Gestalt Principle: The Law of Proximity

The law of proximity is one of the most fascinating gestalt principles to me. It shows just how much our brains work at trying to make order out of chaos. To put it simply the law of proximity states that when objects appear close to one another they tend to be perceived as a group.

Take constellations for example. When we look at the night sky we look for stars that are close to one another and try to find some sort of meaning. Based on their proximity to one another we have clustered groups of stars and given them specific names and shapes such as The Big Dipper or Orion’s Belt. We have essentially created meaning out of randomness.

Look at the image of circles below. On the left side it appears that the circles are haphazardly placed in no particular order. On the right side, even though the same circles are used, it is clear to us that the shape of a triangle has been formed. Our minds have found a unity amongst the shapes based on their proximity to one another.

The Law of Proximity | Jeremy Bolton

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Gestalt Principle: The Law of Similarity & Anomaly

Patterns are everywhere we go and our minds can’t help but recognize when a pattern is formed. These patterns can be found in manmade objects such as fabrics or wallpaper; or in nature such as the patterns found on a giraffe or the bark of a tree.

We are inclined to look for visual patterns wether we realize it or not. This is why the Gestalt Principle of similarity works so well when designing logos. The principle of similarity states that objects which share visual features such as shape, size, color, texture, value or orientation will be understood as belonging together. When designing logos we can use this “pattern searching” part of our brain to give a logo unity and interest.

Health Unlimited Logo by The Partners, 1992

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Now That’s Clever! – Popchips Logo

Popchips Logo

Popchips Packaging

I came across this logo and package design in a fitness magazine advertisement last month. I think this design made some great use of the Gestalt Law of closure. The letter “o” and “i” are entirely created using only negative space and the edges of the surrounding letters. I think the letter “i” is especially clever while still being easily legible. What do you think of the Popchips logo?

Gestalt Principle: The Law of Closure

Most people know when a logo design is successful, whether or not they have a background in graphic design. But what is it about logo designs that make them successful? And on the flip side, what causes so many poorly designed logos to fail? I will tackle this exact subject in a series of posts that will delve into the design principles used to create effective logos.

First up let’s take a look at the Gestalt Principle (or law), also known as the “Law of Simplicity.” The Gestalt Principle is a theory that says our minds self-organize information in a manner that is orderly, regular, symmetric, and simple. This means that when we see a cluster of lines and shapes our minds attempt to organize them into a single, cohesive form, rather than a collection of individual parts. It should go without saying that the Gestalt Principles are extremely helpful when trying to understand how a logo will be perceived by an audience.

WWF Logo Using Closure

So let’s jump right in and take a look at the law of closure. Just to be clear the law of closure will not help you bury the hatchet with your “ex.” (That kind of closure is a lot tougher to figure out).

The kind of closure we are talking about occurs when a series of visual elements suggest a connection between one another, when, in fact, they never actually touch.

A great example of this is the World Wide Fund For Nature designed by Sir Peter Scott in 1961. The image of the panda is not complete because the areas of white on the panda are not defined by a stroke or shape. However, our minds still recognize the shape of the panda and complete (or close) the two areas of white in order to make sense of the panda’s head and body.
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