Unit 4: Space

Positive vs. Negative Space: Students will know that the "holes" or "gaps" (Negative) are just as compositionally important as the "solid" parts (Positive).

The 6 Techniques for 2D Depth: They will understand how artists create a sense of deep space on a flat page using:

Overlapping: One object in front of another.

Size: Objects get smaller as they recede.

Placement: Objects higher on the page appear further away.

Detail/Focus: Distant objects have less detail.

Atmospheric Perspective: Distant objects become lighter, bluer, and less saturated.

Linear Perspective: The use of vanishing points and converging lines.

Perspective Systems: They will know the difference between One-Point (looking down a street) and Two-Point (looking at the corner of a building) perspective.

Point of View: Students will know how "Bird’s Eye" (from above) and "Worm’s Eye" (from below) views change the spatial drama of a work.

Negative Space Silhouettes: Students will draw a complex object (like a chair or a bicycle) by only drawing the shapes of the air trapped inside the object's frame.

The Atmospheric Landscape: Students will create a multi-layered landscape using washes of color that get progressively lighter to demonstrate atmospheric depth.

Linear Perspective Boot Camp: Students will use rulers and vanishing points to "build" a 3D room or city street on a 2D surface.

Students will create artwork that explores "area" within, around, and between objects. Students will investigate the dual nature of space: Physical Space (the literal area occupied by a sculpture) and Illusionistic Space (the tricks used to make a flat paper look like a deep landscape).