Figure / Ground
Form in relation to positive and negative space |
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| Shapes can be thought of as positive or negative. | ||
| In a two dimensional composition, the objects constitute the positive shapes… the area between the objects is referred to as the negative space. |
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Piet Mondrian |
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| When the positive and negative shapes are equally important, confusion can result. |
Optical Illusion |
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Some artists use the reversal of positive and negative space to create complex illusions. |
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The prints of M. C. Escher often feature interlocking images that confuse our perception of what is foreground and what is background. |
M.C. Escher |
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| Other artists use positive and negative space to hide images within images. |
Pavel Tchelitchew |
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Giuseppe Arcimboldo |
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Tesselation |
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| "A tessellation is created when a shape is repeated over and over again covering a plane without any gaps or overlaps. Another word for a tessellation is a tiling." ~mathforum.org | ||
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Alhambra |
Alhambra tiles |
M.C. Escher |
| Escher was inspired by the Alhambra. (Built during the early-to-mid 1300s, the Alhambra was originally the home of the Muslim kings who ruled the area around the city of Granada, Spain.) |
M.C. Escher |
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Figure/Ground Assignment
General rules relating to figure/ground relationships:
- The ground is usually larger and simpler than the figure.
- The smaller an area, the greater the probability that it will be seen as the figure.
- The figure usually appears to be on top or in front of the ground even though the figure and the ground are on the same physical plane.
- Unbroken shapes tend to become figures and segmented shapes tend to become ground.
- What dominates the eye is considered figure; more passively displayed objects take on the role of the ground.
- Darker colors tend to form the figure.
- An enclosed surface tends to become the figure, and the enclosing one tends to become the ground.
- Figure and ground of the same or nearly the same area tend to become ambiguous.
- Alternating shapes tend to create figure/ground ambiguity.
- Regions in the lower portion of the design appear more figure-like than regions in the upper portion.
Create three compositions using black construction paper glued to white, 4 1/2" x 6" Bristol board (Use 1/4 of a 9" x 12" sheet for each)
Shapes should be organic (not geometric), abstract (or non-representational) and unfamiliar (no cartoon versions of flowers, leaves, etc).
- Composition: Create black figure(s) on a white ground
- Composition: Create white figure(s) on a black ground
- Composition: Manipulate the black and white areas simultaneously and with equal weight so that there is an ambiguity as to which is figure or ground.
The object is to play around with the parameters that make figure/ground.
Extra credit... do 6 compositions... 2 of each.