Gestalt Theory Designs (Drawing and Imaging: Language)

In my Drawing and Imaging class, we started looking at the principles of design in greater detail through the ideas and philosophies of Gestalt theory and Gestalt-based thinking (thanks to the minimalist teachings of the German Art academy Bauhaus). Our assignment for next week includes creating our own Gestalt theory designs based on the six types of Gestalt theory design– these six being:

1. Closure– the design is created in such a way that the viewer’s eye creates edges out of negative or nonexistent space and “connects the dots”, tracing a shape.
2. Similarity– the design constitutes forms that are of similar shape, size, and appearance which a viewer’s eye interprets as belonging to one single “whole” object, when in reality each form is separate from the whole.
3. Anomaly– the design depicts a pattern that subsequently is disrupted (deviation of the norm).
4. Proximity– Similar to Similarity, similar or different objects are brought together. Different from Similarity, relationships between individual objects are prioritized (spatial relations).
5. Figure-Ground Relationship– the design focuses on “negative space” in such a way in which parts of the design of opposing colors, such as black and white can be “switched” around, and distinguished from each other. Black space describes one shape, while white negative space describes another.
6. Continuation– the design is created in that the viewer’s eye sees a dynamic movement and will follow through the space of the drawing that initiates this concept further.

My examples are attached below, some are incorporated in brand identity and logo design, which is one of my aspirations as a designer.