Negative space image

FW acrylic ink on Strathmore Mixed-Media paper, 400 series. 

The creation of a recognizable image by manipulating the negative space around it has always been an interesting notion, to me.  I can recall spending some time in a plein air sketch of tree limbs washed downstream to the shoreline in a torrential spring downpour.  The part I remember spending substantial time on was the spaces inbetween the branches that held nothing.  The light played off of the overlapping and gnarled branches and debris lying far below, which became the interesting thing to try to capture.  As I looked at the sketch later, the images left totally untouched were the main branches.  They were so clearly defined by what was rendered around them.

Although much more simplistic in image and process, the image above is that type of work, as well.  The gears are visible because ink was added around them.  Using a stencil made this a very easy process; simplying sponging on top of a plastic sheet in which the gears were solid plastic and the spaces around them  (now darkened by ink,) were open.  Great food-for-thought for more eye-appealing images using pencil, paint, and/or mixed media!