Persian Typography as Visual Messenger Media from the Perspective of the Principles of Perceptual Grouping

Problem Statement: The creation and development of script and then calligraphy have contributed to the role of writing in the current flow of contemporary art and graphic design. Persian letters are considered pre-determined and pre-defined shape visual signs, which evolved based on the Persian writing system and alphabet. Through typing or printed letters, font or calligraphy scripts became an expressive tool in the visual arts. Today, Persian typography has reflected beyond a certain writing by the hands of contemporary graphic designers. Typography in today's world is arranged and composed by taking advantage of the countless possibilities and methods of writing, in the framework of formal relationships of letters and within a network of systematic and purposeful relationships so that they carry a special message and meaning in visual-communication contexts. These characteristics have made it a useful visual media. Typography bears distinct and special characteristics compared to normal writing; These characteristics and external and visual features have expanded and developed it as a new art in the modern art era. But now, typography has new expressive and practical aspects considering its media mission and, through communication and visual goals, independently serves graphic design. Also, it appears with different structures and visual features depending on the language and culture of each region or geography, often regardless of context, and efforts are made to recognise its visual values, to elevate this profession and art all around the globe. Therefore, the importance of this issue has made this research relevant. ‌‌Thus, this research aims to identify the visual relationships between letters and writing in a communication platform such as a poster from the perspective of "perceptual grouping principles" to achieve and discover the visual and semantic features of Persian typography. These holistic principles and holistic approach (from whole to part perceptual experience) refer to the state of formation of some visual and image characteristics that lead to grouping between elements and components. This leveled classification indicates how our visual system perceives visual stimulants. These multiple classifications are laws of human perception, describing how humans group similar elements, recognise patterns, and simplify complex images when perceiving objects. Following the research aims and its importance, regarding the necessity and importance of the element of writing in the form of typography and its media appearance, which is the visual explanation of speech, the author looked for an accurate and fundamental methodology for encountering "visual expression through typography". Overall, this research aims to lead graphic designers to obtain principles and methods that rely on knowledge and new theories in typographic expression.
Research Questions: The question of the present research is, what are the features of typography in contemporary posters of Iran, from the perspective of the principles of perceptual grouping? And how is its result in visual and semantic terms? The author aims to apply descriptive and analytical methods to qualitatively carry out the research problem by using observation tools and investigate and explain this issue with perceptual grouping methods and principles. The statistical population of the research is made of Iranian contemporary typography posters, and the sample measuring tool included eleven principles of perceptual grouping (classical and new principles). ‌‌
Method: It must be noted that in the research method, which is based on "principles of perceptual grouping," there is an approach that sees the human mind and behaviour as a "whole". It indicates that we don't simply focus on each small component in the world surrounding us, but see it as a whole. The research samples are analysed considering this approach and using the research analytical tools. It must be stated that the principles of classical grouping included: figure-ground relationships, similarity, proximity, closure, continuity, common fate, symmetry, and the principle of parallelism. Some of the mentioned principles were dominantly used for a long time in the 20th century, and others have been gradually derived and generalised in integration with the original principles. Also, new grouping principles include: inclusiveness, common region, and element connectedness. Generally, this research is based on a scientific theory based on the experimental facts of psychology, which aims to apply and generalise this theory in visual communication, and specifically the design and expression of typography in posters. In this way, while examining and explaining the capabilities of this approach, it also examines the areas of its application. Therefore, research samples were selected by the author using a non-probability method. Each sample has been selected based on the descriptive characteristics of each principle of perceptual grouping that has the most expression in the typography of a poster. In fact, to exemplify every principle of visual perception, the criterion of selecting samples has been purposefully done by the heterogeneous selection method. This method has been conducted aiming to study, analyse, and match the component and content relationships of typographic posters. In other words, this research has a theoretical and analytical model that presents measurable information and data by adjusting the method and principles of perceptual grouping to the typography of posters. Therefore, the current research is fundamental and has theoretically addressed the research problem. ‌‌
Findings and Results: The results obtained through sample measurement tools indicated that, based on the saccade and eye movement phenomenon, what initially presented itself in the first plan is assessed relative to the spatial limits of the poster. This meant that, according to perceptual principles, typography, along with its other components, is perceived as a "perceptual unit." Then, depending on the visual property determined by the designer by establishing features and visual grouping, attention is drawn to that area. The main findings of this research indicate that for the purpose of transferring message, most designers seek a large and complete perceptual grouping that includes smaller perceptual units within it. Also, grouping typographic elements for "visual prioritisation" and "creating focusing points" is important. The reason behind this is that in some posters, the designer has intended to rate secondary writing elements by importance; in others, the goal has been to create specific visual conditions for secondary writing elements to emphasise the poster's title and main writing element. These conditions and visual arrangements are based on principles such as continuity, proximity, connectedness, and similarity, and generate visual attraction, rhythm, continuity, and meaningful orientation. Furthermore, the primary idea behind posters aims to focus on creating a "focusing point," and the visual message is concentrated in that area. To achieve these goals, one region or area of the poster often gains the most importance. Thus, this part of the poster becomes the main typography area whose visual characteristics were often organised according to principles like common region, common fate, and closure; therefore, its visual results include: visual focus, visual movement, and visual completion aimed at drawing attention to the intended points. It should be noted that besides raising awareness and creation of understanding based on theory and practice, this research also established an attitude and practical pattern to explain the "pre-design," "during-design," and "post-design" stages within graphic design by relying on psychology and human organic processes in perception.