Today, let’s do an exercise on “negative space”. Look at the chair below… The chair itself is the positive space and all around it is negative space.

Your preconceptions of what you think a hand, chair, plant, etc. look like can stop you from looking clearly at the subject in front of you. By simplifying what you see into abstract shapes, you can start to make clearer, more objective observations and learn how to draw more realistic subjects.

Draw This

Draw the negative space around the chair and then you’ll also have drawn the chair by NOT drawing the chair. 🙂

Example…

This gives you the tools to draw things that are hard to draw. It helps you to see things differently when you’re trying to draw.

Alternate Assignment

Draw your own hand by NOT drawing it. 🙂

Examples…

Other resources:

https://www.creativebloq.com/how-to/use-negative-space-to-draw-better-hands

 

https://www.creativebloq.com/features/how-to-draw-animals-people-landscapes