Dawn Hunter Art® | Student work
ARTS 103, the FunDamentals of Art



Negative and Positive Space Work: Perception and Abstraction, Design: Interpretation and Organization. Dawn Hunter, Project Author.



Negative Positive In-CLass work, Drawing #2



Through the act of drawing, students engage in understanding the concept of Gestalt through the creative process. Gestalt theory suggests that visual information is understood holistically before it is examined separately. In drawing #2 students engage in Negative and Positive Space reversal where there is an open space or cast shadow.



NEGATIVE POSITIVE IN-CLASS WORK, DRAWING #1



By practicing drawing, students delve into the principles of Gestalt as they experience the creative process. According to Gestalt theory, we perceive visual elements as a whole before analyzing individual components. In the second drawing activity, learners explore the interplay between Negative and Positive Space, focusing on open spaces and cast shadows.



NEGATIVE POSITIVE IN-CLASS WORK, DRAWING #2



Drawing allows students to immerse themselves in Gestalt concepts during the artistic process. Gestalt principles propose that we first comprehend visual data as a unified whole, prior to examining its distinct parts. In the drawing exercise #2, students investigate the relationship between Negative and Positive Space, emphasizing areas of openness and the presence of cast shadows.



NEGATIVE POSITIVE IN-CLASS WORK, DRAWING #2



They reflect on the presence of shapes within the composition and the methods used to create them and contemplate the potential consequences of removing these shapes and how it would affect the overall design.



NEGATIVE POSITIVE IN-CLASS WORK, DRAWING #2



Students consider the impact of a stark black-and-white image on depth and visual dynamics and how incorporating multiple windows on the same page enhances these dynamics.



Negative Positive In-CLass work, Homework



Students embark on an exciting artistic journey by creating a series of three captivating thumbnail sketches (each featuring 2-3 negative and positive pictorial windows) and one final, visually striking drawing that emphasizes the interplay between negative and positive space. They unleash their creativity by incorporating two or three dynamic "windows" or compositions within a single sheet of Bristol drawing paper, resulting in a mesmerizing visual experience.



NEGATIVE POSITIVE IN-CLASS WORK, HOMEWORK



In this assignment, students create a composition on 16"x20" or 14"x17" Bristol paper, incorporating two to three "windows" (squares or rectangles) that engage the edges of the format. These windows should contain negative and positive shapes inspired by a chosen still life, with consideration given to their aesthetic relationship and the overall page layout. Students are encouraged to experiment with simple forms that suggest shape and space while actively participating in a visual critique process.



NEGATIVE POSITIVE IN-CLASS WORK, HOMEWORK



Students begin by sketching their "windows" and the still life within them using a 2H pencil. They create three thumbnails that display the page, windows on the page, and the still life inside the windows before moving on to the final piece.



NEGATIVE POSITIVE IN-CLASS WORK, HOMEWORK



They fill the negative space with black ink, leaving the positive space white, and avoid outlining objects with a black line to imply their outer edges. They are asked to consider the edge of the composition and the relationship between the windows, and how they extend beyond the page.



NEGATIVE POSITIVE IN-CLASS WORK, HOMEWORK



Finally, they experiment with forms and balance, using symmetrical balance for stability and asymmetrical balance for a more dynamic result.



NEGATIVE POSITIVE IN-CLASS WORK, HOMEWORK



By considering the relationships of containment among the pictorial windows and the format of the page, students explore Gestalt principles through grouping, repetition, proximity, and closure.





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