LESSON STEPS 1. Explain the concept of positive and negative space using art references of choice. Guide student pairs in analyzing art. Take a look at this image. What do you think is the positive space? Why? What do you think is the negative space? Why? Positive space is the area in a work of art that is the subject of the piece. The negative space is the area around the subject. I'm going to show you another image. I want you to talk to the person sitting next to you about what you think is the positive and negative space in this work of art.  Criteria-based teacher observation/process assessment: Discusses and justifies, with evidence, which part of the art is negative and which is positive space.

2. Guide students in observing and analyzing positive and negative space using Emily Kame 's Kngwarreye, Wild Yam Dreaming and Mary Henry 's After Scarlatti. Take a look at this piece of art called Wild Yam Dreaming. Squint and look through your eyelashes. What part of the work looks like the background, or the negative space? What part of the artwork looks like the subject, or the positive space and why? Now take a look at this piece called After Scarlatti. Let's assume the artist used color for the positive space and black and white for the negative space. How does the negative space create it's own shape?  Criteria-based teacher observation/process assessment: Discusses and justifies, with evidence, which part of the art is negative and which is positive space.

- 3. Explain the concept of organic and geometric shapes using After Scarlatti by Mary Henry. Demonstrate and guide drawing geometric and organic shapes on class chart.

Now, what shapes do you notice in this work of art? These are called geometric shapes. Geometric shapes are shapes with rules and names, like rectangle, square, circle or triangle etc. Organic shapes are shapes free forms or shapes that can represent living things with irregular edges. They don't have names that you recognize.  Teacher draws a T chart on the whiteboard and models how to use a ruler and compass to create geometric shapes. Draws and cuts out geometric shapes. Let's draw a few. Can I have someone come up and draw another geometric or organic shape?  Students can also practice drawing and cutting out shapes.  Criteria-based process assessment: Draws geometric or organic shapes on the T chart.

4. Demonstrate and guide students in creating their geometric shape templates and tracing them on to their water color paper (creating a nearly equal composition of positive and negative space).  Teacher will be checking for understanding by walking around to make sure students are tracing shapes, cutting them out. Today you are going to use rulers and compasses to create geometric shapes that you will cut out and use as a template to trace on your paper. You will aim to balance the positive and negative space. Make sure to make your shapes large enough that you can color them in with pastels which are not sharp like a pencil. Watch me create my first template under the document camera. Notice how my shape is not too large and not too small, so it can be easily colored in using the pastel. Draw and cut out the geometric shapes using good craftsmanship: precise drawing and cutting skills. Explain and demonstrate making the composition students are going to make. Aim to have your work of art NOT be representational, like the works we looked at together. That means your art will not look like a picture of something you recognize, it will be abstract. In planning my composition, I balance the positive and negative space. Now watch me trace my shapes on the paper. Notice how I'm drawing enough shapes to balance out (or make approximately equal amounts of) the positive and negative space so I don't have too much of either one.

Arts Impact Arts Foundations 2015-16

Marina Pita; Concord International Elementary School; Positive and Negative Space with Geometric Figures

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