Universal Principles of Design, Revised and Updated

Figure-Ground Relationship

Elements are perceived as either figures (objects of focus) or ground (the rest of the perceptual field).

The figure-ground relationship is one of several principles referred to as Gestalt principles of perception. It asserts that the human perceptual system separates stimuli into either figure elements or ground elements. Figure elements are the objects of focus, and ground elements compose an undifferentiated background. This relationship can be demonstrated with both visual stimuli, such as photographs, and auditory stimuli, such as soundtracks with dialog and background music.1

When the figure and ground of a composition are clear, the relationship is stable; the figure element receives more attention and is better ...