[bs_lead]Presentation may not be everything, but it is a lot. Humans like good looking things, and they like looking at things that make them feel good. From the sharp lines of a sports car, to the soft circles of a baby’s face, pleasing shapes draw us near them and create desire.[/bs_lead]
In fact, scientific research has shown that even basic geometric shapes such as triangles and circles can evoke specific emotions (Watson, Blagrove,Evans, Moore,2012). For example, downward pointing triangles were found to call up negative emotions while circles stirred up more positive feelings (Larson, Aronoff, and Steuer, 2012). Researchers believe this is linked to the need to quickly understand other people and our environment.
The Brain Uses General Shapes to Pick Out Who is Threatening or Friendly
It would be a lot of work for the brain to carefully look at each and every thing going on around it, so it uses short cuts to judge if something is good or bad. When people are angry their face takes on a downward triangle like shape, but when they are happy the face becomes more rounded. Psychologists believe the brain thus uses these general shapes to pick out who is threatening or friendly, and that this is why simple shapes affect our moods.
The Importance of Shape
Most people would agree if one is wandering the wild regions of the world attention to shape is very important. Distinguishing the poisonous berries or snakes from the harmless ones can be the difference between feeding your family or feeding the earth. However, it is amazing to me how many people don’t recognize the importance of shape even in the middle of the most complex modern metropolis.
Just as picking a bad berry can lead to sickness, picking a dreadful design or designer can sicken your business efforts. The brain, like in the case of faces, typically creates shortcuts to judge the value of what is being looked at. In the modern world this translates to something like: “If it looks cheap, it probably is.” and “If they didn’t take pride in the way their products look, will they make me a product I can be proud of?”
It may seem like a good idea to pay fifty-bucks and get the ready-made website, logo, or ad, but in my experience any money saved up front will be lost later. Not only will potential customers be turned away by a design that strike them as ‘generic’ because it looks like 500 others, but you will fail to reach your audience because the design was not made with your needs in mind. Yet, a design that is tailored to perfectly match your needs and audience can be expensive, and the steps to getting it unclear. Luckily, there are skilled and helpful people out there who can meet your needs in a simple and shapely way – like us.
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