Week 4: Finding Gestalt

The classic visual illusion that has become a staple of optical tricks on the internet is actually running off the Gestalt principle of figure/ground and closure. Neither the faces nor the vase are clearly defined on their own-- they are only visible in relation to the other. Depending on whether you view the black section or white section as the figure and which as the ground, different images are seen.

The Gestalt principle of figure/ground can be used to add dimensionality to something-- being able to view things from multiple perspectives and the ability to see things in completely different ways can help to bring the viewer in and engage the audience more effectively. It works best when kept simple, however, lest you risk confusing the audience with something too complex to be able to take in quickly. A complicated design with no depth definitions can just come across as a mess if one isn't careful.