Negative Space

I am not sure if everyone will know what I am talking about, but negative space was something taught to me in art class. It is all the objects which in a sense are the space behind the objects in a picture or painting. Some abstract artist use just the negative shapes to compose a picture. I was curious to the fact if in a lucid dream if you could train your mind to see just the negative shapes. Plus because your subconscious deals more in the abstract world. It would be quite a seen.

can you elaborate?

For example:
If you take a picture and it has a tree, house, and a driveway. When you look at that painting or photo, that is primarily what one will see.
When you look at the negative spaces (which is all the area around those shapes) it can create a whole new abstract point of view.
I have zoned out and been able to see the abstract shapes of the composition which leads me to believe you could do that in a Lucid dream.

You mean like, if this a picture, with 1 being a space with something in it, and 0 being empty space:

1001001
0010101
0010101

Negative Space Version:

0110110
1101010
1101010

Ya I guess in a manner of speaking thats what I mean. It does not really paint a very interesting seen with numbers. But technically your correct.
I wish I could show you guys a painting. I will look to see if I can find a good one. I have some at home but no scanner.

yeh i know wat u mean......a famous example of that was the ppl who released a picture in the media saying thta if u stare at it and close ur eyes u will see a picture of jesus or something like that..when really it was the negative image or outline of the positive imagine coming out.....

Doesn't this have something to do with those visual activities where you spot a picture out of seemly random dots and designs?

Well I got ya Howetzer...

hmm, it may also help to think of it in terms of carving. Some artists may carve away what surrounds their subject, making the subject itself protrude. But the "negative" conveyance of this would be to carve out the subject itself so it is embedded in surroundings...which, in a sense, makes the surroundings the protrusion.

But I have a question, Howetzer. Are you talking about color as well? Like, are you wanting to see negative space in conjunction with inverted colors?...because that would be totally trippy :roll:

azwe_echo:

Quote:

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But I have a question, Howetzer. Are you talking about color as well? Like, are you wanting to see negative space in conjunction with inverted colors?...because that would be totally trippy[/b]

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Absolutley color. I am glad you brought that up. Because to truely see the negetive space clearly you would shade the positive spaces a neutral color which would then leave the "negetive space" protruded. The shapes then take on a whole abtract form. But that does not mean there isn't somthing there to see. Good observation azwe_echo

Thanks!

Indeed, Howetzer. It's an interesting aspect of art and life. i guess color is required in a sense...black and white is the alternative i was considering. But like black and white, full-blown technicolor is still inverted to the respective reciprocal colors on the color spectrum...which, like you said, reverses protrusion.

Good thread and ideas...i'd like to try this too.