Rules of Perceptual Organization: Continuity

The brain prefers perceiving patterns that are continuous and smooth as opposed to choppy, broken up objects. The ability of an image to allow our eyes to "flow" easily through lines and shapes is a strong example of the continuity rule of perceptual organization. In this example, the first two shapes appear as x's, each with lines bisecting one another. However, in the third image, the dark blue line appears continuous through the northern and western ends, while the light blue line is connected throughout the southern and eastern ends. The brain identifies and associates the colors along with the shapes and movement of the "lines" in the x.

 Additionally, this image of two paths diverged in a (green) wood offers the continuity of the gray path, while the brown path seems to be the branch that is diverging away from the main road. Because the color arises from the majority of bottom of the photo and extends deeper into the page, it is perceived as the "most continuous."