PROJECT III: Gestalt Theory . Figure Ground Reversal

1. :: An organized whole that is perceived as more than the sum of its parts.

The use of figure ground reversal in compositions
can be used as a powerful design device where both positive and negative space compete for the same spatial field.


Thus, shapes or objects continue to shift on themselves, where the figure can appear as BOTH figure AND ground, thus causing for optical illusions to take place.

Design examples -

M.C. Escher - tessellating dogs (both are figure)

Hartford Whalers Hockey team

methods

> Choose a theme from the best book titles below to illustrate.

> Your illustration will consist of a two part figure / ground reversal, making use of two colors and white. 

> You may consider patterned areas within your design.

> Your design may be completed in paper, in paint, or on the computer, and need not be black and white.

> You may tessellate* your work - flipping the design over a number of cells to make a pattern.

> Your work may be horizontal or vertical orientation.

> Your work dimensions must be larger than 10" on any one side.

> After you have made your book title selection you need to sketch up 8 separate thumbnails of the same title in your sketchbooks. 

Make sure that your thumbnails are an equal proportion to your overall completed image size. 

> Remember, this assignment is to create a FIGURE GROUND REVERSAL of the entire design.

> Scale up onto your final image substrate and complete.

> You need to float the image with at minimum a 2" gutter around the image.

theme

use one of these best book titles

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? 
by Philip K. Dick 

Something Wicked This Way Comes 
by Ray Bradbury 

The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse  by Robert Rankin Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation  by Lynne Truss To Kill a Mockingbird  by Harper Lee The Perks of Being a Wallflower  by Stephen Chbosky Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs  by Judi Barrett Where the Wild Things Are  by Maurice Sendak A Clockwork Orange  by Anthony Burgess Neverwhere  by Neil Gaiman Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close  by Jonathan Safran Foer A Thousand Splendid Suns  by Khaled Hosseini When You Are Engulfed in Flames  by David Sedaris Inspirations: Find 4 inspirations that illustrate Figure  Ground Reversal. Download them with their URL and paste into your Sketch Book.  Note a minimum of 4 Principles & Elements of Design on each visual example. > Salvador Dali > M.C. Escher > optical illusions that emphasize  figure ground reversal Student Work: student illustration for the cover of  Neverwhere  by Neil Gaiman student illustration for the cover of  Neverwhere  by Neil Gaiman student illustration for the cover of  Neverwhere  by Neil Gaiman Student illustration for the cover of  Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs  by Judi Barrett > FINAL VERSION Student illustration for the cover of  The Perks of Being a Wallflower  by Stephen Chbosky Student illustration for the cover of  The Perks of Being a Wallflower  by Stephen Chbosky Student illustration for the cover of  To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Student illustration for the cover of  The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky Student illustration for the cover of  Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs > Version 1 Student illustration for the cover of  Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs  by Judi Barrett > FINAL VERSION Student illustration for the cover of  Where the Wild Things Are  by Maurice Sendak student illustration for the cover of A Clockwork Orange  by Anthony Burgess student illustration for the cover of A Clockwork Orange  by Anthony Burgess student illustration for the cover of To Kill a Mockingbird  by Harper Lee student concept sketches