When talking about positive and negative space in art, we think about how shapes and forms affect the spaces around them. Students learned about the Japanese art form of No-Tan Papercut designs. The word “No-Tan” in Japanese means “dark-light.” These intricately cut paper designs symbolize the creation of balance and interaction between light and dark by using positive and negative shapes. The idea of balance between dark and light in No-Tan designs can be taken further to symbolize overall balance in the universe, Yin and Yang. We see this theme of balancing opposites throughout Judaism. For instance, eating charoset and bitter herbs at Passover, or breaking a glass at weddings to remind us of the destruction of the temple and the fragility of life during a time of great joy. 4th graders assembled their No-Tan designs on watercolor backgrounds made using a variety of painting techniques. 

We also explored the ways in which positive and negative space can impact 3D works of art. With the help of Ms. McBeath in the Innovation Hub, students designed 3D-printed stamps that will be used to add patterns and designs to the clay mugs they will be building in the weeks to come. We thought about how the positive shapes protruding from the stamps will depress the clay and create indentations, and how the open negative spaces will allow the clay to remain raised. The mugs will be housed in their classrooms and used during “Tea Talk” book discussions. 

While everyone eagerly awaited the stamps to finish printing, we went on a photographic scavenger hunt around school looking for interesting examples of negative spaces in our environment. We discussed what makes a good photo composition, and the students shared their favorite finds with each other. Later in the year, they will build their own sculptures showcasing their skills using and creating positive and negative space.