Visual & Performing Arts · 7th Grade

Active learning ideas

Space: Positive and Negative

Positive and negative space are best learned through doing because they are perceptual concepts—students must see, manipulate, and discuss how shapes interact to truly grasp their relationship. Active exercises like drawing, analyzing, and composing force students to confront their assumptions and refine their visual decisions in real time.

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

• 20–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Pairs

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.

Analyze how negative space can define and enhance the positive forms in an artwork.

Facilitation Tip

During the Think-Pair-Share, assign roles so both quieter and more vocal students contribute equally to the discussion.

What to look for

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.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Inquiry Circle
• 35 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.

Construct a drawing that intentionally emphasizes negative space to create a new visual perception.

Facilitation Tip

For the Negative Space Drawing activity, provide grid-lined paper to help students accurately transfer their chair shape and its surrounding negative space.

What to look for

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.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Gallery Walk
• 25 min · Small Groups

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.

Evaluate the impact of ambiguous positive and negative space on a viewer's interpretation.

Facilitation Tip

During the Gallery Walk, ask students to jot down one thing they notice about how negative space contributes to each professional work before moving on.

What to look for

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?'

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Inquiry Circle
• 45 min · Individual

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.

Analyze how negative space can define and enhance the positive forms in an artwork.

What to look for

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.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by alternating between direct instruction and hands-on practice. Start with clear definitions and examples, then immediately move to guided exercises where students apply the concept. Emphasize that negative space is not decoration but a structural element that must be designed with the same care as the subject. Avoid rushing students; time spent observing and evaluating shapes is critical.

Successful learning looks like students recognizing negative space as a deliberate design element, not just empty background. They should confidently identify, evaluate, and use negative space to strengthen compositions, demonstrating this in their discussions, drawings, and final projects.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Negative Space Drawing: Chair Study, some students may treat the background as empty space to be filled with patterns or details rather than a shape to design intentionally.

  During the Negative Space Drawing activity, circulate and ask students, 'Is this negative shape balanced with the chair? Could it stand alone as an interesting form?' Direct them to cover the chair with paper to check the negative shape’s strength before adding any details.

• During the Think-Pair-Share on figure-ground ambiguity, students may assume the concept only applies to abstract or geometric art.

  During the Think-Pair-Share, use representational examples like a portrait against a background or a tree against the sky. Ask students to identify how the background shape affects the perception of the figure, reinforcing that figure-ground is universal.

• During the Studio: Notan Composition, students might think adding textures or patterns to negative space makes it more interesting.

  During the Studio activity, have students compare two versions of their composition—one with patterned negative space and one with a simple, well-proportioned shape. Ask them to evaluate which version feels more cohesive and why, guiding them to prioritize shape design over decoration.

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Methods used in this brief

• Think-Pair-Share
• Inquiry Circle
• Gallery Walk