Principles of Gestalt in Design

1. Proximity

• elements that are close together appear to belong together.

2. Similarity

• elements that appear similar are perceived as belonging to the same group

3. Continuity

• perception tends to follow the smoothes trajectory. the human eye prefers to follow along a continuous smooth line, so no abstract jumps

4. Closure

• we tend to complete unfinished shapes in our head

5. Figure Ground

• perception separates visual scenes into figure and ground. we always tend to see the subject in question as a separate from the background.
• optical illusions play with this and make the eye continuously flip the figure and ground

6. Common Fate

• elements moving in the same direction or having the same temporal thing happen to them tend to appear to be belonging to the same group

7. Prägnanz

• perception favours the simplest interpretation of a visual scene. complex arrangements are often reduced to more simple shapes/forms
• from this we can learn to always try to reduce, simplify and organize

In design this leads to:

• preference for symmetry
• simple geometric structures
• clear hierarchical organization