Negative space painting in watercolor:
By Sally Cannon Ellis
Good shapes are vital in negative painting.
1. Start by drawing good shapes. DRAW.
2. Watch for the Negative Space. That is the holes between the shapes that you could place your hand through without touching the object. WATCH SPACE BETWEEN SHAPES.
· Also called Notan, a Japanese word meaning dark-light. It is the design principle defining the interaction between positive (light) and negative (dark) space. *See Notan by Dorr Bothwell and Marlys Mayfield.
3. Begin by painting a very pale mingled wash on your 1/8 sheet watercolor paper. Let it dry.
4. Paint around each shape you have drawn by using a light flat or graded wash. This is called Glazing or Layering. THIS IS BEST OBTAINED BY THE USE OF TRANSPARENT PIGMENTS. Cobalt, Quinacridone Rose and Azo Yellow or Aureolin .
Let it dry.
5. Redraw more shapes paint around those. Keep building the design.
6. Build your design from Light to Dark shapes. * Note Barbara Swenson YouTube demo.
7. Below first steps and to the end by Sister Ellis
By Sally Cannon Ellis
Good shapes are vital in negative painting.
1. Start by drawing good shapes. DRAW.
2. Watch for the Negative Space. That is the holes between the shapes that you could place your hand through without touching the object. WATCH SPACE BETWEEN SHAPES.
· Also called Notan, a Japanese word meaning dark-light. It is the design principle defining the interaction between positive (light) and negative (dark) space. *See Notan by Dorr Bothwell and Marlys Mayfield.
3. Begin by painting a very pale mingled wash on your 1/8 sheet watercolor paper. Let it dry.
4. Paint around each shape you have drawn by using a light flat or graded wash. This is called Glazing or Layering. THIS IS BEST OBTAINED BY THE USE OF TRANSPARENT PIGMENTS. Cobalt, Quinacridone Rose and Azo Yellow or Aureolin .
Let it dry.
5. Redraw more shapes paint around those. Keep building the design.
6. Build your design from Light to Dark shapes. * Note Barbara Swenson YouTube demo.
7. Below first steps and to the end by Sister Ellis
