ETC
In my Postscript THINK AHEAD, posted May 20, 2023. I discussed the NO PARIKG sign on a large industrial garage door. The sign painter painted the same sized red block letters clearly and spaced them evenly, establishing a pattern, until there was no room left to complete the pattern.
For viewers, the sign appears misspelled and confusing, and yet viewers understand it. Why? This demonstrates the “etcetera principle,” a factor in closure phenomena. The etcetera principle occurs when the ground influences the completion of the figure when the rest of the figure is absent, unclear, or incomplete. In the NO PARIKG sign, there are enough cues—the letters and spacing NO PAR—for the viewer to complete (close) the pattern, even though the final parts are incorrect. As importantly, the painter wrote the letters in RED on a garage door! Past-experience and familiarity with this situation (context) influence the reading.
The etcetera principle is a characteristic of many visual forms within paintings, drawings and designs. Think of the completion of forms that are “in shadow.” This is especially true in chiaroscuro. The overlap cue can also influence the etcetera principle, by hiding and interrupting what is “underneath,” or “behind.” When viewers complete a pattern that is not evident, such as the circle in my first postscript, April 2, 2023, they are experiencing the etcetera principle. Every etcetera experience is a closure, a completion of what is incomplete.
What is the take-away for the practicing artist and student? It is NOT always necessary to finish every part; parts tend to complete themselves in the viewer’s experience, provided there is sufficient information to imply closure and completion. There is more to say about this topic, but that is for another time, another post, meanwhile, it is good to remember ground forms the figure and context always influences conclusions. Ground forms Figure.
For more about closure and completion see STUDIO SEEING: A Practical Guide to Drawing, Painting, and Perception.