Kristin Becker's DTC Classes at WSU

Figure/ground is another form of giving the viewer multiple ways to view a design in either print, media, or business storefronts. Figure/ground also goes by another name, which is the Gestalt Principle. This is a technique where the whole of the image is undefined, as point of view can change how you read and understand what the image is meant to represent. The figure part of the image is the main point, usually in the middle and the least complicated to understand. Ground is the background, but unlike normal images the ground emphasizes a second environment. Also, with the Gestalt Principles, ground is usually the negative space of the image that then creates the illusion. Some images using this can only be viewed from two separate angles, where you flip the image and suddenly it becomes something else. Or it can be an image like the one i’ve chosen, where you can see both areas of the negative space at once, since they easily compliment each other.

Restaurant logo from The Swan & Mallard using negative space and figure/ground. Created by John Randall: Behance

For my image showing an example of this figure/ground principle, I chose the logo of “The Swan & Mallard” Restaurant. For this, the design uses the white space to create both the swan and the “&” sign, using one part that can be viewed two different ways. Then, the “ground” part of the image is the duck, which uses the background color of back and the negative space of the white swan, to give the illusion of a duck looking out between the “&” sign. Both of these images are interacting with each other, giving out a minimalist and balanced feeling. The orange then acts as a point for the reader to fully distinguish what the image is conveying. The white and the black then work together to create the full ambiguity of the photo.

I got this image from Flickr. You can see the rights of this picture if you click here.

Figure/Ground organization is a perceptual category that is a necessity for recognition of objects through an image. This organization can be used for different purposes, for example, I know some psychologists that use this kid of images where they need to identify a figure form the background. This can be used for people with some kind of emotional or daily problems, and based on the answer they give, they can know what alternatives to apply with the results they get about this person. This image represents figure/ground for me, and it is one of the common images people see as an example for this. This image makes this representation more interesting because, I have seen people discussing about what they see and what they believe it represents. I just think this can be related on how people lived their lives and the way how they see things, we are all different and some people might see something in specific and others something totally different. It all fully depends more into the observer more than the item itself. This black and white image gives a illusion of two people facing each other in the color black, but some other people can see a white cup right in the middle. This image have some shape and color perception. I think this image can be practical because it’s actually used by psychologists for their patients. This organization can be used also to help designers and artists to create a 2-D dimension. There are a of different examples for figure/ground where it can be almost impossible for some people to see an object that is basically hiding in the image, but for others can be super easy and quick.

Rubin’s vase By Edgar Rubin – An illusion created using figure-ground. This image was found on Wikipedia.

The image that I have chosen to represent the ambiguity of figure/ground is of a Rubin’s vase. This image is a more famous creation by Edgar Rubin in the early 1900’s. When looking at the the image you can see two different images depending on how you look at it. We had a reading on figure/ground and what I took away from it is that the background (ground) is what causes the form to stand out. The figure is the white part of the image due to it being surrounded by the black background which acts as the ground. the faces are a very prominent part of the image but I feel that the white vase is the figure the faces are built off of. The Rubin’s vase faces and vase could be seen as the figure depending on what each individuals eyes are drawn to first. When first looking at the image you can see two side profiles of faces, but upon further viewing you can notice a vase in the center of the images caused by the the outline of the faces. The image its self is open to interpretation of if it is an image of a vase or of two face profiles, that is the optical illusion aspect of the piece. The image of the Rubin’s vase could serve an ornamental purpose. The ornamental purpose could come from how decorative the piece is, it calls for higher thinking on the image. With how the image could be seen in different ways gives it some what of a practical purpose as well. If this image was to be in someones home then it could act as a conversation starter or a point of interest in the home. Over all I feel that the Rubin’s vase serves as a great example of figure and ground since it is very obvious and is well known for its ambiguity. The piece leaves its meaning and imagery up to the viewer to decide.

Ambiguous image of faces/a vase. Photo found on pxhere.

“Figure” is an item/design/image that is in the forefront of the setting, or “ground.” Each is only visible when they are in contrast with one another. Figure/ground ambiguity plays off the balance and contrast of figure/ground. This photo to the left is a common example of ambiguity. I’ve seen this image on internet advertisements or articles for years because it draws people in – what is it? What does it mean? In relation to figure/ground, we would not be able to see either figure (the vase or faces) if they were not contrasting colors.

Ambiguity makes designs more interesting for the viewers. This specific photo creates interest because the two figures are fighting for our attention. The audience is unsure if the focal point is the two white faces or the black vase in the center. The audience is unsure what the creator intends for us to see. At first glance, we might not see either figure. This complexity makes the image more interesting than if it was just two faces looking at each other or just a black vase. Our mind and eyes are constantly battling one another.

Obviously, this image is purely ornamental. It is for viewing pleasure only – it doesn’t give a message, meaning, or contribute anything to society. Part of its ambiguity makes the image more intriguing, however. These ambiguous-style images have been created for hundreds of years, so there is a popularity and mystery surrounding them. I feel like the viewer gets a sense of pride gets when they finally see each figure. It is the same joy we feel when completing a puzzle, participating in a mind-boggling board game, or identifying patterns. We feel we are solving a problem and being useful. So, although the image is not particularly functional, it does make viewers feel productive.

This is a photo I took myself of “Alone and Not Alone,” a 2015 poetry book by Ron Padgett. The cover art is a sketch done by Jim Dine in 2014.

Figure/ground is the understanding of how different elements in a composition work together, creating a focal point and allowing different viewers to see different things. The figure – the focal point – is made to stand out from the ground – the background. However, some art pieces are a little less easy to discern, and the figure can be hidden. I selected the cover of this poetry book as my example of ambiguous figure/ground. There are several possibilities for the figure and ground in this specific piece. You could argue that the text is the figure, with red text of the author’s name being the strongest focal point. This would make the sketch the ground of the photo. The red text brings your eyes to Pinocchio’s hands, which draws your eyes up to his chest, then neck, then face and eyes, and finally up his eyebrows and to the title of the book. You could also argue that the black text draws you in first, as the “AL” in “Alone” is contrasts highly with the white background, making it the initial focal point and thus drawing your eyes down the page in the opposite way as was done with the red text. However, what makes this piece even more ambiguous is you could also argue that the sketch is the figure in this piece. Since Pinocchio’s eyes are focused straight ahead, that is an easy first place to look, as eyes tend to draw the eye. The sketch, although it clearly stands out from the background, has some ambiguity in its soft, shaded edges. And, as is necessary in the use of figure/ground, we can imagine the rest of Pinocchio’s body, even though we cannot see it, because of our brain’s perception of the piece and its knowledge of human (or puppet) anatomy. This ambiguity makes the piece more interesting because it give it some tension. The red text is jarring, and your eyes might dart to the word “Alone,” or to Pinocchio’s eyes, all of which are kind of creepy, which fits well with the theme of the poetry included in the book. All in all, the font choices, colors, and slightly confusing focal point in the cover art gives an uneasy feeling to the books, only adding to the apparent desired effect of the author.

Graphic design composition of a iceberg and city scape. An example of figure/ground reversal. Piece titled “Hidden City” By Tang Yau Hoong

In Graphic Design: The New Basics, we learned about the importance of working with figure and ground and how it can add interest to a composition. Figure is the main subject while ground is the area surrounding the subject. In figure/ground reversal, figure is what the eye is instantly drawn to but after a second our mind switches and ground becomes apparent. Artists use this trick to meld two different subjects into one cohesive image. In this example, we see an iceberg floating in the water, but upon further inspection, the base of the iceberg takes the form of a city scape. The base of the iceberg is very detailed and looks exactly like a city. This is a prime example of figure-ground reversal. The artist uses two different subjects to make an image that is visually interesting.  The negative space takes up a lot of room around the iceberg, which makes it the focal point. Because the iceberg is directly in the center, our eyes are immediately drawn to it as well. The bottom section of the image takes up more space and is darker than the top, which grounds the image. The line splitting the image in two creates the sky and the ocean. This piece is interesting to me because it integrates nature as well as civilization. The composition is blue to represent the ocean and sky and then inside the iceberg the lighter blue is ment to represent the sky of the city. From what I can tell, this image is purely ornamental. Although there could be an underlying meaning showing the mix of nature and civilization, but it isn’t too clear. Figure/ground reversal is a design technique that is very powerful and can display two different or similar ideas simultaneously. It is useful for graphic design, company logos, posters, and many other types of art.

Figure/Ground (Gestalt Principles), is essentially, a form of technique that challenges our past experiences of perceptions and sensory; to the point that we try to find the underlying meaning of how the piece was created. Figure is defined by which it is the forefront of the image, it essentially is the main object/point of direction that we immediately fixate our eyes on. Ground is then the background, in which the figure is apart of – but is usually not as emphasized because it just creates a sense of environment for the figure to be apart of.

But when an artist puts the same amount of emphasis for both the ground, as they did for the figure – it starts challenging the viewer’s sense of direction. They start to create this tension that pulls on one’s consciousness, forcing them to challenge and re-evaluate the purpose(s) of the piece.

Graphic art using the negative space technique from figure/ground. Prominently displaying the word ‘Dead’ in black, whilst hiding the word ‘Alive’ within the white spaces. Art by: http://deep-play.com/blog/dead-alive/

In this graphic design piece, the illustrator used the technique of ‘optical interplay’ to create this piece. At first, our eyes are fixated at the dominant word of ‘Dead’ in black (the figure), and then we slowly transition to the negative white space; where we then see the word ‘Alive’ (the ground). This optical interplay challenges our sense of judgement because one would automatically assume that it’s just the word ‘Dead’, but with extra ornamental features. Only then does the viewer realize, that the extra black features added onto the word ‘Dead’, act as a functional purpose to outline and conceive the hidden word of ‘Alive’. It’s technique such as this that are used in art pieces, that further engage the viewing audience to further dive into the piece.

This is the famous Kaniza triangle that creates the illusion of the white triangle is in front of the rest of the black elements. Photo: Kanizsa triangle.

Figure and ground can be defined as using positive and negative space to create the illusion of a three-dimensional space. Using Contrast between lighter and darker colors can improve the image or elements to make it look three-dimensional. The connection of lines or dots that can form lines can create a lot of tension visually and makes the image more intriguing.

The photo I chose was the Kaniza triangle because I think it is a great example of figure and ground. By using black and white colors it creates the contrast between the two and makes the black shapes look as if they are in the background. The white triangle that seems to be in front could be defined as an ambiguous figure/ground relationship because it challenges the viewer to distinguish what is in the background and what is in front. By disconnecting the lines and then putting the small triangles in the circles creates the illusion of the triangle. Disconnecting lines can also create tension and can make the image visually intriguing. Positive space is the main focus of the image, in this case, then this would be the white triangle and negative space would be the background, which is the black shapes.