The phrase “The whole is greater than the sum of the parts” is often used when explaining Gestalt. The Gestalt effect refers to the forming capability of our senses, in respect to the visual recognition of figures and forms instead of merely a collection of simple lines and curves. It is a study in the higher order cognitive processes. Because the visual world is complex, the mind has developed strategies for coping with the confusion. The mind tries to find the simplest solution to a problem. One of the ways it does this is to form groups of items that have certain characteristics in common.
The aspects of gestalt theory that interests designers, are related to gestalt’s investigations of visual perception, and the relationship between the parts and the whole of the visual. In graphic design, the stronger the grouping, the stronger the gestalt. This grouping contributes to the unity in design. Gestalt is a tool available to a designer for creating unity.
The same concepts that form groups can be reversed to ungroup items and make them look unique or stand alone when viewed. That is the basis for creating variety which can add interest to an image. Too much unity and the design can look boring or repetitive, too much variety and it will look chaotic or disconnected. Understanding these gestalt concepts can help a designer control unity and variety. It is hard to find the balance and often I personally create too much unity in my designs and struggle with variety.
The experimental test I was asked to perform on friends concerns how quickly the mind recognizes a shape within groupings. So, the “whole” that we see rather than a group of separate particles. The selected individuals were shown a series of 5 photos and then a series of shapes, in 20 clicks, with each click being a little closer to forming the odd visual of a horse and rider (see results below).
1) Artistic older female: This person recognized the shape on click 14, extremely fast, without having to go on to the second step of showing 5 photos of animals prior to the series of shapes.
2) Engineer older male: This person saw nothing within the shapes in the first series, but was able to view the horse on the last and 20th click.
3) Firefighter (mid 30’s) Male: This person saw the horse and rider on click 18 of the first series.
4) ADHD intelligent young female: This person never saw the horse and rider but did see a happy face.
5) Math/science oriented young male: This person never saw the horse and rider and even after if was pointed out to him, still could not see the horse and thought the test was ridiculous.
In conclusion, I found that what would appear to be left brained individuals, or the individuals with a seemingly higher intelligence found it harder to connect the shapes were no better at seeing the shapes form into something than the others, in fact worse. Only the woman who is in the art industry and more right brained, or “visual” saw the shapes form into something more easily. Although neither of the younger individuals would consider themselves artistic, the horse and rider could not be seen.
