure: The innate perceptual tendency for a viewer to perceive multiple objects as a group or totality. The ability to close gaps and create wholes out of dis-continuous lines, forms, or masses. Closure occurs when an object is incomplete or a space is not completely enclosed. If enough of the shape is indicated, people perceive the whole by filling in the missing information. Although the square is not complete, enough is present for the eye to complete the shape. When the viewer's perception completes a shape, closure occurs. // Continuation: Continuation occurs when the eye is compelled to move through one object and continue to another object. The principle of continuity predicts the preference for continuous figures.

4 As seen in the above example, we perceive the figure as two crossed lines instead of 4 lines meeting at the center. Again in the example to the left, our mind wants to see these circles as two distinct lines that intersect in an X. Continuation occurs in this example because the viewer's eye will naturally follow a line or curve. The smooth flowing crossbar of the "H" leads the eye directly to the maple leaf. // Repetition: The Gestalt Principal that states we look for pattern, and that pattern repeated over and over becomes salient in a composition.

5 Containment: A unifying force created by the outer edge of a composition or by a boundary within the composition. Containers encourage viewer to make connections among visual units and adds definition to the negative space around a positive space. Think simplicity: use basic geometric forms created with line to get started with your drawings. Craft/Craft/Craft.

HUMAN FACTORS FOR TECHNICAL COMMUNICATORS By Marlana Coe (Wiley Technical Communication Library) Lecture 6

HUMAN FACTORS FOR TECHNICAL COMMUNICATORS By Marlana Coe (Wiley Technical Communication Library) Lecture 6 Human Factors Optimally designing for people takes into account not only the ergonomics of design,