Human visual perception. Visual perception and application of Gestalt principles in web design

“Creativity begins with vision. Vision –

This is already a creative act that requires tension.”

Henri Matisse

The theory of aesthetic perception is based on the fact that perception is basically a cognitive process determined by the forms and type of visual perception.

We will place special emphasis on the fact that aesthetic perception is not a passive, contemplative act, but a creative, active process.

Each act of visual perception, according to Arnheim (author of the most interesting book “Art and Visual Perception”), is an active study of an object, its visual assessment, selection of existing features, comparison of them with memory traces, their analysis and organization of all this into a holistic image.

In the 20s of the last twentieth century, a new direction in psychology appeared, it is called Gestalt. The term Gestalt cannot be unambiguously translated into Russian; it has a number of meanings: holistic, image, structure, form. And it can be used without translation, meaning a holistic unification of elements of mental life, irreducible to the sum of its constituent parts. In their works, Gestalt psychologists paid great attention to problems of perception. They opposed, first of all, the associative theory of perception, which dominated the psychological theories of the 19th century. They sought to prove that perception is holistic in nature and is built on the basis of the creation of integral structures - gestalts. Instead of abstract questions about how we see three dimensions, what sensory elements are, how their unification is possible, Gestalt psychologists put forward real and concrete problems: how we see things as they really are, how a figure is perceived separately from the background, what is surface, what shape is, why you can “change” its weight, dimensions and other parameters without changing anything in an object.

Let's try to figure out how we see and, thereby, help ourselves learn to manage visual perception.

So - any perception is also thinking, any reasoning is at the same time intuition, any observation is also creativity. And each person sees and hears only what he understands and rejects what he does not understand.

It is often believed that the eye is like a camera. However, there are signs of perception that are completely different from the camera. The eye supplies the brain with information that is encoded into neural activity - a chain of electrical impulses, which in turn, with the help of its code and a certain structure of brain activity, reproduces objects. It's like letters when reading, symbols are not pictures. There is no internal picture! For the brain, this structural excitation is the object.

A very interesting tendency of our brain is to group objects and simple shapes and continue (complete) unfinished lines. A few lines are what the eye needs, the rest will be completed by the brain as it develops and understands. (Caricatures, visions in flames or in the clouds - faces and figures, fortune telling on coffee grounds, etc.)

We can say with complete confidence that the process of visual perception also includes knowledge about an object, obtained from past experience, and this experience is not limited to vision, there is also touch and taste, color, olfactory, auditory, and perhaps even temperature, pain and other sensory characteristics of this item.

Perception goes beyond the sensations directly given to us. Perception and thinking do not exist independently of each other. The phrase: “I see what I understand” indicates a connection that really exists.

When describing objects and things, we constantly point out their relationship with the environment. No object is perceived in isolation. Perceiving something means attributing to this “something” a certain place in the system: location in space, degree of brightness, color, size, size, distance, etc. Changing our hairstyle, we suddenly notice that our face has become a little rounder. When choosing a dress style, we dream of “stretching” our legs and neck and “reducing” our waist size. We can say with complete confidence that we see more than what hits the retina. And this is not an action of the intellect!

It seems incredible, but any line drawn on paper or applied to the surface of an object (in our case, on clothing or on the face) is like a stone thrown into the calm water of a pond. All this is a disturbance of peace, mobilization of space, action, movement. And vision perceives this movement, this action.

This is where perceptual powers come into play. Are these forces real? Perceptual objects naturally don't have them (of course, you didn't grow up wearing vertical stripes or expanding from horizontal stripes), but they can be considered psychological counterparts or equivalents to physiological forces operating in the visual area of ​​the brain. There is no reason to call these forces illusions; they are no more illusory than the colors inherent in the objects themselves, although colors from a physiological point of view are just a reaction nervous system to light with a certain wavelength (but more on that later).

MENTAL AND PHYSICAL BALANCE.

When discussing the influence of the location of an object on its perception, we inevitably encounter the factor of balance. From the point of view of physics, equilibrium is a state of a body in which the forces acting on it compensate each other. This definition also applies to perceptual powers. Like any physical body, each visual model that has boundaries has a fulcrum or center of gravity. Why do you need balance in creating an image? An unbalanced composition, be it a drawing, furniture arrangement, selection of clothes or colors and lines of makeup and hairstyle, looks random and temporary. When there is a lack of calm and clarity, we have the impression of destruction or sloppiness. For example, the clown's clothes are red and blue, dividing the body in half - and the figure seems ridiculous, although both halves of the body and their physical weight are equal. We can say with complete confidence that the lack of balance leads to the impossibility of perceiving a single whole.

WEIGHT. When creating a visual composition, one should not forget about apparent weight. Weight depends on the location of the part or item. An element located in the center of the composition or close to it weighs less than others. The part at the top seems heavier than the one at the bottom, and the one on the right side has more weight than the one on the left. Weight also depends on size; naturally, a larger object will look heavier. Now, regarding the “weight” of color, red (warm) color is heavier than blue (cold), and bright and light colors are heavier than dark ones. For example, in order to mutually balance black and white, it is necessary to make the area of ​​black space slightly larger than white. Weight is also influenced by the shape of the object and the direction of perceived objects. A correct geometric shape always looks heavier than an irregular one. For example, when comparing a ball, square and triangle of the same weight and color, the ball seems to be the heaviest.

DIRECTION. Direction, as well as weight, affects balance, i.e. to create a general impression of the subject. It is very important to understand and remember that in elongated forms, the spatial orientation of which deviates from the horizontal or vertical by a small angle, this direction becomes dominant. The simplest and most accessible example of this rule is the slightly offset seam on the once fashionable seamed stockings!

RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE. A difficult problem arises from the asymmetry of right and left. Any object located on the right looks heavier than the left. Experts believe that everything that is located on the left has more meaning for the observer than what is located in the center or on the right. Remember where the speaker's podium is, where the main action on stage takes place: in the middle, and more often on the left. This phenomenon is associated with the dominance of the left hemisphere of the cerebral cortex, which contains the higher brain centers - speech, reading and writing.

OUTLINE. In essence, vision is a means of practical orientation in space. The visual process means “grasping,” the rapid awareness of several characteristic features of an object. (A poorly printed photograph has turned the face into several gray spots, but we recognize it) We can say that the human gaze is, to some extent, an insight into the essence of the subject. And the outline is just one of the essential characteristics of an object, captured and perceived by the human eye. The outline is the boundary of the mass. But here's an interesting example, we don't see hidden side ball, but we know for sure that the ball is round. What is familiar to us appears as knowledge that is added to direct observation.

Gestalt psychologists believe that any stimulating model is perceived as the simplest, i.e. the object we see consists of a small number of characteristic structural features. And the farther an object is from us, the simpler the shape we see. Upon closer inspection, we begin to see details.

SIMILARITY. When creating any composition, it is necessary to remember the principle of similarity: the more similar the parts of any perceived model are to each other, the more strongly they will unite into a whole. Elements related by similar shape, color, size, etc. tend to be located in the same plane. Similarity creates a strong visual effect by shaping and forming visual patterns. And the simpler the models obtained in this way, the more striking they are, often breaking the composition or creating a new one.

Further development of the principle of similarity of parts finds its expression in a pattern that deals with the internal similarity of a visually perceived object: when there is a choice between several possibilities for the continuation of curves (and the human body, I want to remind you, consists only of them), then preference is given to the one that is most consistently preserves the internal structure. And yet, we always mentally fill in the intervals between curved segments and build them up to a full circle. It has also been proven that the similarity of figures or color spots is expressed not in a strict repetition of the previous one, but in a gradual change in shape. And the viewer's eye, forced to follow this perceptual movement, sees new uniform!

Let's say we need a booklet about castles in Germany. Information for one page of the booklet was prepared in Word and looks like this:

Elements on the page can be grouped differently: a heading, two subheadings, two blocks of text, two pictures:

This grouping is based on one of the principles of visual perception - principle of similarity: Elements with a similar shape, size, shape, or color are perceived as related.

The similarity is similar, but the meaning is lost. This is the sin of many novice designers who, when arranging layouts, create beautiful but meaningless solutions in their own way.

Creating a Booklet Page

Instead of placing photographs and texts on the page in a natural way, the designer decided to be original:

Hm. Somehow it worked out as usual.

Maybe so? No, that's not it, it's boring.

Oh, I came up with it!

In the first two “ordinary and boring” layouts, images and text are related unambiguously, there is no ambiguity. Let's now take a look at the “original design solution”. The description of Neuschwanstein Castle is in its rightful place under the photograph, but Linderhof was unlucky - the text is located above the image. Our designer naively believes that this knowledge will spontaneously appear in the head of the person viewing the booklet. Naturally, this is not so.

Try to answer the question: which of the descriptions matches the top left photo? To his right or below? “In the top photo is Linderhof!” - the absolute majority of readers will say. Their answer will be determined by the eye movement we are accustomed to, although it is essentially erroneous.

Show or hide eye movement.

The designer misled us by creating a meaningless design. It turns out that original design cannot be made? Should everything be the same for everyone? Of course not. It is possible and necessary to create an interesting design, but not at the expense of the meaning. Let's look at what it is impossible to create an interesting and meaningful design without.

Principles of Visual Perception

First of all, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that our initial composition is integral and further manipulations should not violate this integrity.

Let's start with proximity principle- objects located closer friend to each other, are perceived together. Let’s bring the photographs together with the corresponding descriptions and move the left and right halves of the layout apart to enhance the effect.

It immediately became clear what belonged to what, but at the same time the integrity was violated, the composition fell apart into two separate columns.

Let's try it differently. Let's draw a vertical line that will divide the plane of the page into two separate areas. In this case we use common area principle- elements that are in the same area are perceived together.

The line leaves no other option but to correlate the image and text, which are on one side. However, it again spoils the integrity and looks foreign. Is it possible to do without it? Yes.

The common area can be set as a background. Let's remove the line and create a colored background in the right half of the layout. This is a visual demonstration principle of connection— elements that are graphically related (for example, by lines or solids) are perceived as related.

In this case, Linderhof will be highlighted, which again violates the integrity.

Still relying on communication principle, let's draw pointer arrows.

To strengthen the connection, we use the previously described principle of similarity according to the visual “mass” between the subheadings (names of castles) and arrows - let’s turn the latter into triangles. In addition to the fact that they themselves act as pointers, the void between the photograph and the description is filled and additionally works for us proximity principle.

Notice how two seemingly insignificant “spots” in size, with the correct shape and located in the right place, change their meaning.

Blocks, lines, color, and the relative position of individual elements are not just graphic techniques. When used correctly, they convey the desired meaning, and, conversely, their inept use can lead to the creation of very beautiful, but absolutely meaningless work. The next time you create or evaluate a design, keep this in mind.

Separating Objects

Until the last paragraph, the discussion was about connection, the unification of objects. What if you need to separate objects from each other? Obviously, they need to be made different in shape, size, color, location. Let's see how this is implemented in practice using the teaser for this article as an example.

Teaser (Wikipedia) is an advertising message that contains some information about a product, but the product itself is not shown.

What do you see first? The words "heat" and "loft". Please note that neither the background nor the letters of different colors can interfere with our usual eye movement from left to right and from top to bottom. Only then do we see the words “sting” and “raft” on multi-colored dies. The opposite color of the letters is used here to enhance the separation effect.

Insects

The visual apparatus of birds has features that are not preserved in human vision. Thus, bird receptors contain microspheres containing lipids and carotenoids. It is believed that these microspheres are colorless, and also colored yellow or Orange color- perform the function of specific light filters that form a “visibility curve”.

Human eye

Stereoscopic vision

In many species whose lifestyle requires a good estimate of the distance to an object, the eyes look forward rather than to the sides. Thus, mountain sheep, leopards, and monkeys have better stereoscopic vision, which helps assess the distance before jumping. Humans also have good stereoscopic vision (see below, section ).

An alternative mechanism for estimating the distance to an object is implemented in some birds, whose eyes are located on different sides of the head and the field of three-dimensional vision is small. Thus, chickens make constant oscillatory movements with their heads, while the image on the retina quickly shifts, inversely proportional to the distance to the object. The brain processes the signal, which allows it to catch small prey with its beak with high accuracy.

Each person's eyes appear identical, but are still somewhat different, so they distinguish between the leading and trailing eyes. Determining the dominant eye is important for hunters, videographers and other professions. If you look through a hole in an opaque screen (a hole in a sheet of paper at a distance of 20-30 cm) at a distant object, and then, without moving your head, alternately close your right and left eyes, then for the dominant eye the image will not shift.

Physiology of human vision

Color vision

The human eye contains two types of light-sensitive cells (receptors): highly sensitive rods, responsible for twilight (night) vision, and less sensitive cones, responsible for color vision.

Uniform stimulation of all three elements, corresponding to the weighted average daylight, also causes the sensation white(See Psychology of color perception). The three-component theory of color vision was first expressed in 1756 by M. V. Lomonosov, when he wrote “about the three matters of the bottom of the eye.” A hundred years later it was developed by the German scientist G. Helmholtz, who does not mention famous work Lomonosov "On the Origin of Light", although it was published and summarized in German.

At the same time, there was an opposing color theory by Ewald Goering. It was developed by David H. Hubel and Torsten N. Wiesel. They received the 1981 Nobel Prize for their discovery. They suggested that the information that enters the brain is not about red (R), green (G) and blue (B) colors (Jung-Helmholtz color theory). The brain receives information about the difference in brightness - about the difference in brightness of white (Y max) and black (Y min), about the difference between green and red colors (G-R), about the difference between blue and yellow flowers(B-yellow), and yellow(yellow=R+G) is the sum of red and green flowers, where R, G and B are the brightness of the color components - red, R, green, G, and blue, B.

Despite the apparent contradiction of the two theories, according to modern ideas, both are correct. At the level of the retina, the three-stimulus theory operates; however, the information is processed and data that is already consistent with the opponent theory arrives in the brain.

Behind color vision In humans and monkeys, three genes encoding light-sensitive opsin proteins are responsible. Availability three different proteins that respond to different lengths waves is sufficient for color perception. Most mammals have only two of these genes, which is why they have non-color vision. If a person has two proteins encoded by different genes that are too similar, color blindness develops.

Binocular and stereoscopic vision

• - data from different authors

Most features of human binocular vision are determined by the characteristics of neurons and neural connections. Using neurophysiological methods, it has been shown that binocular neurons of the primary visual cortex begin to decode the depth of the image, specified on the retinas by a set of disparities. It has been shown that the most important requirement for stereoscopic vision is differences in the retinal images of the two eyes.

Due to the fact that the visual fields of both eyes of humans and higher primates overlap to a large extent, humans are better able than many mammals to determine appearance and the distance (the accommodation mechanism also helps here) to close objects, mainly due to the effect of stereoscopic vision. The stereoscopic effect remains at a distance of approximately 0.1-100 meters. In humans, spatial-visual abilities and three-dimensional imagination are closely related to stereoscopy and ipsi-connections.

Properties of vision

Light sensitivity of the human eye

Light sensitivity is assessed by the threshold value of the light stimulus.

A person with good eyesight can see the light from a candle at a distance of several kilometers at night. However, the light sensitivity of vision of many nocturnal animals (owls, rodents) is much higher.

The maximum light sensitivity of the rods of the eye is achieved after a sufficiently long dark adaptation. It is determined under the influence of light flux in a solid angle of 50° at a wavelength of 500 nm (maximum sensitivity of the eye). Under these conditions, the threshold light energy is on the order of 10 -9 erg/s, which is equivalent to the flux of several quanta of the optical range per second through the pupil.

The sensitivity of the eye depends on the completeness of adaptation, on the intensity of the light source, the wavelength and angular dimensions of the source, as well as on the duration of the stimulus. The sensitivity of the eye decreases with age due to the deterioration of the optical properties of the sclera and pupil, as well as the receptor component of perception.

Visual acuity

Ability different people seeing larger or smaller details of an object from the same distance with the same shape of the eyeball and the same refractive power of the dioptric eye system is determined by the difference in the distance between the cylinders and cones of the retina and is called visual acuity. The Snellen chart is used to test visual acuity.

Binocularity

Looking at an object with both eyes, we see it only when the axes of vision of the eyes form such an angle of convergence (convergence), at which symmetrical, clear images on the retinas are obtained in certain corresponding places of the sensitive macula (fovea centralis). Thanks to this binocular vision, we not only judge the relative position and distance of objects, but also perceive impressions of relief and volume.

The main characteristics of binocular vision are the presence of elementary binocular, depth and stereoscopic vision, stereo visual acuity and fusional reserves.

The presence of elementary binocular vision is checked by dividing a certain image into fragments, some of which are presented to the left eye, and some to the right eye. An observer has elementary binocular vision if he is able to compose a single original image from fragments.

The presence of depth vision is tested by presenting silhouette vision, and stereoscopic vision - random dot stereograms, which should evoke in the observer a specific experience of depth, different from the impression of spatiality based on monocular features.

Stereo visual acuity is the reciprocal of the stereoscopic perception threshold. The stereoscopic threshold is the minimum detectable disparity (angular displacement) between parts of the stereogram. To measure it, the following principle is used. Three pairs of figures are presented separately to the observer's left and right eyes. In one of the pairs the position of the figures coincides, in the other two one of the figures is displaced horizontally by a certain distance. The subject is asked to indicate figures arranged in increasing order of relative distance. If the figures are indicated in correct sequence, then the test level increases (disparity decreases), if not, disparity increases.

Fusion reserves are conditions under which motor fusion of the stereogram is possible. Fusion reserves are determined by the maximum disparity between parts of the stereogram, at which it is still perceived as a three-dimensional image. To measure fusion reserves, the principle opposite to that used in the study of stereo visual acuity is used. For example, a subject is asked to combine (fuse) two vertical stripes into one image, one of which is visible to the left eye and the other to the right eye. At the same time, the experimenter begins to slowly separate the stripes, first with convergent and then with divergent disparity. The image begins to “fall apart” at the disparity value , which characterizes the fusion reserve of the observer.

Binocularity may be impaired with strabismus and some other eye diseases. If you are very tired, you may experience temporary strabismus caused by the non-dominant eye switching off.

• See also Binocular, Stereoscope.

Contrast sensitivity

Contrast sensitivity is a person’s ability to see objects that differ slightly in brightness from the background. Contrast sensitivity is assessed using sinusoidal gratings. An increase in the contrast sensitivity threshold can be a sign of a number of eye diseases, and therefore its study can be used in diagnosis.

Vision adaptation

The above properties of vision are closely related to the ability of the eye to adapt. Adaptation occurs to changes in illumination (dark adaptation), color characteristics of lighting (the ability to perceive white objects as white even with a significant change in the spectrum of incident light, see also White Balance).

Adaptation is also manifested in the ability of vision to partially compensate for defects in the visual apparatus itself (optical defects of the lens, retinal defects, scotomas, etc.)

Vision defects

The most widespread drawback is fuzzy, unclear visibility of close or distant objects.

Lens defects

Retinal defects

Literature

• A. Nagel “Anomalies, refraction and accommodation of the eye” (1881, translation from German doctor Dobrovolsky);
• Longmore, “Guide to the study of vision for military doctors” (revised by Lavrentiev, 1894);
• A. Imbert, “Les anomalies de la vision” (1889).

The ability to read text seems to be a simple process: we direct our eyes to the letters, see them, and know what they say. But in fact it's extremely difficult process, based on the operation of a series of brain structures that specialize in visual perception, as well as the recognition of various subcomponents of vision.

To perceive means to interpret information about the environment received through the senses. This interpretation depends on our cognitive processes and existing knowledge. Visual or visual perception can be defined as the ability to interpret information reaching the eyes through light in the visible region of the spectrum. The result of the interpretation our brain makes based on this information is what is known as visual perception or vision. Thus, visual perception is a process that begins in our eyes:

• Photoreception: Light rays pass through the pupils of the eyes and excite cellular receptors in the retina.
• Transfer and basic processing: The signals these cells create are transmitted through the optic nerve to the brain. The signal first passes through the optical chiasmata (where information from the right visual field is sent to the left hemisphere, and from the left visual field to the right hemisphere), then the information travels to the lateral geniculate body and the thalamus.
• Information processing and perception: Visual information received through the eyes is then sent to the visual cortex in the occipital lobe of the brain. These brain structures process information and send it to the rest of the brain so we can use it.

Characteristics that shape visual perception

To get an idea of ​​how complex this function is, let's try to imagine what our brain does when we see a simple soccer ball. How many factors does he have to determine? For example:

• lighting and contrast: we see that there is a concentration of lines, more or less illuminated and having its own diameter, which distinguishes it from other objects in the environment and background.
• Size: This is a circle about 70 cm in diameter.
• Form: Shaped like a circle.
• Location: is in three meters from me, to the right. I can reach it easily.
• Color: white with black pentagons. In addition, if the lighting suddenly changed, we would know that its colors were black and white.
• Measurements: Exists in three dimensions as it is a sphere.
• Movement: V currently without movement, but you can give it movement.
• Unit: There is one, and it is different from the environment.
• Usage: used for playing football, intended for kicking.
• Personal relationship with the object: Similar to the one we use in training.
• Name: soccer ball. This last process is also known as .

If this seems like a lot of steps, consider that our brains perform this process constantly and at incredible speed. Additionally, our brains do not passively perceive information, but rather use existing knowledge to "package" information about what it perceives (which is why we know that a ball is a sphere even when we see it as flat in a photo). IN occipital lobe brain and adjacent parts ( temporal and parietal lobes) there are several areas specializing in each of the previously described processes. Correct perception requires coordinated work of all these departments.

When we look at our desktop, our brain instantly identifies all the objects on it, allowing us to quickly interact with them. Knowing this, it is easy to understand the enormous importance of this process in our Everyday life and how important it is for normal functioning in any life situation.

Examples of visual perception

• Driving is one of the most complex everyday tasks involving multiple cognitive functions. Visual perception is one of the fundamentals of driving. If one of the processes of visual perception is disrupted, the driver puts his life and the lives of other people at risk. It is important to quickly determine the position of the car relative to the road and other vehicles, the speed at which they are moving, etc.
• When a child is in a lesson, his visual acuity and perception must be optimal so as not to lose sight of the details of the material being explained. Violations of this ability can lead to a decrease in the child's academic performance.
• IN fine arts, for example in painting, visual perception is everything. When we want to paint a picture and dream of making it realistic and attractive, we must test our visual perception and work out every detail, shade of color, perspective... Of course, to appreciate works of art, we also need good visual perception, it is not enough just to see.
• Visual perception is essential for any monitoring or surveillance activity. A security guard who, due to impaired perception, cannot correctly assess what is happening on surveillance cameras will not be able to properly perform his job.
• Of course, in everyday life we ​​constantly use visual perception. If we see an approaching bus on the road, its image becomes larger in our mind. However, our brains are capable of interpreting changes that are not real. We continue to see a regular-sized bus no matter how close or far it is from us. We also need visual perception to move through space, not to mix up medications, prepare food, clean the house, etc.

Pathologies and disorders associated with problems in visual perception

Visual perception disorders can be accompanied by various problems and difficulties at different levels.

Complete or partial loss of vision as a result of damage to the sensory organs leads to inability to perceive (blindness). This may be caused damage to the eye itself(for example, eye injury), damage to information transmission paths from the eyes to the brain (eg glaucoma) or damage to parts of the brain responsible for analyzing this information (for example, as a result of stroke or traumatic brain injury).

However, perception is not a unitary process. There are specific damages that can disrupt each of the above processes. Disorders of this type are characterized by damage to areas of the brain responsible for certain processes. These disorders are known as visual agnosia. Visual agnosia defined as inability to recognize known objects despite maintaining visual acuity. Classically, agnosia is divided into two types: perceptual agnosia (the patient can see parts of an object, but is unable to understand the object as a whole) and associative agnosia (the patient can recognize the object as a whole, but cannot understand which object we're talking about). It is difficult to imagine how perception functions in people with these disorders. Even though they can see, their sensations are similar to those experienced by those suffering from blindness. In addition, there are even more specific disorders, such as, for example, akinetopsia (inability to see movement), color blindness (inability to distinguish colors), prosopagnosia (inability to recognize familiar faces), alexia (acquired inability to read), etc.

In addition to these disorders, in which the ability to perceive visual information (or part of it) is lost, disorders are also possible in which the received information is distorted or does not exist at all. This may be the case hallucinations in schizophrenia or other syndromes. In addition, scientists have described a type visual illusions in people who have lost their vision: Charles Bonnet syndrome. In this case, a person who has lost his sight, after a long period during which his brain does not receive visual activity, experiences self-activation of the brain, provoking visual illusions in which the patient sees geometric figures or people. However, unlike the hallucinations of schizophrenia, people with this syndrome know that the things they see are not real.

How to measure and evaluate visual perception?

Visual perception helps us perform many daily activities. Our ability to move and interact with environment, full of obstacles, directly depends on the quality of visual perception. Thus, perceptual assessment can be useful in various areas of life: in education (to know whether a child can see a blackboard or read books), in the medical field (to know that a patient may have mixed up medications or needs constant supervision), in professional circles (almost any job requires reading, observation or control skills).

With it, we can effectively and reliably assess various cognitive abilities, including visual perception. The test that CogniFit offers to assess visual perception is based on classic test NEPSY (Corkman, Kirk, & Kemp, 1998). Through this task, one can be able to decode the elements presented in the exercise and the amount of cognitive resources the user has to understand and complete the task in the most efficient manner. In addition to visual perception, the test also measures memory for names, response time and processing speed.

• : Images of objects appear on the screen for a short period of time and then disappear. Following this, four letters appear, and only one of them corresponds to the first letter of the object's name. The task is to choose this letter correctly. You need to complete the test as quickly as possible.

How to restore or improve visual perception?

Visual perception, like other cognitive abilities, can be trained and improved. CogniFit makes it possible to do this professionally.

Restoration of visual perception is based on. CogniFit offers a series of exercises and clinical games aimed at the rehabilitation of visual perception and other cognitive functions. The brain and its neural connections are strengthened by the use of functions that depend on them. Thus, if we regularly train visual perception, the connections of brain structures involved in perception are strengthened. Therefore, when our eyes send information to the brain, the neural connections will work faster and more efficiently, improving our visual perception.

CogniFit consists of an experienced team of professionals specializing in the study of synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis. It did possible creation personalized cognitive stimulation programs, which adapts to the needs of each user. The program begins with an accurate assessment of visual perception and other basic cognitive functions. Based on the assessment results, the CogniFit cognitive stimulation program automatically suggests a personal cognitive training regimen to strengthen visual perception and other cognitive functions that the assessment shows need improvement.

To improve visual perception, it is extremely important to exercise regularly and correctly. CogniFit offers assessment and rehabilitation tools to improve cognitive function. For correct stimulation, you need to spend 15 minutes a day, two or three times a week..

CogniFit cognitive stimulation program is available online. The program contains a variety of interactive exercises in the form of exciting brain games that can be played using a computer. At the end of each session CogniFit will show a detailed improvement chart cognitive state.

Lecture 2

Application of the laws of visual perception in composition. Organization of the composition.

There are 5 laws of visual perception, which are based on the psychophysiological concept of human visual perception of the surrounding world: completion, continuity (gaze movement), similarity, proximity, alignment.

Law of completion is based on the ability of the human brain to independently create or supplement missing visual-figurative information and fill in its missing parts. With this technique, the viewer is involved in the creative process, independently completing the missing parts, visually trying to complete the form.

Law of direction of movement: - a person’s gaze subconsciously chooses movement from left to right, from darker to lighter, the gaze moves towards the light and behind the light; - Having started the review in a certain direction, the viewer will look in this direction until something else (more interesting) distracts his attention. Using the law of continuity, you can create and organize a flow in a composition visual information, evoking in the viewer a feeling of compositional movement, activity and dynamism.

Law of Similars– objects of the composition that have similar features and properties, such as shape, size, visual mass, color and light and shade, texture and texture, as well as location on the picture plane, will be perceived by the viewer as interrelated objects (similarity in shape, size, color, texture ).

Law of Neighborhood(proximity) – objects of the composition that are closer to each other are perceived as belonging to the same group (neighborhood, touching, overlapping).

Law of Leveling – is based on the subconscious desire of the brain to align visual objects in relation to each other, taking into account their relative position (as well as shape, size, mass, color and texture). Any object has its own axes - 2 central, top, bottom and two on the sides. Aligning other objects in the composition with respect to these axes creates groups, which ultimately leads to unity of form in the composition. Alignment types: edge (horizontal, vertical), central, relative to inclined axes.

Basic principles of visual perception- follow from the laws of visual perception; their creative use can ensure completeness and unity of the composition. These are the principles of limitation (selection), contrast, emphasis, dominance, balance, rhythm, harmony, general unity.

A well-known compositional technique - dividing the text, dividing the whole into a limited number of groups, grouping elements - is necessary because the whole is mastered by a similar method of successive approximation. This method is due to the presence of a physiological threshold of perception; our brain can simultaneously perceive no more than 5-7 elements or groups

simultaneously. With a large number of elements, the form is no longer perceived as a whole and seems fragmented. Basic principles of visual perception- follow from laws visual perception, their creative use can ensure completeness and unity of the composition. These are the principles: restrictions (selection), contrast, emphasis, dominance, balance, rhythm, harmony, general unity.

The principle of limitation, selection- objects in the composition must be selected to create and maintain visual interest. Visual interest arises in a person when something new, with unexpected signs, or familiar, but organized in a new way, comes into view, causing a sufficient emotional response. The human visual system and brain can only perceive a certain number of shapes, sizes, colors, textures in a composition; the task is not to overload the viewer with the abundance of visual objects and their complexity. An artistic composition is created not only by adjusting elements, but by selecting elements that convey the emotions and mood of the author.

The principle of contrast - opposite, two or more objects of a composition with quite clearly expressed opposite properties: size, shape, color, light and shadow difference, location, texture. With the help of contrasting oppositions you can:

Create dynamic tension (conflict) between the objects of the composition;

Mutually enhance the properties of objects;

Increase visual diversity.

Opposites arouse increased human interest, as do natural phenomena in life – youth-old age, heat-cold, fire-water.

The principle of emphasis - draw the viewer's attention to a certain part of the composition (in the center of interest) by increasing the size, distorting the shape, brightness of color, detailed elaboration, direction of movement of the gaze

Laws of composition

"Law the whole determines the ratio of the parts of the whole in size to each other and to the whole;

law proportions th determines the arrangement of parts of the whole;

law rhythm expresses the nature of repetition or alternation of parts of the whole;

law symmetry determines the arrangement of parts of the whole;

law main generally shows what the parts of the whole are united around. All these five laws of composition with

The quality of the object-spatial environment visible to a person does not always correspond to reality. This is due to optical illusions, the cause of which is both the physical properties of objects and the characteristics of a person’s vision, as well as his primary orientation skills.

When looking at a complex subject formation, a person strives to reduce this complexity to a simple, more ordered system: symmetry has a grouping effect, asymmetry separates. The perception of three-dimensional forms largely depends on the position of the viewer relative to these forms.

These signs are a visible manifestation of those most important principles of composition that underlie compositional structure. This:

1. The principle of expediency.

2. The principle of unity of the complex (integrity of the work).

H. The principle of dominance (the presence of a main, leading principle).

4. The principle of subordination of parts as a whole.

5. The principle of dynamism (movement is the basis of life and art).

6. The principle of balance, balance of parts of the whole.

7. The principle of harmony (harmonious unity of the elements of form among themselves and the unity of form and content in the composition based on the dialectical unity of opposites).

When creating a work of art, that is, harmony, it is necessary to fulfill its two indispensable conditions: the first is balance, the second is unity and subordination. These are the basic laws of composition.

Balance, unity and subordination, compositional center - Let's focus on compositional balance. balance - this state of form, all elements are balanced among themselves, it depends on the arrangement of the elements among themselves relative to the center. Balance is achieved by equalizing the expressiveness of groups or elements of a composition, balancing forms and style of processing - for example, the sameness of the right and left sides, based on symmetry. However, this concept should not be confused with simple equality of quantities. Equilibrium depends on the location of the main masses of the composition, on the organization of the compositional center, on the plastic and rhythmic structure of the composition, on its proportional divisions, on the color, tonal and textured relationships of individual parts among themselves and the whole, etc.

Achieving balance at asymmetry– individual elements that have their own compositional structure (axes, rhythm, center) balance each other in such a way that the overall result is visually stable and static.

Equilibrium manifests itself differently in symmetrical and asymmetrical compositions. Symmetry in itself is not a guarantee of balance in the composition. Quantitative discrepancy between the symmetrical element and the plane (or disproportion

parts and the whole) becomes visually unbalanced. Man is always

gravitates towards a balance of forms, which creates a more complete psychological

comfort, harmony of living in a subject-spatial environment. It is much easier to balance a symmetrical composition than an asymmetrical one, and this is achieved by simpler means, since symmetry already creates the prerequisites for compositional balance. Equilibrium can also be dynamic- the internal movement of parts, which creates the impression of instability, but does not go beyond the scope of the whole, must necessarily be stopped by details that calm the internal movement and prevent the details from breaking out of the compositional space.

Thus, we can conclude that none of the means and laws of composition separately will create a harmonious work, since everything is interdependent or balanced. If, in his creative searches, the artist begins to more actively use one of the means to create a more expressive artistic image, then the result of this approach should be a revaluation of the entire compositional structure of the work. It may be necessary to change its proportions, increase or, conversely, decrease the number of elements of the composition, revise tonal and color relationships, etc.

Symmetry, asymmetry, static and dynamic. A correctly found symmetrical composition is perceived easily, as if immediately, regardless of the complexity of its construction . Asymmetrical sometimes it requires longer reflection and is revealed gradually. However, the claim that a symmetrical composition is more expressive is incorrect. The history of art confirms that asymmetrically constructed compositions according to the laws of harmony are in no way inferior, from the point of view of artistic value, to symmetrical ones. The choice of construction or structure of a work depends on the artistic vision of the author, on his desire to find a more expressive composition to create a specific artistic image. The most commonly used types symmetry are mirror with vertical or horizontal axis, centric, corner Actively used symmetry in architecture, decorative and applied arts, less often - in easel painting, graphics, sculpture. This technique is especially good for affirming themes, since it allows the viewer’s attention to be extremely focused on what is being depicted without internal hesitation. Therefore, symmetry was very actively used in religious painting. If we carefully examine the composition of the iconostasis of an Orthodox church, we will see its vertical axial structure. The picturesque construction is echoed by architectural details, which are mounted on an axis, as if on a rod. However, upon careful examination, one can also notice the obligatory deviations from symmetry (either in the curl of the hair, or in the depth of the interpretation of the wall relief), which gives a certain picturesqueness to this technique, creating “false” symmetry.

We have already mentioned centric symmetry, actively drawing attention to the center, as well as angular. Unlike the centric one, movement is created in it. Movement towards the center is centripetal, movement away from the center is centrifugal. This compositional technique was widely used and is now used in decorative and applied arts: when painting ceramic dishes, scarves, in the design of lampshades, floor planes in the interior, etc.

Properties and qualities of the composition:

Harmonious integrity and imagery of form, - are laid already at the stage of formation of a volumetric-spatial structure. Therefore, work on the form should be carried out at the beginning of the design, when the design scheme, the principle of layout, is revealed, i.e. placement and interconnection of the main parts of the object.

The main and minor points in composition

principles of limitation (selection), contrast, emphasis, dominance, balance, rhythm, harmony, general unity.

First conversation about harmony in composition, about its main and indispensable condition - balance - led us to the logical conclusion that everything is interdependent: the number of elements, and their configuration, and their relationship with the compositional plane and among themselves, and their color, tone and invoice solution, etc. Therefore, in order to achieve the fulfillment of one law of harmony, it is necessary to fulfill the conditions of the second law - unity and subordination. And vice versa: by creating the unity and integrity of the work, you thereby solve the problem of its balance. Only by fulfilling these two conditions can you say that you have created a harmonious composition.

...Harmony there is a connection various parts into a single whole. This connection

the most complex, the subtlest, the most diverse. It is clear that connecting parts to each other so that they represent some complete whole is possible only due to the similarity of the things themselves, in other words, due to the commonality that is contained in each part. This should be expressed in the unity of the plastic solution, figurative and semantic disclosure of the theme, in the unity of shape-making, coloristic and texture solutions. Unity can be achieved through subordination. But before you understand the various subordination options, pay attention to organization of a composition center, since subordination occurs mainly between the center and other elements. It is the compositional center that is the exponent of the artistic image and carries a semantic load. However, there is also a principle of compositional construction when the “pause” can be the center. When organizing composition center the laws of visual perception of the plane should be taken into account. As a rule, it is located in the active, central part. Offset relative to geometric center Sometimes it gives a work greater internal tension and plastic expressiveness in revealing the artistic image and theme.

Let's look at several options. In a composition consisting of simple

perception of elements, an element appears with a complex silhouette. Of course he will attract attention stronger than a group of simpler shapes. It is he who, due to his complexity, will begin to play a role dominants or compositional center. However, it is necessary to fulfill the condition of unity and subordination of the entire composition. In this example, subordination can be expressed in subordination to the complex center of the coloristic solution or in the introduction of new forms similar in silhouette - lines, as well as in the use of such means of harmonization as rhythm, contrast, nuance and identity, a specific discussion of which will be discussed below.

The history of art offers us various schemes for constructing compositions. In one version of the solution, the organization of the composition center is carried out by the most small in form an element, and in another - the most big. A composition whose center is pause- the first is the creation of movement towards the center, which is not expressed by any form, by using one of the means of harmonization - rhythm. The second is the arrangement of elements that are similar in shape, color and texture, without any emphasis. Thus, the composition is like a frame.