Why do we feel calm when looking at wood grain? — Memories etched in the brain and the act of handing over the real thing
I think everyone has had the experience of feeling a sense of "peace" when visiting a forest or park, surrounded by the greenery of the trees. So, why do we feel calm when we look at trees and greenery?
It is said that this is because memories from ancient times are deeply imprinted in the human brain.
The ultimate comfort of "not being bothered"
Long before humans were born, back in the age of the great apes, the forest was our very living space.
It is believed that during the long process of evolution, visual circuits were formed in our brains that process forest scenery as something that "naturally doesn't bother us" or "doesn't cause excessive stimulation."
On the other hand, we react instantly to "moving objects," "human faces," or "snake-like shapes." This is because these were once important pieces of information related to survival (enemies or prey).
In contrast, what about wood grain? Wood grain also belongs to the pattern that the brain finds "not bothersome," just like the forest.
To be "not bothered" means it is a "safe background" where we can let our guard down. This, it seems, is the true nature of the feeling of "naturalness" and "peace."
The science of the "just right" in wood grain
So, what visual elements of wood grain are it that make us relax?
As they say in Jarinko Chie, seeing is believing. Please take a look at this image.
Doesn't it make your eyes feel a bit dazzled?
Next, please take a look at this image.
Perfectly regular striped patterns like geometric shapes are tiring to look at for a long time, but wood grain is different.
It contains a rhythm unique to the natural world called "1/f fluctuation."
Moderate contrast: Gentle changes in shade that do not sting the eyes.
Non-intersecting lines: Because annual rings grow and accumulate outward year by year, the lines never intersect.
Natural parallel lines: Whether it is straight grain or flat grain, the fact that the wood grain flows almost in parallel gives a "clean" and "pleasant" impression.
This "irregular regularity," created by the spacing of annual rings that change subtly depending on the natural weather, is said to be the factor that is gentle on the eyes.
The "wall of authenticity" that printing technology is challenging
There seem to be other patterns that are gentle on the eyes besides wood grain, so why do we like wood grain so much?
Recently, printing technology has improved dramatically. There are many examples of printing wood grain on paper or vinyl sheets and applying them to boards, and the level of reproduction is astonishing.
In the past, when you touched printed wood grain, it was smooth, and you could immediately tell, "Oh, this is a photograph." However, recent ones have even the bumps of the wood grain and the grooves of the vessels reproduced elaborately.
Yes, when you go to building material exhibitions, there are often quiz displays that show off, "Which one is the print?"
I am a lumber dealer who has been sawing logs and boards for a long time. I get fired up, thinking, "Trying to challenge a professional? You're in for a surprise..." but I often end up getting "beaten at my own game" quite easily... (^^;;
That is how much it has reached a level where it is visually indistinguishable from the real thing.
Why must it be the real thing?
So, why is there such a need to make it look like the real thing?
Conversely, this leads to the question: "Why do we feel disappointed when we realize something is a print rather than the real thing?"
Real wood carries a sense of "peace" and familiarity, stemming from the fact that it was once a living thing. Above all, our brains unconsciously predict the "texture" of a material based on visual information.
To "look like wood" means that we are simultaneously perceiving its physical properties, such as the "insulation (warmth)," "softness," and "moisture absorption" inherent to wood.
The real thing, especially for children
I believe it is our instinct to feel calm in nature and to feel calm when looking at the irregular regularity of wood grain.
However, our surroundings are now overflowing with things that "look like wood but are cold and hard to the touch."
The unconscious sense of disappointment brought about by that gap between sight and touch.
I suspect that children, who are closer to nature than adults, feel this gap much more sensitively.
As adults, we might be able to resign ourselves to it, thinking, "Well, considering the cost and maintenance, it can't be helped..." (laughs).
I don't want children with pure sensibilities to grow up without knowing the difference between fake and real.
That is precisely why, through wood education, I want to create as many opportunities as possible for children to touch "real wood."
It is an experience of feeling with their whole bodies that "wood" includes not just its visual beauty, but also the warmth and softness when touched, and even the scent of wood that calms the heart.
I continue my wood education activities because I hope—or rather, I believe—that this will become the soil that nurtures their healthy sensibilities (^^;;