Generally an artist will paint the key subject of a painting directly but in ‘negative painting’ the subject is shaped indirectly by painting the negative space around the subject. Susan showed us how she uses negative painting to create semi-abstract paintings full of colour and movement.
Acrylic painting by Susan O’Brien
Susan O’Brien with her demonstration negative painting artworks
Demonstration of negative painting techniques
Susan began with a rough demonstration of negative painting technique. She started by painting abstract coloured shapes onto the paper, then looked for potential subjects within the shapes – a bit like the childhood game of finding subjects in a cloud filled sky.
Using opaque white paint she then carved out a dancing figure shape indirectly, by painting around the shape rather than by painting the shape itself.
There is an element of serendipity in this approach. Susan says she quite often ends up with a painting that looks very different to the one she pre-visualised.
The addition of loose expressive black lines enhanced the feeling of movement. Rather than beginning a work with drawing, Susan adds black line work with a fine brush in the later stages, which enables her line work to enhance and compliment the subjects that have already emerged through the negative painting process.
Susan O’Brien painting background shapes and colours
Susan worked on two more examples. In the first she negatively painted figures, intially using an olive green paint. Susan says she often changes direction mid-painting and in this case decided the green was not working. She tested a few alternative colours then settled on a vivid pink.
Thus the work grew organically through a process of trial and error, with the painting itself suggesting the next step, rather than Susan imposing pre-conceived ideas onto the work.
Negative painting over an abstract background of coloured shapes to create figures.
Susan swapped the dull green overlay colour to vivid pink and the painting came alive.
In the second example, Susan painted a mix of bright warm coloured shapes onto the background, then used an overlay of very dark paint to negatively paint shapes that were reminiscent of a still life.
Next, still using dark paint, she carved out the impression of a face surrounded by long dark hair.
These were not finished works, but watching Susan feel her way through the various stages gave us a fascinating glimpse into Susan’s creative process and the inspiring possibilities of negative painting.
Leoni Jenkin
Negative painting shapes reminiscent of still life objects.
Artwork Glenda Pitt, Photo Leoni JenkinGlenda Pitt – Life Drawing Exhibition