figure ground perception

In visual perception, figure-ground refers to humans' ability to separate elements based upon contrast. The principle of figure/ground is one of the most basic laws of perception and one that is used extensively to help artists and designers in composition of a 2D piece. In its basic sense, it refers to a cognitive ability to separate elements based upon contrast, that is, dark and light, black and white. Many times this definition is expanded from a simple perception based on contrast to include abstract concepts such as subject/background and positive/negative space.
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