Before and After 0676
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Are there rules for design?
Early last century, psycholo-
gists in Austria and Germanydeveloped a school of psy-
chology called Gestalt, which
attempts to explain human
behavior in terms of pat-
tern seeking. Gestalt theory
explains how the eye orga-
nizes visual experiences and
how the brain interprets them.
Gestalt is not design, but
knowing the visual principles
of Gestalt will give you a valu-able design toolbox.
By Bob Dahlquist with the
Before & After staff
Oursenseofbalanceaffectseverythingwe see
equilib-
Continued
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2of7Gestalt theory: Equilibrium
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Find equilibrium in nature
Consciously or not, our sense o balance deeply inuences our visual judgments. TheGestalt principle oequilibriumaddresses the stability we seek in everything we see.
In nature, an object tends towards a
stable, resting state, as seen in a water
droplet: Splashed water beads up
draws inwardand comes to rest in a
circle. This is a stable state.
Equilibrium is everywhere! (Below) Notice how our eye is pulled to the center.
Our eye is most comfortable at the center, the point of greatest equilibrium.
Plant seed Lime wedge Pumpkin
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3of7Gestalt theory: Equilibrium
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CBS
by William Golden
Woolmark
by Francesco Saroglia
Ralston Purina
by William Danorth
Look at me! (Below) Equilibrium gives these logos rest, stability and permanence.
Each one commands your extreme attention, because your eye is drawn towards the center.
Mimicking nature, we create equi-
librium when we draw a plain dot.
Like the droplet, a dot is a shape at
rest, under no tension. This shape
displays equilibrium.
Create equilibrium in objects
A water droplet, in its simplest orm, is a dot that pulls your eye to the center.This similar concept has been applied to amous logos and trademarks.
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4of7Gestalt theory: Equilibrium
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Equilibrium in placement
Our eye is naturally drawn to the center o a feld. An object placed elsewheredraws our eye away and toward the object and edge, which creates tension.
The dot far off center
results in tension from
three elements tugging
at your eyethe center,
the dot and the edge.
Tension Ambiguity Equilibrium
Neither centered nor
clearly off center, our
eye struggles with this
ambiguity.
Equilibrium at work. Our
eye recognizes that the
dot is in the center. Ten-
sion ceases. The composi-
tion comes to rest.
(Often-overlooked fact:
The paper is not a passive
carrier but an active part
of any composition.)
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5of7Gestalt theory: Equilibrium
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Create equilibrium in your layout
Every element has shape, direction and value. Create equilibrium by arrangingelements and adjusting values so the primary visual weight is in the center. For
interest, you can then create tension within the equilibrium.
Equilibrium
The centered layout is balanced,
stable, in repose.
Equilibrium with tension
The visual weight is in the center.
The center itself is asymmetrical
and active.
Tension
Elements gathered all the way to the
left yield an unbalanced, active page.
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Beore & Ater magazine
Before & After has been sharing its practical approach
to graphic design since 1990. Because our modern world
has made designers of us all (ready or not), Before &
After is dedicated to making graphic design understand-
able, useful and even fun for everyone.
John McWade Publisher and creative director
Gaye McWade Associate publisher
Dexter Mark Abellera Staff designer
Beore & Ater magazine
323 Lincoln Street, Roseville, CA 95678
Telephone 916-784-3880
Fax 916-784-3995
E-mail [email protected]
www http://www.bamagazine.com
Copyright 2008 Beore & Ater magazine
ISSN 1049-0035. All rights reservedYou may pass along a free copy of this article to others
by clicking here.You may not alter this article, and you
may not charge for it. You may quote brief sections
for review; please credit Before & After magazine, and
let us know. To link Before & After magazine to your
Web site, use this URL: http://www.bamagazine.com.
For all other permissions, please contact us.
Subscribe to Beore & Ater
Subscribe to Beore & Ater, and become a
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E-mail this articleTo pass along a ree copy o this article to
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Gestalttheory:Equ
ilibrium
0676
0676Gestalttheory:Equilibrium
Arethererulesfordesign?
Earlylastcentury,p
sycholo-
gistsinAustriaand
Germany
developedaschoolofpsy-
chologycalledGest
alt,which
attemptstoexplain
human
behaviorintermso
fpat-
ternseeking.Gestalttheory
explainshowtheeyeorga-
nizesvisualexperie
ncesand
howthebraininterpretsthem.
Gestaltisnotdesign,but
knowingthevisual
principles
ofGestaltwillgiveyouavalu-
abledesigntoolbox
.
ByBobDahlquistwiththe
Before&Aftersta
ff
Oursen
seofbalanceaffectsev
erythingwe
see
eq
ui
lib
-
Findequilibriuminnature
Consciouslyornot,oursenseofbalancedeeplyinfluencesourvisualjudgments.The
Gestaltprincipleofequilibriumaddresses
thestabilityweseekineverythingwesee.
Innature,anobjecttendstowardsa
stable,restingstate,asseeninawat
er
droplet:Splashedwaterbeadsup
drawsinwardandcomestorestina
circle.T
hisisastablestate.
Equilibr
iumiseverywhere!(Below)Noticehowoureyeispulledtothecenter.
Oureyeismostcomfortableatthecenter,
thepointofgreatestequilibrium.
Pla
ntseed
Limewedge
Pumpkin
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amagazine.com
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Gestalttheory:Equilibrium
0676
0676Gestalttheory:Equilibrium
CBS
byWilliamGolden
Woolmark
byF
rancescoSaroglia
RalstonPurina
byWilliamDanforth
Lookatme!(Below)Equilibriumgivestheselogosrest,stabilityandpermanence.
Eachonecommandsyourextremeattention,becauseyoureyeisdrawntow
ardsthecenter.
Mimick
ingnature,wecreateequi-
librium
whenwedrawaplaindot.
Likethedroplet,adotisashapeat
rest,un
dernotension.Thisshape
display
sequilibrium.
Createequilibriuminobjects
Awaterdroplet,in
itssimplestform,isadotthatpullsyoureyetothecenter.
Thissimilarconcepthasbeenappliedtofa
mouslogosandtradem
arks.
Equilibriuminpla
cement
Oureyeisnaturallydrawntothecenterof
afield.Anobjectplaced
elsewhere
drawsoureyeawayandtowardtheobject
andedge,whichcreates
tension.
Thedotfaroffcenter
resultsintensionfrom
threeelementstugging
atyoureyethecenter,
thedotandtheedge.
Tension
Ambiguity
Equilibrium
Neith
ercenterednor
clear
lyoffcenter,our
eyestruggleswiththis
ambiguity.
Equilibriumatwork
.Our
eyerecognizesthatthe
dotisinthecenter.
Ten-
sionceases.Theco
mposi-
tioncomestorest.
(Often-overlookedfact:
Thepaperisnotap
assive
carrierbutanactivepart
ofanycomposition.)
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Gestalttheory:Equilibrium
0676
0676Gestalttheory:Equilibrium
Createequilibrium
inyourlayout
Everyelementhas
shape,directionandvalue.Createequilibriumbyarranging
elementsandadjustingvaluessotheprimaryvisualweightisinth
ecenter.For
interest,youcanth
encreatetensionwithintheequilibrium.
Equilibrium
Thecenteredlayoutisbalanced,
stable,inrepose.
Equilibriumwithtensio
n
Thevisualweightisinthe
center.
Thecenteritselfisasymmetrical
andactive.
Tension
Elementsgatheredallthewaytoth
e
le
ftyieldanunbalanced,activepage.
2
008
A
NNUAL
R
EPORT
Specializing
inInternationalTrade,Business
C
onsultationand
InformationTechnologyServices
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SOLUTIONS
2008ANNUALREPORT
Specializing
inInternational
Trade,BusinessConsultationand
InformationTechnologyServices
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ORK
SOLUTIONS
Specializing
inInternationalTrade,Business
Consultationand
Info
rmationTechnologyServices
GLOBA
LNETWORK
SOLUTIONS
2008ANNUALREPORT
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Before&Aftermag
azine
Before&Afterhasbeensharingitspracticalapproach
tographicdesignsinc
e1990.Becauseourmodernworld
hasmadedesignerso
fusall(readyornot),Before&
Afterisdedicatedtom
akinggraphicdesignunderstand
-
able,usefulandeven
funforeveryone.
JohnMcWadePublisherandcreativedirector
GayeMcWadeAssociatepublisher
DexterMarkAbelle
raStaffdesigner
Before&Aftermag
azine
323LincolnStreet,Ro
seville,CA95678
Telephone916-784-3
880
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Copyright2008Before&Aftermagazine
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