7/24/2019 Positive and Negative Space Lesson Plan

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Positive and Negative SpaceLesson Plan

Does a negative space have shape? In this exercise,

the students will explore the relationship between

positive and negative space. After all, one can't exist

without the other.

Grade Levels

Eleentar! through "unior #igh

$ie %e&uired

ne class period ()* + - inutes

Lesson b/ectives

$o develop proote an awareness of shape and

space. 0tudents will create an original visual iage

using colored construction paper that will deonstrate

that all spaces within a wor1 of art have their own

uni&ue shapes.

2rocedure

0pace and shape, two of the eleents of design, wor1

together to for a finished wor1 of art. $here are two1inds of space3 positive and negative. 2ositive spaces

are those occupied b! the ain sub/ects of the wor1.

$he 4egative spaces are the areas around and behind

the positive spaces. 4egative space can also be

referred to as the bac1ground.

It is no !ster! that the shapes of positive spaces are

deterined b! the shapes of the ain sub/ects of the

wor1. #owever, negative spaces have shapes as well.

If one reoves the sub/ects fro a wor1, the negative

spaces are left with a blan1 in the shapes of the parts

reoved. $herefore, the shapes of the negativespaces are deterined b! the shapes of the positive

spaces.

5. 0elect one color of construction paper andcut to 67 8 7. Distribute one color of 67 8597 and the contrasting color of 67 8 7construction paper to each student.

9. :sing the half sheet (67 8 7, students

7/24/2019 Positive and Negative Space Lesson Plan

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draw and carefull! cut out half of a pictureor design along the 67 length.

;. $he full sheet (67 8 597 can be folded inhalf along the 67 length to deterine thecenter of the sheet. $he parts cut fro the

half sheet are arranged along the foldforing half the design. $he reainingparts are placed on the opposite side of thefull sheet in locations opposite those frowhich the! were cut. Glue the parts down.

). $he final pro/ect will have a positive iageon one side of the full sheet and a negativeiage on the other.

*. An optional approach would be to 7hinge7ever!thing down the center usingtransparent tape. $his will produce aniage that is at first sipl! two contrasting

vertical rectangles.