Thursday, January 25th
NEGATIVE SPACE: When constructing an image within the picture frame, the artist may choose to occupy some areas with visual information and to leave some areas unoccupied. Those occupied areas can be referred to as POSITIVE SPACE, while those left unoccupied can be called NEGATIVE SPACE. In a harmonious composition the negative space is just as important as the positive space, for it helps to direct the eye and provides balance. This relationship can also be referred to as a FIGURE/GROUND RELATIONSHIP.
RHYTHM/REPETITION: Rhythm and Repetition can be used synonymously in this context. They both refer to the idea of repeating visual elements throughout the picture frame as a way to achieve movement and harmony. The repeated elements may come in the form of shape, color, line, etc. (or a combination of all of these elements). Rhythm/Repetition are one of the essential compositional elements found all throughout art.
COLLAGE EXERCISE: We will make a series of collages with various media (book, magazine, newspaper fragments, etc). that investigate both of these formal elements.
Each collage should be either 5”x 5” or 5”x 7”. Measure out your dimensions on a page of Strathmore. Make several spaces to work in, as you may find it helpful to work on several at once.
1. THREE NEGATIVE SPACE COLLAGES: Make three collages that really explore this notion of negative space. Try to make at least one of them as non-representational as possible.
2. THREE RHYTHM/REPETITION COLLAGES: Make three more collages;
this time tackling the idea of rhythm. Try to approach it from a different angle each time. For you final collage, try to combine both elements (i.e. both negative space and rhythm). You may naturally have done it already, but this time really try to think consciously about considering both.
Once finished, we will have a small critique in which we look at all of the images together and discuss.
