Reading Summary

Visual concepts used in art can be used to affect how a person sees an artist's piece of work.  Using the principles of Gestalt such as closure and continuance, the viewer can easily imagine how a figure(s) can/should be completed or how it can/should continue on.  Elements of design such as shape and color can evoke a sense of belonging or lack of belonging.  While certain aspects like rhythm and balance can give a sense of movement or playfulness.  How an artist uses these Elements of Design and Gestalt Principles can help send a message or pull out an emotion.  When a viewer perceives these works they first begin to subconsciously  search for meaning of the work. When the viewers "find" meaning to the work, they then begin to critique the work based on whether the artist successfully used the Elements and Principles to portray the intended message and then explain why or why not the work was "good" or not.  If no meaning is "found" it is often called abstract work, but in reality that could be the artist's intended meaning of his/her work.

P.S. That Formal Matters article glitched on me and I can only see the first nine pages of it.