Image Essay #6

PRINCIPLES OF GESTALT When I was researching for an image that would contain principles of Gestalt, it was very difficult. I think I put every phrase from "gestalt principles" to " gestalt art" in the Google search box. I did not understand why I was not coming up with anything until I came out of your class last week. You had told us that no artist sits before he begins a work and says, " I think I will put a Gestalt principle here, and maybe here." It doesn't work like that. An artist puts Gestalt principles in their art because they are trained too. They don't plan it out, it comes natural.

So then I Googled art in the search box instead and looked for it instead. I immediately got this image which has a good variety of the principles of Gestalt. In this piece, the first principle that I see is containment. With the two trees with a dark value on both side of the paper. Their branches reach up and around the top of the artwork; therefor keeping your eye contained in the piece.

The second principle that I spot is proximity between the branches of the trees to the house in the background. I feel like the branches are reaching towards the house. The distance between the two elements creates a visual unity, and leads your eye around.

The third principle that I noticed is grouping. I automatically group the yellow-white flowers on the right, left, and then in the background together. This mainly because it is the only yellow on the page, and also the brightest colors on the page compared to the dark-values on the tree and the hues on the house in the background.

Lastly, I see repetition in many ways in this piece of work. The trees are repeated on the left, right, and in the background. The flowers as individual elements create a sense of repetition that leads your eye back to the house, the main focus. The windows are also repeated. I try to imagine the home with only one window. To me, the home would not be very aesthetic, and therefore the artist added more windows.