Negative space is a key component in any good painting composition.
So, what exactly is negative space?
Negative space might be described as the empty area of a painting that surrounds the main subject of a painting that enhances the composition in three vital ways.
Creating balance
The first and most important role of negative space is to establish the balance the entire composition. In short, the more negative space present in a painting, the more emphasis is given to the subject matter. As a rule, the ratio of negative space to subject matter that I use is greater than 50%. Anything less than 50% tends to overwhelm the viewer with a far too complicated composition of objects.
Offering a place of calm
Secondly, the negative space offers the viewer a place where her eyes may rest, a place of calm. An artist who was a master of utilizing negative space in landscape is Piet Mondrian. In this painting he has used quite a bit more than 50% space, which greatly enhances the focal point, which is the windmill. It also compliments the horizontal aspect of the work, drawing the viewer’s eye back and forth across the horizon.
Providing visual guidance for moving through a painting
Lastly, negative space works to move and direct the viewer’s gaze through the painting. This painting depicts a willow bush flattened by heavy snowfall beside a stream I had walked along in Idaho. The negative expanse of empty snow squeezes the complicated network of branches towards their center where the viewer’s gaze will be directed downward and then back up, pausing for a deeper examination of the branches, snow and shadow forming an interesting pattern against the white snow. As with Mondrian’s painting, the negative space compliments the vertical aspect on this painting, where the viewer’s attention is pulled upwards, and then downwards.