Elements of art: Space

-Space is always part of an artwork.
-No art form demonstrates this more than site-specific work.
-Site-specific art is designed exclusively for one particular space.
-For many artists, space and how to transform it is the artwork.

Space is one of the 7 elements of art.

• Space
• Line
• Shapes
• Form
• Texture
• Value
• Color

Space is the area in which an artwork is organized.

Space can encompass the area within a work of art, and can also include the area immediately outside of, and around a work of art.
-The main objects in a work of art take up positive space.
-The area around them is called negative space.
-In sculpture and other 3-dimensional arts, positive space is the area that objects actually occupy. The negative space is all the other areas between and around the objects.

Many 2-dimensional works create the illusion of three-dimensional space by using some very specific techniques.
Some artists do use relative size to give their work the illusion of real space.
Smaller figures seem to be more distant and further away from the larger ones.
The contrast of sharply focused figures with blurry soft backgrounds gives a contrast that creates a sense of lush and real depth.

Varying hues and values will also give 2-D works the illusion of real space.
Some ways to describe how artists use space are:

• Dense
• Open
• Cluttered
• Symmetrical
• Shallow
• Flat

Sources: KQED Arts