PRINCIPLE OF SIMPLICITY & VISUAL ECONOMY PRINCIPLES & ELEMENTS IN ART & DESIGN COMPOSITION

Design Notes : Gestalt

Gestalt is a general description for the concepts that make unity and variety possible in design. It is a German word that roughly translates as "whole" or "form." Gestalt theory is involved with visual perception and the psychology of art among other things. It is concerned with the relationship between the parts and the whole of a composition.

Gestalt Principles (The Principle of Simplicity)

Gestalt theorists followed the basic principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. In other words, the whole (a picture, a car) carried a different and altogether greater meaning than its individual components (paint, canvas, brush; or tire, paint, metal, respectively). In viewing the "whole," a cognitive process takes place – the mind makes a leap from comprehending the parts to realizing the whole.

Gestalt Principles and Dynamic Symmetry

Part 1 is about our connection to the natural world through perception. Prof Detrie discusses visual perception in the context of the Gestalt principles of visual organization.

Gestalt Principles : How are Your Designs Perceived?

Understanding gestalt principles will give you greater control over your designs, create more harmonious designs, and increase the likelihood that your message is communicated to your audience.

Gestalt Principles Applied in Design

Grasping that totality concept — both the individual element and the whole in which it exists are important both separately and together — is essential to understanding how gestaltism influences our design choices.

Gestalt Theory of Visual Perception

Gestalt means when parts identified individually have different characteristics to the whole (Gestalt means "organised whole") e.g. describing a tree - it's parts are trunk, branches, leaves, perhaps blossoms or fruit But when you look at an entire tree, you are not conscious of the parts, you are aware of the overall object - the tree. Parts are of secondary importance even though they can be clearly seen.

Lesson #5: The Principle of Simplicity

simplicity in designSimplicity in art, also known as visual economy or minimal design, is omitting all non-essential or un-important elements and details which don't really contribute to the essence of the overall composition in order to emphasize what is important. It is about really understanding the design problem, and focusing on the essentials. Much of the beauty and skill in good design focuses on what is left out, rather than trying to include everything you can.