The world of art is a wonderful place. Here, you can find negative empowering the positive. Efforts at sidestepping definite forms brings out the best possible rendition! It’s a magical place where the idea of balance takes on innumerable interpretations. In fact, the interplay of positive and negative space is ingeniously manipulated to create intriguingly complex images. We have all seen Rubin’s vase creating optical illusion, right?
Negative space, i.e, the space not used by the subject, is as important as the object in focus. It helps guide the viewer’s eyes and attention to the mainstay of a frame. Sometimes, expert modulation of just the negative space can create interestingly well-defined positive spaces. It provides balance without overwhelming the space. Like yin and yang, the central idea is importance of balance. Balance like harmonizing flavors of your favorite recipe or in your attitude to life between sense of humor and gravitas. Let’s dig a bit deeper to identify some interesting ways in which negative space works its magic.
5 Facts About the Power of Negative Space
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Overcoming pre-knowledge overload:
Sometimes what holds us back from capturing the true essence of a subject matter is the overload of existing knowledge about its structure. For many people, this comes forth while trying to paint hands or feet and may be even trees. The pre-knowledge of their shape stops us from truly noticing the play of their positioning, perspective and individuality. In such situations, studying the negative space through and around the positive space helps. Attempting to recreate the space around as accurately as possible, helps bring out the subject matter’s true likeness and feel.
Negative spaces have a shape of their own and if expressed properly, can add oodles of interesting perspective to the object in focus. It helps overcome the limitations of pre-knowledge of an object’s shape and dimensions, making it more life-like. Creating just through negative space detailing, tickles the viewer’s imagination with unconventional angles and dimensions.
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Capturing shape and defining structure:
It doesn’t only help better define the composition of an artwork, but positioning of objects in focus too. For instance, the main object in an artwork with more negative space on top generally promotes the idea of weight. Also, more negative space at the bottom in a landscape gives the illusion of distance. It guides and focuses the viewer’s attention on the subject matter. Just like the star performer gets the spacious corner office with amazing views, important objects get more personal negative space. Creatively modulating the space around an object in focus adds to its character and interest value.
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Optical breathing space:
A frame with too many elements of interest fails to communicate as effectively to its viewers as one with enough optical breathing area. Whereas, an empty negative space can speak volumes wielding the powers of minimalism. It can communicate the artwork’s feel or mood, offer play space for the viewer’s own perspective and imagination, as well as create interest through the art of suggestion. Just like a living space with too many elements can work only if expertly handled, similarly an artwork chock full of objects vying for space can work only if handled ingeniously. Here too, the area occupied by one item and it’s interaction with the objects around it, work as the negative space for its neighbors.
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Balancing a composition:
The simplest and most used technique of balancing a composition or the space available to work, is to exploit negative space. We can counteract the horizontal heaviness of the main element with ample vertical empty space or lighter shapes. Also, the same is true for vertically oriented point of focus. Positive space and the work area boundaries shape up abstract negative structure in a frame. Out of focus objects, abstract shapes and empty space peeping through a subject matter offer interest and help balance its heaviness out. It works on a similar principle as an opaque curtain of similar color would feel heavier visually than one with ample cut-work in it.
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Infusing mystery and interest:
Negative space with a specific structure framed within the subject catches viewer’s eyes and generates interest. It ignites the onlooker’s imagination with associations of their own and emotions connected with their personal history and experience. This creates a sense of mystery around an artwork. Using negative space as the subject creates interest, atmosphere and gives an unconventional character to the frame. It is also a great tool to create optical illusion in any work of art.
An interesting point to note, silhouette of people or objects against a brightly lit background wouldn’t be considered as essentially negative space. This is so because the silhouettes have a definite shape and are subjects of the composition. Here, the brightly lit background would become the negative space framing and defining the shape of the silhouette. However, it can be an example of two coexisting objects acting as negative space for each other if a defined and interesting portion of the brightly lit space is captured within boundaries of the silhouette.
Negative space can say loads without any visual aid modulation, even if it’s an empty space. It can act as the protagonist as well as offer support and focus to the subject. So, no matter which way you decide to employ negative space, it’s importance and indispensability cannot be denied. This is one negative thing that has loads of positive connotations!
How do you like to use your negative space?