Negative Space Cut Out Project

Bringing you yet another project in Ms. Hull's 9th grade art class, we studied negative space. Negative space is simply the shape(s) that an object leaves in space when it is removed. We first sketched a negative space still life in three vignettes (seen below). This was the precursor to a simple negative space cut out project. 
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A. What is negative space (explain this concept to a fourth grader that has never heard of it) 

Negative space is the shape that an object leaves in space when it is removed from that very space. If you were to place a ball in the middle of the floor, the sphere that is left when the space is shaded around is the negative space. 

B. Explain how you found negative space in 1. your cut out?, 2. in your still life drawing?

In my cut out (seen below), the negative space was simply the inverse of the pieces I had already cut out and pasted onto my second sheet of paper. It was like placing the handmade pieces of a jigsaw puzzle back together. When sketching the still life, I simply drew the outline of the shapes I saw and shaded around them, erasing for finer lines where it was necessary. 

C. Why does it help an artist to see in negative space?

It helps to see negative space so that the artist has a better understanding of the shapes that comprise his or her work. 


D. Does seeing in negative space enhance drawings, why or why not?

I certainly think it does. I think it's a good skill to have with any for of visual art because, when you practice negative space, it helps you see the shapes that are the foundation of your piece. Getting the basic shapes of a drawing can really help enhance the final turnout of the piece. 

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