In this blog, we will share with you about Gestalt principles of design and its psychology, so that you can apply them when you design your next website.

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Well, have you heard about Gestalt principles of design? However, it’s slightly uncommon to hear if you aren’t a designer. But for a designer, its principles play a magical role. In the 1920s a group of German psychologists created theories around how people sense the world around them and thus it is called Gestalt principles. 

Actually, Gestalt Principles describe how you can analyze and process complex stimuli around you. Its design state how your mind manages and organizes elements in predictable ways. However, our human brain is wired about structure, logic, and patterns and thus it enables us to make sense of the world. The Gestalt principles allow you to understand how we process visual information. Its theory is just outstanding and magical. 

Well, communication plays a central role in user interface and user experience design. Learning how users perceive and interpret your work is important and that is what the Gestalt Principles can assist you with. 

In this guide, we will talk about the 7 Gestalt principles of design and how it helps designers and beginners to create user-friendly designs.

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The 7 Gestalt principles of design

But before proceeding to understand the 7 Gestalt principles of design, you should know what is Gestalt design.

What are gestalt principles of design

Gestalt design is an approach that peeks at human perception and also comes to the interpretation of visual stimuli. It was developed in Austria and Germany during the early 20th century. 

Now let’s go beyond and understand why this design is so important for designers and how these principles are useful. Let us learn.

Here are the seven Gestalt principles of design:

Gestalt Principles are the human perceptions that clarify how humans group sees similar elements, recognize patterns, and simplify complex images. Then the designers use the principles to collect content on websites and other interfaces so it is aesthetically attractive and easy to understand. 

The first Gestalt Principles were devised in the 1920s by Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, and Wolfgang Kohler. Their aim was to understand how humans typically acquire meaningful perceptions from the cluttered stimuli around them.

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1. Gestalt principle of proximity

The Gestalt principle of proximity is when we notice objects that are close to each other as more related than objects as visually, distance defines relatedness. The principle of proximity comments that it manages to smell details as a group when they are close to each other.

Proximity defines the spatial relationship between objects. Specifically, the Gestalt Principle of Proximity states that things that are near each form a collective group. This principle holds nevertheless of whether the proximal objects differ in ways such as size, color, and shape.

A traditional example is words on a page. 

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2. Gestalt principle of closure

The Gestalt Principle of Closure says that the eye will sense a completed form even if parts of the form are missing or incomplete. However, there is a direction to resolve partial visual information. A classic example is a dotted outline where people see an overall shape instead of irrelevant short lines. The Gestalt principle of closure is when we see a complicated arrangement and recognizable pattern. We’re always trying to bring meaning and order to meaningless chaos and our eyes do that via reification. The closure is essentially what makes all minimal logos work.

The closure permits designers to distill figures into their simplest possible form.

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3. Gestalt principle of similarity

The Gestalt principle of similarity is when we see components that share characteristics. The Gestalt Principle of Similarity states that objects with similar qualities are apprehended to belong to the same group. These qualities are typically the physical and visual characteristics of an object, such as color, texture, and shape.

For designers, keeping elements similar in structure gives them the freedom to vary the arrangement without confusing the viewer. The forms are not aligned or even the same shape, but we understand them as belonging to the same group because they include the same color and shading properties.

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4. Gestalt principle of simplicity

The Principle of Simplicity notes that the eye desire to interpret the easiest possible form. This means that when delivered with an image, the mind may decide to split them or group them relying on which solution is the most straightforward.

While the law of simplicity is not easy to define thus designers must use their judgment when determining which interpretation of composition the observer will find the most simple.

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5. Gestalt principle of common fate

The Gestalt Principle of Common Fate says that objects are sensed to be part of a group when placed on the same circuit. In other words, objects that occur along the same invisible linear path are suggested to have a relationship. Common fate often suggests motion, and it is useful for designers wishing to highlight strokes. Similarity and proximity bring shapes together to make a finished letterform.

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6. Gestalt principle of continuity

The Gestalt Principle of Continuity says that the human eye follows a line beyond its endpoint to bypass sudden interruption. This principle is particularly useful for line drawings and illustrations. However, understanding how the eye will follow and join different brushstrokes permits the illustrator to deliberately keep the intended figure cohesive. 

These Gestalt principles of design are essential to making a design masterpiece.

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7. Gestalt principle of perception

The Gestalt principle of perception is when people perceive objects as either figure. 

However, when objects are linked, you can naturally develop a sense of spatial relationships between them. That means that even very simple arrangements of objects can be used to build a sense of relationship. One of the ways we do that is by comparing the two objects’ sizes. 

You can take benefit of this in your website designs to draw emphasis away from larger elements. This is one of the principles which designers use most in their websites to give the extra touch. 

We hope these 7 principles of design will enhance your skills from within. If it does, so don’t waste time, keep implementing them in your website or projects. Remember, practice makes a man perfect. 

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Put Gestalt principles into practice

To become a successful and unique graphic designer or a website designer you need to strong learn these skills within you. Every successful designer implements each principle in their work. 

However, the 7 Gestalt principles explain the psychology behind how people interpret visual information, and thus it is essential for graphic designers. A solid understanding of the Gestalt principles permits designers to control the viewer’s perception with intent and drive rather than relying on feelings. 

Gestalt theory is only a means to an end, if you are a business owner and are looking to enhance how viewers perceive your brand designs, you will need both Gestalt psychology and a talented designer. If you intend to make your design eye-catching designs then Gestalt design is a must.

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How to use the Gestalt principles of design while creating a website with Graphy

When you are an online coach or a creator, for you the most important asset is your website. Isn’t. If your website is dull and unorganized, then you won’t see any visitors visiting your site. To attract students, visitors, and entrepreneurs people on your site, you must make your site attractive and plan well so that it looks soothing. So what does design mean to you? For a designer or for anyone it means that you can play with making complex structures of simple shapes. For building your website, Graphy is the most straightforward way to build a gorgeous website without having to write code. Here we will discuss some of the benefits of using Graphy to build your website for your launch. Check them out carefully:

  • Work instantly with CMS data and eCommerce products to create your site with real content
  • Effortlessly preview and adjust layouts for tons of modern devices
  • Make reusable CSS classes across multiple elements simultaneously
  • Manage your layout using flexbox, CSS grids, inline-block, absolute positioning
  • Fine-tune typography
  • Keep your elements arranged using the Navigator

When you are already getting so many unlimited benefits with Graphy, now it is your time to put the Gestalt principles to practice. Being a designer or a creator learning a new skill is essential to building a successful business. So what’s waiting for sign up with Graphy for free today. This is one of the best platforms to apply Gestalt principles of design into practice to make your own website. 

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Final words

By now you know Gestalt principles of design are important as well as essential to design a masterpiece. Here it describes how everyone visually senses objects and the principles above are relatively straightforward to understand. The definition and the image are likely all you need to understand the principle. At the same time, comprehending the basic ideas of these principles isn’t the same as understanding how they affect design.

Once you’ve got a solid grasp on them, it is easy to see the Gestalt principles everywhere. The next time you enjoy watching a website, ask yourself – are any of the Gestalt Principles being applied here, or do they work alone or in combination? This will help you train your brain and make it a point that you explore every great app that comes across. However, take notes, draw motivation and keep practicing this art. 

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Host your online courses on Graphy

As a course creator if you are looking to host your course, then use Graphy.

We would recommend you to choose a knowledge-commerce platform like Graphy that helps you create, market, and sell your online courses under one platform!

Gestalt principles of design

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