Visual & Performing Arts · 7th Grade · The Artist's Eye: Drawing and Composition · Weeks 1-9

Space: Positive and Negative

Students will explore the concept of positive and negative space and how artists use it to define forms and create dynamic compositions.

• Common Core State Standards
• NCAS: Creating VA.Cr2.1.7

About This Topic

Positive and negative space is one of the most genuinely perceptual concepts in visual art education. Positive space refers to the subject or main forms in a composition , the objects, figures, or shapes that the artist intends as the primary content. Negative space is the area around and between those forms. The key insight is that negative space is not empty; it is a designed shape with its own visual weight, rhythm, and contribution to the composition's success.

For many 7th graders, this concept requires a literal perceptual shift , learning to see the space between objects as a shape, not as absence. Classic exercises like drawing only the negative space of a chair, or analyzing figure-ground ambiguous images (M.C. Escher's interlocking shapes, figure-ground reversals like the Rubin vase), help students make this perceptual leap. Once made, it cannot be unmade: students who understand negative space see compositions differently and design them more deliberately.

Active learning is highly effective for this topic because the perceptual shift is something students must experience rather than be told about. Peer discussion during negative space exercises surfaces the moments of recognition , and hearing classmates articulate their own shift in perception often triggers the same realization in students who are still stuck.

Key Questions

1. Analyze how negative space can define and enhance the positive forms in an artwork.
2. Construct a drawing that intentionally emphasizes negative space to create a new visual perception.
3. Evaluate the impact of ambiguous positive and negative space on a viewer's interpretation.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze how the relationship between positive and negative space defines the primary subject in selected artworks.
• Create a drawing that uses negative space to visually alter or abstract a familiar object.
• Evaluate how the deliberate manipulation of positive and negative space impacts the viewer's perception of depth and form.
• Compare and contrast two artworks, explaining how each utilizes negative space to achieve a different compositional effect.

Before You Start

Introduction to Drawing Basic Shapes

Why: Students need a foundational understanding of how to represent simple forms before they can manipulate the space around them.

Elements of Art: Line, Shape, Form

Why: Understanding these basic elements is essential for recognizing and defining both positive and negative space as distinct visual components.

Key Vocabulary

Positive Space	The main subjects or elements in an artwork, such as figures, objects, or shapes that are the focus of the composition.
Negative Space	The area surrounding and between the positive space elements in an artwork; it is also a shape with its own visual importance.
Figure-Ground Relationship	The way an object (figure) is perceived in relation to the space around it (ground), which can sometimes be ambiguous or reversible.
Composition	The arrangement and organization of visual elements within an artwork, where positive and negative space play critical roles.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Negative space is just empty background , it doesn't need to be designed.

What to Teach Instead

In well-designed compositions, every area including the negative space is considered and shaped intentionally. Poorly designed negative space produces awkward leftover areas that compete with or undermine the positive forms. Teaching students to evaluate the quality of negative shapes alongside positive ones , asking 'is this background area an interesting shape?' , builds the habit of designing the whole composition rather than just the subject.

Common Misconception

Figure-ground is only relevant in abstract or geometric art.

What to Teach Instead

Figure-ground relationships are active in all visual art , representational, abstract, graphic, and photographic. In portraiture, the relationship between a figure and its background is a figure-ground decision. In nature photography, how much sky is included and in what shape is a figure-ground decision. Once students understand the concept, they find it everywhere and begin applying it across all their work.

Common Misconception

Making the negative space interesting means adding details or patterns to the background.

What to Teach Instead

Negative space gains interest through its shape and proportion, not through surface decoration. A large, simple, well-proportioned negative area can be more compositionally powerful than a patterned one. Adding textures or details to background areas often just creates visual noise that competes with the positive forms. The goal is to design the negative shape at the compositional level, not to decorate it.

Active Learning Ideas

Think-Pair-Share: Figure-Ground Ambiguity

Project a classic figure-ground ambiguous image , the Rubin vase, Escher's Sky and Water, or a similar example , and ask students to write what they see first. Partners compare what they initially perceived and try to shift their perception to see the alternative reading. The class discusses what controls which reading dominates and connects this to deliberate compositional choices.

20 min·Pairs

Negative Space Drawing: Chair Study

Students draw only the negative space of a chair , the shapes created by the spaces between and around the legs, rungs, and back , without drawing any part of the chair itself. Partners check each other's work to confirm that the negative shapes are accurate and that no positive forms have crept in. The resulting drawings often reveal surprising, compelling abstract shapes.

35 min·Pairs

Gallery Walk: Negative Space in Professional Work

Post eight examples of artworks, graphic designs, and logos where negative space plays a significant compositional role , FedEx logo, Notan designs, MC Escher interlocking patterns, Japanese calligraphy with active ma (negative space). Groups analyze each example for how the negative space was designed intentionally and what it contributes to the work's impact.

25 min·Small Groups

Studio: Notan Composition

Students create a Notan design , a traditional Japanese approach using equal and interlocking positive and negative shapes , by cutting a simple form from black paper and flipping alternating sections outward onto white paper. The exercise forces students to design both positive and negative shapes simultaneously, building spatial intuition that carries into drawing and composition work.

45 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Graphic designers use negative space to create logos and layouts that are clear, memorable, and guide the viewer's eye. For example, the FedEx logo subtly uses negative space between the 'E' and 'x' to form an arrow, suggesting forward movement.
• Architects and interior designers consider negative space when planning rooms and buildings to ensure functionality and aesthetic appeal. The empty space in a room, or the space between furniture, is as important as the objects themselves for creating a comfortable and usable environment.
• Photographers frame their shots considering both the subject and the background or surrounding areas. Effective use of negative space in photography can isolate a subject, create a sense of scale, or evoke specific moods.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Present students with an image containing clear positive and negative space. Ask them to identify one object or shape that is defined primarily by negative space and explain their reasoning in one sentence.

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a simple outline drawing of an object. Ask them to draw in the negative space around the object, making the negative space itself a recognizable shape. They should then write one sentence describing how this altered negative space changes the perception of the original object.

Discussion Prompt

Show students an ambiguous figure-ground image, like the Rubin vase. Ask: 'How does this image challenge your understanding of what is positive and what is negative space? Can you describe a moment when your perception shifted?'

Frequently Asked Questions

What is negative space in art and why does it matter?

Negative space is the area around and between the main forms or subjects in a composition. It matters because negative space is not empty , it is a shaped area that contributes actively to how a composition reads. Well-designed negative space supports and enhances the positive forms; poorly designed negative space creates awkward visual tension. Artists who consciously design both positive and negative areas produce more resolved compositions.

What is figure-ground in visual art?

Figure-ground refers to the visual relationship between the primary subject (the figure) and the surrounding area (the ground). In most compositions the figure and ground are clearly distinct, but in ambiguous figure-ground compositions , like the Rubin vase , the two are designed to flip perceptually, so the viewer can read either as the primary subject. Understanding figure-ground helps artists control how strongly the positive forms stand out from their surroundings.

How can negative space be used to create a new visual perception?

When negative space is shaped deliberately , given interesting contours, proportions, or patterns , it becomes a visual element in its own right, not just backdrop. Ambiguous figure-ground compositions exploit this by designing both positive and negative shapes to be equally compelling, so the viewer's perception alternates between the two. Notan design and interlocking pattern work are practical exercises for developing this bilateral spatial thinking.

Why does drawing only the negative space help students learn about composition?

Drawing only the negative space forces a perceptual shift that is difficult to achieve through description alone. When students must attend to the shapes between and around objects rather than the objects themselves, they develop the ability to see and evaluate the whole composition rather than focusing only on the subject. This perceptual habit , reading every area of the composition as a shaped, designed element , is one of the most transferable skills in the visual arts curriculum.