Positive and Negative Space

Positive and Negative Space

Positive Space is the Occupied area of a composition 

Negative Space is the unoccupied area of a composition

In this image the positive space is the vase and the negative space is the space around it.

In this image the negative space is the back background around the image. What images can you see in the negative space?

This works in two dimensions

And it works in three dimensions too. Stare at this image for a short while. Does the background sometimes appear in front of the subject?

The Yin Yang sometimes referred to as Taijitu or just the taiji symbol means literally - "Diagram of the supreme ultimate"

The practice of Tajiquan or Tai Chi Chuan translates as Supreme Ultimate Fist

This is a very good example of positive and negative space in terms of design and meaning

Its a symbol of the ancient chinese philosophy of Taoism and refers to the relative relationship of opposites. 

Yin Yang is ofen mistakenly referred to as Yin and Yang. 

Nothing is completely Yin and nothing is completely Yang

It does not mean good and evil

Here is a YinYang symbol that I made using Adobe Illustrator CS5.

Note that it wasn't finished yet.