Space is the area around, between and within things. Artists think about it in two ways: the space on the flat surface, and the illusion of depth.
On the surface, the subjects are the positive space; the areas around them are the negative space. In Positive and Negative Space you drew the gaps between things. In design, negative space is a shape too, and it shapes the whole picture.
In depth, a flat picture can seem to go back into the distance. Overlap, smaller size, higher placement, fading color and converging lines all say "far away."
Key idea
Positive space is the subject; negative space is around it. Pictures can also create the illusion of depth with overlap, size, placement and perspective.
Why it works
The cues come from how we see the real world. A near thing blocks a far one (overlap). The same tree looks smaller when it is farther away. Things farther back sit higher, closer to the horizon. Air softens and blues far hills. A picture that copies these cues reads as deep. Showing Depth has more.
Worked example: Space that means something
In Sargent's The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit (1882), four sisters stand or sit far apart in a large, dim room. The two oldest stand back in the shadows beside a tall vase. What does the space do?
- The girls do not fill the canvas; the room around them does.
- That large, dark negative space spreads them apart and pushes some deep into the room.
- The space itself becomes part of the mood: quiet and a little distant.
Answer: The large negative space and deep space separate the sisters and set a quiet, distant mood.
Common mistake
Thinking empty space is wasted. Negative space gives the eye room to rest and makes the subject stand out. Japanese ink painters such as Hasegawa Tōhaku left wide areas of bare paper to stand for mist. Before you fill a gap, ask what the gap is doing.