Negative Space Tools

Elementary students enjoyed working with contour line with tools.  They were learning how to see both the positive space (the object they are drawing) and the negative space (the space around the object).  It is important to learn to see both if you want to learn to draw accurately and this project takes concentration, especially when coloring it!

 Students choose real tools (yes, I did discuss tool safety) and began with a contour line drawing.  They were learning about good composition and filling the space well.  They then drew a rectangle on the page, going right over the objects they had drawn. Inside the rectangle, they were to color in the negative space, not the objects themselves.  After this step was completed, they were to work on coloring in the positive space (the tools) around the border using marker.  They were to use only one color to do both of these steps first.  Afterward they could color in all the white space with another color if they liked.