Examples of Line in Art Positive and Negative Space

Negative space: Top tips and brilliant examples

negative space: The Typefaces T-shirt with illustration of a snake in the negative space of a letter S
(Image credit: Scott Lambert)

Negative space is an splendid tool for designers of all kinds to harness to create strong symbolism, subconscious surprises and a lasting impression. While the positive space in an image is its master focus – the object itself – negative space is just as important. It shares edges with the positive space, defining the outline of the object and creating proportion. As we know from the famous yin and yang symbol, both forces demand to exist nowadays. Nosotros can't have positive space without negative space and vice versa.

And this negative space between, within and surrounding an object in an image can be used smartly to great effect, often to form the shape of another image or symbol. Designers can create positive spaces and shapes that, in turn, carve out shapes in the negative space to create designs that interlock like a jigsaw puzzle. The results tin can be stunning and can exist particularly memorable used for logos and illustrations for posters and book covers, equally nosotros'll meet below.

On this page, we've selected 17 bright examples of negative space for inspiration. Click through to folio two of the article for five top tips on how to use negative space in your work from creative person Timothy Von Rueden. Click on the icon at the elevation-right of each epitome to enlarge information technology. When you're done hither, you might as well want to see our guide to the golden rules of how to blueprint a logo for more than tips.

17 slap-up examples of negative space

01. The Guild of Food Writers

negative space: Guild of Food Writers logo

(Image credit: Guild of Food Writers)

The logo for the Guild of Nutrient Writers is one of the virtually acclaimed uses of negative space in logo pattern, and one that's often emulated. Designed in 2005 past the at present-defunct London agency 300million, information technology depicts a spoon in the negative space created by a fountain pen neb. It'south wonderfully simple and sums upwardly what the Gild does. Of course, its longevity will depend upon whether future generations will be able to recognise a fountain pen.

02. The Testaments

This encompass contains hidden images (Image credit: Chatto & Windus)

Noma Bar is well-known for his illustrations that employ negative space, and the encompass he created for Margaret Atwood's The Testaments is no exception. Look closely at the hooded figure'south robe, for example, and you lot'll see another effigy hiding. Bar has as well designed a striking book cover for Atwood'southward The Handmaid'southward Tale.

03. SANCCOB

SANCCOB's See the Reality campaign uses negative space to make a point about the decline of the Southward African penguin. Image: SANCCOB on Behance

The South African wildlife charity SANCCOB uses negative space as a trademark and even within its logo. Its See the Reality entrada featured a series of stunning posters that make remarkable use of negative space. The relationship betwixt the negative and positive space was particularly significant hither marker the fatal transformation from living to extinct penguins.

04. Frozen

It takes a moment to discover the employ of negative infinite in this poster

For the new Broadway production of Frozen, Disney commissioned this poster by ad agency Serino Coyne and UK artist Olly Moss. Information technology features a stylised snowflake that incorporates the main characters through a clever utilise of negative space, which many observers might not notice immediately.

05. Formula ane

This venerable logo packs some amazing get-faster stripes

This clever negative infinite logo, designed by Carter Wong studio, served Formula 1 well – it was in utilise from 1994 until 2017, when it was replaced by a new streamlined logo created by Due west+G London and accompanied by three custom typefaces designed past Marc Rouault. The number 1 appears in the negative space between the F and the get-faster stripes. It's easy to translate just gives a sense of dynamism and speed.

06. Pittsburgh Zoo

Could exist one hell of a fight in the offing

Why would a zoo have a sole tree equally its logo? Well, expect a fiddling closer at the logo for Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, and you'll run across that the infinite around the tree actually forms a gorilla and what looks to u.s. like a lioness. Can you spot anything else?

07. Air Max 2017

Negative infinite doesn't have to be static. When Nike wanted to describe attention to the ultralight support in its Air Max 2017 trainers, ManvsMachine delivered a campaign that showed this through a series of visual metaphors inspired by scenarios encountered on an everyday run. Rather than utilize an bodily Air Max, it employs a trainer-shaped slice of negative space to advise air. And very clever it is as well.

08. Yorokobu Numerografía

Forma and Co created these colourful negative space numbers

Each calendar month, Yorokobu magazine asks an creative person or designer to create a serial of original numerical characters for its Numerografía department, and this was what Forma and Co came up with. The Barcelona-based team used center-popping primary colours and a clever employ of negative infinite that creates a 3D effect.

09. Symbols

It'due south piece of cake to become desensitised to tragic news stories, but this video for the World Food Programme drives home the plight of refugees in a very powerful mode. Designed by negative space chief Noma Bar and animated by Ale Accini, the 30-second video entitled 'Symbols' uses stunning visual shorthand in its plea to aid stop hunger and beginning peace. It's emotively narrated past Liam Neeson.

x. Anything by Tang Yau Hoong

Tang Yau Hoong'southward negative space art is e'er jaw-dropping

Tang Yau Hoong is an creative person, illustrator, graphic designer living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. With a passion for creative thinking, he creates fine art that's conceptual, surreal and fun in a simplistic and unique way. A whole section of his website is defended to the art of negative space and he has tons of fantastic examples of how the concept can be used to great creative result. His work often shows that yous tin ofttimes take a lot of liberty with sizes and class when using negative space.

11. Shuwa Diners

Another astute use of negative space in an everyday object (Epitome credit: Shuwa Diners)

A similar idea to number one on our list, while the Guild of Food Writers logo carves a spoon out of a pen nib, Paragon International carved palm trees out of a fork to convey a sense of place in this logo for a restaurant in Oman.

12. FedEx

The FedEx logo is a classic use of negative infinite

This listing wouldn't be complete without mentioning possibly the nearly famous use of negative space in a logo. The white pointer between the Eastward and the Ten in the FedEx logotype can never be forgotten once you lot've noticed it. Originally designed past Lindon Leader in 1994, the logo has won ample blueprint awards and is constantly featured in 'best logos' lists. You can read our interview with Leader in our ten best logos always article.

13. Letters

Clever use of negative space to have the maximum affect (non literally)

We've seen a lot of highly creative, quality work from the Brazilian advertizement studio Leo Burnett, and this clever entrada for Fiat encouraging people not to text while driving is a highlight.

A series of three prints, a large white letter of the alphabet R, North, and F are accompanied by a graphic of a little daughter, canis familiaris, and passenger vehicle respectively, each illustration creating the defining shape of each letterform. The taglines state: 'You either run across the letter or the dog (bus, little girl). Don't text and drive.'

It'south a fantastic instance of how clever utilize of negative infinite can make a big impact. The stark contrast betwixt black and white creates cute silhouettes hidden within the type. It'due south an innovative thought that really drives domicile the dangers of texting while driving.

14. The Typefaces

Negative space gives this type a confront

The Typefaces is a volume from Singapore-based designer and illustrator Scott Lambert that aims to celebrate playful products for kids and kids-at-centre. "Inspired by letterpress printing and childlike observations, The Typefaces are simply faces in type," Lambert explains. Negative space allows Lambert to give each letter a friendly face with lots of personality. He also produced T-shirts with the illustrations (meet the pic at the top of the page).

15. Cutting-Outs

Simon C. Folio uses negative space trickery to describe Batman versus Penguin

This brilliant print past graphic designer Simon C. Page pits Batman versus Penguin. Role of his Cutting-Out series, the piece cleverly depicts the 2 characters using negative space. The bald caput and long pointy nose are instantly identifiable equally Danny Devito's Penguin, which in turn, carves out the bold silhouette of Michael Keaton as Batman.

sixteen. Shigeo Fukuda

Japanese graphic designer made total utilise of negative space in his artwork

Japanese poster designer and graphic artist Shigeo Fukuda'southward optical illusions brought him international renown. Similar many of his pieces, this hit black and white impress, constructed of minimal, considered lines, is slightly disorientating – a theme that ran through his work up until his death in 2009.

17. The Kama Sutra

Malika Favre is know for her naughty negative space work

When French creative person and illustrator Malika Favre was deputed to create the cover for this naughty classic, she went through many iterations – including this one – to get to the final blueprint.

Known for her distinctive use of graphic shapes and bold colours, Favre comments on her website: "I try and get to the essence of my subject area by using every bit few lines and colours every bit it needs to convey the core of the idea." She's certainly done that for this version of the volume comprehend, cleverly incorporating negative space to depict diverse sexual positions at one time.

Timothy is an contained artist showing and selling his work at diverse conventions across the United States.

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