Visual Hierarchy - Physical Characteristics

Physical Characteristics

The brain disassociates objects from one another based upon the differences between their physical characteristics. These characteristics fall into four categories: color, size, alignment, and character. The category of color encompasses the hue, saturation, value, and perceived texture of forms. Size describes the surface area of a form. Alignment is the arrangement of forms with respect to their direction, orientation, or pattern. Character is the rectilinearity and curvilinearity of forms. Forms that have differences in these characteristics contrast each other.