Gestalt principles, a trick of the brain, not the eye.
Have you ever wondered why some designs just make sense, and others are unclear, despite containing the exact same information? It's not just you. The secret often lies in something called Gestalt Principles.
Gestalt is a psychology term that refers to how humans naturally group similar elements, recognise patterns, and simplify complex images when perceiving objects. Essentially, Gestalt helps us make sense of the world around us, and when applied to design, it ensures that what we create is clear, cohesive, and easy to understand.
Why is Gestalt Relevant in Design?
In the world of marketing and design, it's essential that your message is not only seen but also understood quickly. With mere seconds to capture attention, using Gestalt principles can be the difference between a design that resonates and one that's forgotten. These principles guide the viewer's eye naturally, allowing them to process information more efficiently. When applied correctly, Gestalt principles can transform your designs, making them more engaging, aesthetically pleasing, and ultimately, more effective.
The Six Key Gestalt Principles
Let's explore the six main Gestalt principles and how they play a crucial role in design:
1. Continuation / continuity
Continuation is a visual principle where the eye naturally follows a continuous path, whether it's a line, curve, or intersection, leading smoothly from one element to another. This tendency helps our brains perceive objects as connected and flowing rather than separate or disjointed, making it easier to understand and follow the design. In simple terms, it's where your brain draws a line where there isn't one.
An example of continuation can be seen in traffic lanes on the road. Even though the lane markings are made up of separate dashed lines, our brains use the principle of continuity to connect these dashes into a continuous line. This helps us understand where our car should be positioned on the road, ensuring we stay in our lane and follow the intended path.

2. Similarity
When objects look alike, we instinctively group them together as part of a pattern or set. This is particularly useful in branding, where consistency in colour, shape or font helps reinforce the identity of a brand.
Take a look at the branding Google uses. Google applies this principle in its apps like Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive. Each app has its own icon, but they all share the same colours—blue, red, yellow, and green. This consistent look makes them easy to recognise as part of Google's suite. Even though the apps do different things, the shared design ties them together, helping users instantly know they're using a Google product, whether for work, learning, or collaboration.

3. Closure
Closure happens when an object is incomplete or a space isn't fully enclosed, yet our brain fills in the gaps. A good example is the panda logo below. Even though parts of the panda's face are missing, we instinctively complete the shape in our minds and recognise it instantly. While this might seem similar to continuation, there's a difference: continuation is when our eyes naturally follow a flow of lines or curves in a design, whereas closure is when our brain fills in missing parts to perceive a complete shape.

4. Proximity
Proximity refers to how close elements are to each other. The principle of proximity means that we see objects that are close together as part of a group, even if they have different colours, sizes, or shapes. Imagine you're dividing a pile of sweets between two children, you would separate them into two groups on the table in front of you, each group containing different sweets, the space between them visually separating the groups.

5. Symmetry and Order
The Gestalt Law of Symmetry explains that we find symmetrical objects and shapes more visually pleasing. They appear balanced and organised compared to asymmetrical ones. This principle suggests that our brains naturally seek order and harmony in what we see (Research into why this happens covers everything from genetics to physics, and could easily lead you down a deep rabbit hole of online searches!)
A good example of symmetry is the Google search page. The Google logo is centred with the search bar directly below it. The buttons "Google Search" and "I'm Feeling Lucky" are evenly spaced, enhancing the symmetry. The user profile and icons in the top right also help balance the design. This symmetry makes the page look neat, organised and easy to use.

6. Figure/Ground
The figure-ground principle explains how we naturally focus on one thing at a time, making it stand out from everything else. Our eyes are wired to pick out what's important — the "figure" — and separate it from the background — the "ground". This helps us process what we see more easily and quickly.
Designers use techniques like blurring or overlays to make the background less noticeable. This helps the main object, or "figure," stand out clearly, guiding your attention exactly where they want it.

Design principles are hiding in plain site.
Now that you know these six principles, you can start spotting them in your everyday life. For example, when you see a well-organised supermarket display or a clear road sign, Gestalt principles are likely at work. You might notice how similar products are grouped together (similarity) or how a bold headline grabs your attention (figure-ground).
It's also common to see several principles used together, creating designs that are not just visually appealing but also easy to understand. Whether you're browsing a website, looking at a poster, or just noticing how things are arranged around you, these principles are helping to make sense of it all.
By understanding these principles, you can appreciate why some designs just work and how they guide your focus without you even realising it.