Gestalt Laws

Proximity
1. As an overview when objects are in close proximity we perceive them to be related.
2. A huddle of students in a corner will look like a group however, the same students spread out in the same classroom will not look like a group.
Continuity
1. The law of continuity says that we will link things that follow a predictable pattern.
2. We expect straight lines to carry on as straight lines and curves to continue as smooth curves.
Closure
1. We tend to perceive objects as a whole, even if they are not. If you almost draw a triangle but don't join up the last two sides , it still looks like a triangle. This is because we 'Fill in the gaps'.
2. Instead of seeing lines, we make the lines into a complete edge and therefore perceive a shape surrounded by the line.
3. Closure is more likely to happen when the shape produced by joining the lines is a regular shape.
4. If we see familiar image, such as an outline of a house or a chair, we don't notice if there are any parts missing as we tend to fill in lines based off of schemas.
Similarity
1. The principle of similarity states that things which share visual characteristics such as shape, size, colour, texture, value or orientation wil be seen as belonging together.
2. In the example in the middle there are columns of shapes that are the same colour, shape, etc. and this is why we perceive the shapes to belong in a group.

Resource summary

	Created by Morgan Broadaway about 7 years ago