Positive Negative Space Painting

2D Foundation: Positive/Negative Space Painting

Goals:

·      Develop the ability to “see” both positive and negative shapes.

·      Develop an understanding of the spatial effects of color (how color behaves in three-dimensional space.

·      Create an abstract painting based on the chair still life by emphasizing the negative spaces more than the positive spaces in the composition.

Process:

Step 1: Develop an outline drawing based on a segment of the chair still-life in the classroom. Draw lightly with pencil. Concentrate on seeing the shapes created by the negative spaces as well as the positive spaces of the chairs. Try to develop an interesting composition by focusing on an area of the still-life with a good variety of small and large shapes, simple and complex shapes, straight and curving shapes.

Step 2: Then, paint in the shapes with tempera paint choosing colors that will contradict the figure/ground - positive/negative space relationship of the real still-life. Use what was discussed in the class demonstration about the spatial effects of color to aid your choice of colors and color scheme.

• ·      Warm colors tend to advance when compared to cool colors.
• ·      Pure colors tend to advance when compare with neutralized colors.
• ·      Light value colors tend to advance when compared to darker valued colors.

Mix your colors well and paint carefully as the most successful projects will contain solid hard-edged shapes of color that will appear to float in space.

Materials: Tempera paint. Time Frame: approximately 5 class periods.