Visual Hierarchy and Gestalt Principles Flashcards
Hierarchy
Organizing items into different levels relative to importance
This provides a sense of order
Aspects of design that control visual hierarchy
size
color
contrast
shape
position
whitespace
How can depth be added to flat maps
Interposition
Visual differences
Provide distinction and order (visual hierarchy)
Driven by data and goals of the map
Page scanning patterns
F pattern
Z pattern
Gestalt generally
German for “shape” or “form”
How visual input is perceived by human beings
How people tend to organize visual elements into groups or unified whole
Basic Gestalt Principle
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts
You might not recognize component parts unless put together (smiley face example)
6 Gestalt Principles
Similarity
Proximity
Good Continuation (continuity)
Closure
Pragnanz (Good Form)
Figure/Ground
Gestalt: Similarity
Like things are grouped by shared characteristics (color, shape, size)
Repetition creates visual themes
Gestalt: Proximity
Nearness informs association, objects that are close appear as groups
Color is often stronger than nearness
4 types of proximity (Gestalt)
Close edge
Touch
Overlap
Combine
Gestalt: Good continuation
Continuity often creates perception of a unit.
Humans tend to continue contours whenever the elements of the pattern establish an implied direction.
Once you start looking in a direction, you stay looking that way.
3 types of continuity (Gestalt)
Eye Direction
Paths
Perspective
Gestalt: Closure
Humans tend to “close the gap” to complete figures
Kanizsa Triangle
Gestalt: Pragnanz (good form)
Humans tend to interpret ambiguous or complex images as the simplest form possible
fewer elements and greater symmetry
