positive and negative space

This lesson is the first of a number of lessons that are designed to teach you to see the world from an artists viewpoint it is also designed to enable you to understand spacial relationships.it is probably one of the most important techniques that you can practice.

Imagine that you are going to draw an apple place it on the table in front of you, where do you start what is the first mark or line that will be made and where would you place it?

When you look at the apple it is occupying a positive space it has shape form etc

Artists don’t draw the positive they concentrate on the negative space around the apple that is what you need to look at and draw if you train to draw the negative the positive will appear.

Why do we do this, because it allows you to focus on relationships around the object and once you have perfected this you will be able to draw many things very accurately.

Draw a square on the paper almost a border if you like now decide where do you want to place the apple in the square the space between the edge of the square and the apple will then become the negative space that you need to draw.

Don’t place the apple in the centre of the page try and make it a bit interesting and place it off to the side also try more than one apple remembering not to draw the apples draw the space around the apples.

Have fun and practice this all the time very soon you eyes and mind will adjust to this technique and your drawings will be far more accurate.