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People in Action

...And in First Place!!

Focus: Positive & negative shapes

Discussion:

Two of the elements of art are Space and Shape, they work together to form a work of art. There are many shapes but only two kinds of space: positive and negative. Positive spaces are those occupied by the main subjects of the work. The Negative spaces are the areas around and behind the positive spaces. Negative space can also be referred to as the background. Stencil work is an excellent way to explore positive and negative space.
Show examples of positive and negative spaces in artworks. Look at Rubin’s vase in which the negative space around the vase forms the silhouette of two faces looking at each other.

Materials:

Cardboard People in Action, Mungyo Pastels, Cartridge Paper A4, Cover paper Assorted A3, Supertac, Polystyrene Sheet & Supertac

How to Create Figures in Action:

  1. Select a Cardboard People in Action figure to use to create a collage.
  2. Create a positive and negative image by using the selected figure and sheet it was pressed from and smudging Mungyo Pastels into and around each of the stencils. Use a finger to smudge the dry pastel around the positive shape and then inside the negative stencil.
  3. The negative stencil will create a positive shape of colour and the positive stencil will create a negative shape of colour.
  4. Use the negative stencil to colour additional figures on to Cartridge Paper to be cut out and used for the collage.
  5. Arrange all figures on to the background using off cuts of Polystyrene Sheet to lift the foreground figures away from the background.
  6. Use assorted colours in Cover Paper to display the work.

 

© Copyright Zart Art 2009. Activity and teacher notes written and designed by Zart Education.

Key words: Art, craft, activity, activities, children, kids, school art activities, Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, People in Action, people, figures