I suspect that if there were no shadow under the vase, the picture would just look like a flat floral pattern. 1976 Patrick Caulfield 1936-2005 Presented by Bernard Jacobson Gallery 1976 this final picture, the vase and flowers seem to be simplified again, into flat, broad, black outlines and black shapes indicating shadow. The flowers are suggested just by white shapes and by outlining and filling in areas of black shadow. In the Black and White Flower Piece (above) the black parts of the vase blend completely into the black background- although your eye tends to fill in the invisible shape based on the assumption that it will be symmetrical with the other white side of the vase. Vases of Flowers 1962 Patrick Caulfield 1936-2005 Purchased with assistance from the Tate Gallery Publications Department and the Trustees of the Tate Gallery Trust Fund 1976 Black and White Flower Piece 1963 Patrick Caulfield 1936-2005 Purchased with funds provided by the Knapping Fund 1991 In the following three images from vases of flowers are reduced into just flat shapes and silhouettes. His work tends to use flat blocks of colour and clear edges and lines often flattening 3D forms into 2D shapes. Patrick Caulfield (1936-2005) is a 20th century artist who extensively explores the use of negative space in his art. In this picture there is no actual detail of either the figure or the background, but somehow your eye fills in the gaps and almost creates detail that is not there. Using vivid colours evoking the luminosity of stained glass, these cut-outs are a clear example of the use of negative space to suggest form. When ill health prevented Matisse from painting in later life, he began to cut into painted paper with scissors to create outlines that take on sculptural form. I started to research Patrick Caulfield as an example of the use of negative space in art, and was immediately drawn to look at Matisse, by the notes in the course book that he had been one of Caulfield’s major influences. Without negative space, the positive would have no meaning. Negative space is more complex than simply the background of a picture. Good luck and happy designing!įor more logo design resources, check out our blog post on how to NOT screw up a logo and our beginner’s guide to wordmark logos.įind more Inspiration stories on our blog Courtside.Positive space refers to the main focus of a picture, while negative space refers to the background. Start making a conscious effort to notice the space around different forms, and think about what kind of imagery might seamlessly fit within those empty shapes. It’ll take some practice and training of your eyes to “read between the lines” if you will. Remember that creating an eye-catching, negative space logo design won’t necessarily come naturally. When it comes to logo design, it only makes sense to use a symbol relevant to your brand’s product or service. In these cases, designers typically keep a letter’s positive space, and incorporate a symbol within the empty space inside or around it. You can also design a clever logo by combining a single letterform with a symbol. Take a look at these examples of negative space logos to see what we mean:

Viewers will enjoy attempting to find the hidden meaning behind your design, and you’ll impress them with the effortless way you were able to combine two separate ideas. You can also combine two different forms to create dual meaning behind a single symbol. A negative space logo doesn’t necessarily have to make use of any letters.

Example of positive and negative space