Six Ways to Create the
ILLUSION of SPACE
Studio in Art: Design Elements
SPACE
Space – sometimes crowded, sometimes open – it is all around you. It may be full of trees, clouds, or clear air. It can be contained by walls or open to the sky. When you swim in a pool, stand on a bridge, or walk through a room you are located in or moving through space.
The words above, below, around, behind, into and through all indicate position or action in space.
IN ART, space can refer to:
· The sense of depth in a two-dimensional artwork like a drawing or painting.
· The way a composition has been arranged to balance the subject (positive space) with its surrounding area (negative space).
· The three-dimensionality of sculpture or architecture.
Types of SPACE:
· TWO-DIMENSIONAL SPACE: 2D space is FLAT, having only length and width (drawing, painting)
o The Picture Plane is the flat surface on which the artist works; such as a piece of paper
o Positive 2D space is the shape of the subject in the artwork
o Negative 2D space is the shape of the “empty” area around the subject in the artwork
o 2D artists create the illusion of depth (also called Space!), causing viewers to forget for a moment that the artwork is really flat. These are some of the ways to create the illusion on depth on a 2D surface:
§ Linear Perspective: artists use 1pt, 2pt, and 3pt perspective to create the illusion of forms on a 2D surface
§ Aerial Perspective: artists change color and value to create the illusion of space
§ Position/Placement: placing an object higher in the picture plane can make it appear to be farther away from the viewer
§ Overlapping: Placing one shape on top of another creates a feeling of depth. The shape on top feels closer to the viewer
§ Size Variation: smaller objects appear farther away than larger ones.
· THREE-DIMENSIONAL SPACE: an object that has height, width, & depth. You can walk around or inside of an object with 3D space.
o Positive 3D space is the object or structure itself
o Negative 3D space is the area surrounding the object or structure. In a building, the negative space can also be the area inside a structure
o Flowing space is the connection between inside and outside space. In a building, flowing space can be the windows and doors. In a sculpture, flowing space might be holes, wires, or glass that leads your eye through a sculpture.