05.

Negative Space
Negative and/or white space is an essential part of any good design. But used strategically, negative space can be a
clever way to add deeper or double meaning to your designs, particularly for logo and branding projects. Or it can
simply help give your composition a more minimal look.
In this design for a restaurant called The Swan & Mallard, John Randall has creatively managed to fit a swan, a
mallard duck, and an ampersand all into one logo though the interaction of positive and negative space.

John Randall

In a different way, the negative space in this logo by Sameer Ahmed lends movement and context to the word being
spelled out:

Sameer Ahmed

Look closely at the shapes and spaces created by the violin in Sam Hadleys concert poster. They form a series of
numbers1, 2, and 3which are part of the event name.

Sam Hadley

And a couple more abstract, but equally effective, designs. Both work to support a theme in an unexpected way.
The first, by Andrea Minini for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), takes a minute to appreciate
fully. At first glance, you see some abstract, ribbon-like shapes, but then you notice that the negative space formed
by those shapes look like animals.
Now you can see that the ribbons themselves also look like animals, and the interaction of the positive and negative
space creates a series of figures that blend seamlessly into each other (from left to right, a bird, cat, rabbit, gorilla,
dog/wolf, and bear) to form a sort of optical illusion. Can you see them all?

Andrea Minini

The next, a book cover design by Jason Booher, takes a concept from the title (immersion) and uses only curving
lines and the negative space they create to suggest (in an abstract way) the image of a person immersed in water or
some other substance.

Jason Booher