Positive
Negative
Positive
Negative
What is dark is
not light and
what is light is
not dark. This is
the basis of all
design and an
important
guiding
principle of art.
It seems so
simple but an
artist can
spend a
lifetime
exploring the
possibilities of
light and dark.
Positive and Negative Space
A Stool
The POSITIVE space
Is black
The NEGATIVE space
Is black
See how the negative space
exists as objects that define
the stool?
In fact you can draw the
stool simply by drawing the
negative spaces alone!
The positive space
is white and the
negative is black
This use of light and dark translates
shape and form into flat shapes on a twodimensional surface
Notan
The Japanese word for the relationship
between dark and light
Geometric and Organic Shapes
SHAPE is an ELEMENT of art
Geometric Shapes
Organic Shapes
Is this example
mostly a
Geometric or
Organic shape
Notan?
Is this organic or geometric ?
Symmetrical Balance
BALANCE is a PRINCIPLE of Art
SYMMETRY
Symmetry means a mirror image -one side is the mirror image of the
other.
Asymmetry
Asymmetry means without
symmetry, There is no
mirror image
Is this Notan Design Symmetrical or
Asymmetrical?
Symmetrical or Asymmetrical?
In this Notan Design what is POSTIVE
space and what is NEGATIVE space?
Here are some good examples:
Jeff T Zucker
http://www.jefftzucker.com/comm_3.html
Where is this taking us?