TENSION BETWEEN THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE

Emily Riordan

Jessi Davis

Sophia Wiley

Spacing, tension and balance must be given total focus when developing a composition. Last night's collage addressed these three aspects. Students made a design of repeating primary and secondary elements moving down columns. The objective was to achieve total balance between the positive and negative areas without one dominating the other. In all three compositions above , the black and white areas are able to exchange roles. It is possible to see the black areas as positive and the white areas as negative and yet the white areas could also be seen as positive and the black areas negative. Great consideration must be given to the tension and spacing between the columns. In addition, the types of shapes (curves, angles, etc) as well as whether a shape is concave or convex profoundly affects the balance between the dark and light areas.

NOTAN: Positive and Negative Tension

Chani Spitzer-Christenson

Circe Ament

Friday morning began with a collage controlling the tension in the positive and negative areas. Notan was the final objective. In order for the collage to be successful, the positive and negative areas must be able to reverse rolls. On the one hand the white areas are seen as positive and on the other hand the black areas must be seen as positive with white negatives. In Chani's collage we are initially drawn to the convex white shapes before moving to the black strips. In Circe's collage we notice the animated arms of the white areas and there potential to reach and grab. The strength of the black strips lies within their interior cuts and strong sense of weight.

The afternoon project was twofold 1. make a grid of rectangles using three contrasting values 2. place distorted shapes of an original form (the fork) striving to achieve Notan.