Negative Space!

Negative space is the part of the picture that surrounds the “main focus” or the object in the picture. This is also called the background. The subject of the picture is the main thing you can see and has the “biggest” part in a picture. This artwork basically points out the negative and the positive space within the picture.

I found negative space in my cut out by seeing that there are two parts in the simple bird picture. I looked at the contrast between the two colors and saw that the negative space and the “positive” space can be opposite on both sides. I then cut the two papers accordingly to get my end result.

This helps see an artist in negative space because there are no details. It’s only solid pieces and two colors. You can still see what the image is without all the details. Also, since it’s like a mirror image and the colors are reverse, you can see how one part could be either negative or positive no matter how you switch it up.

I don’t think seeing negative space “enhances” drawings. It doesn’t show off the details, if anything it eliminates the details. It almost makes the picture “solid” because you’re only using two colors. You old see the object of the picture and the background (negative space). If anything, negative space makes the picture much more simple.