Negative Space Drawing

In this unit, we were introduced to using negative space as the subject of our art. To help us understand this concept, we started with an exercise in which we dropped earbuds on the table and lay a viewfinder over a specific part of the cord. We then began to focus on drawing the negative space around the cord rather than the cord itself. In preparation for our final negative space project, we sketched thumbnails of the negative space in between upside down chair legs from different perspectives. Once we landed on a perspective we found visually appealing, we began working on our final project in which we would fill in the negative spaces with color, drawings, or pattern.

For my project, I decided to use the blind contour method from our last project to trace the outlines of the negative spaces, resulting in a much more abstract image. To start, I used a hard-lead pencil (so the lines would be lighter and easy to erase) to draw the sections of negative space onto my paper. I then used blue painting tape to fill in the non-negative spaces, so that later when I used watercolors I could peel off the tape once I was done and the lines would be clean. I cut the tape to fit the curves and weird angles of the negative spaces. Then, I used a 005 tip micron to draw a detailed pattern in the negative spaces, and finally watercolors to incorporate a light gradient of color into the piece. I experimented at first with how I wanted to fill the negative spaces with a pen design. I had started thinking I would fill the spaces with only watercolor, but I wanted to add more detail. At first I filled only one negative space, and later on decided to make the rest line up with the first one, giving the appearance that each space was connected.

In this project, I used lines to make a detailed pattern in each of the negative space boxes. This also created rhythm and unity in the piece, as the patterns continued throughout each shape. I used shape to show the negative spaces between the chair legs as opposed to the legs themselves. I also added enough shapes that spread across the paper to help the image stay balanced. Finally, I used color and value in the gradient, adding further contrast to the negative spaces and the white in between them.

Although each negative space piece is separate and quite abstract thanks to the blind contour, we can see that each one is connected, made the same way through their matching and aligned patterns and colors. I've always doodled mandalas on the backs of worksheets and margins of papers, even when I was little some of the first drawings I got really into was filling in those mandala coloring books. I've never done anything of this scale before, but thanks to my experience with the technique it was fun and relaxing to do, although it did take forever. I'm proudest of how the overall look of the patterns turned out, I had no idea I was going to make pen patterns or that they would all connect to form a larger picture until after I had started drawing. At first, it was hard to keep the lines in each negative space at the same level, especially because I started without considering that I would later be trying to make them match up. However, I eventually started using the side of a book to draw a light, straight line in pencil before I started each new row of a pattern so they wouldn't be uneven.