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Ohno Type School: A (2020)

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166 points tobr | 1 comments | 06 Oct 25 10:18 UTC | HN request time: 0.2s | source
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philipallstar ◴[10 Oct 25 11:39 UTC] No.45537745[source]▶
> What we want is a balance between the top and bottom negative spaces.

One thing I never understand is why they say "negative spaces" instead of just "spaces".

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kqr ◴[10 Oct 25 11:51 UTC] No.45537849[source]▶
In visual design, it is things that occupy space. The areas left unoccupied by things are called negative space.

So if you hang a massive painting, that painting takes up positive space. The parts of the wall that are not covered by that painting make up the negative space.

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philipallstar ◴[10 Oct 25 12:00 UTC] No.45537933[source]▶
I've just never encountered a situation where that's a necessary distinction. If I say "the painting takes up too much space on the wall" I don't need to say "the painting has too much positive space" nor "the painting removes too much negative space".
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1. empath75 ◴[10 Oct 25 16:14 UTC] No.45540600[source]▶
If you are doing visual design, if you want to call out the parts of the space you are working in where you _aren't doing anything_, that is the 'negative space'.

If you are producing a letterform, all the parts of the object you are producing which is not filled by letter is the 'negative space'. The "space" is the whole area, including the letter.

People intentionally play with the distinction in optical illusions:

https://inthewhitespace.com/2021/11/17/what-it-means-to-be-i...