Negative Space Shadow Drawing

Positive Space: the areas of a painting, photograph, drawing, etc. which are occupied by forms or images.

Negative Space: the "empty" areas where no forms/images are located. Negative Space is the space between objects, AND the background of a picture.

Tracing a Shadow is a simple way to understand Positive and Negative Space!

First, watch this video:

https://youtu.be/pZXCujDs8rI

Materials Needed for Tracing: Pencil or Sharpie A bicycle A brown grocery bag, cut open and flattened Two rocks (or any heavy items) BRIGHT SUNSHINE!

Directions:1. Position your bike on an area of flat, smooth pavement2. Position your paper so the shadow of the bike falls upon it. Move your paper around until you’re

happy with the placement.3. Place your rocks/heavy items down to secure the paper.4. Trace all the areas of negative space, (the sunny parts!) Do you best to work neatly.

When done, your tracing should consist of separate, closed off shapes, and there should be no intersecting or criss-crossing lines. It is OK, however, to allow your lines to go off the edge of the paper if the shadow went off the edge!

The “shadow” represents the positive space. All of the shapes that you traced around and between parts of the bike

represent the negative space.

Keep in mind that you can use other objects to do this kind of shadow tracing, but the most interesting drawings will have a good balance of positive and negative space!

When your tracing is finished, feel free to cut down your paper into something smaller, focusing on the what you find most interesting. Choose one of the following methods to color in all the negative space areas of your drawing.

Color Pencil: Create a transition of light to dark by applying firm pressure along the inside edge of all your negative space shapes, and decreasing your pressure as you move inward.

Pencil: Create a transition of light to dark by applying firm pressure along the inside edge of all your negative space shapes, and decreasing your pressure as you move inward. You can blend with your finger to soften the effect.

Marker and Water: Create a line around the inner edge of your shapes with a water-based marker, such as Crayola Brand. Use water and a paintbrush to dissolve the color and fade/blend inward.

Color Pencil Example Pencil Example

Marker and Water Example

Be Creative with how you embellish your negative space. We should see a strong difference between the Positive Space and the Negative Space when you are finished!

Before! After!