Space refers to the distance between, around, or within a component of art. Space can be positive WHITE OR LIGHT or negative DARK OR BLACK. Space can also be open, closed, deep, shallow, 2D or 3D. Occasionally space isn't in a piece of art but only in the illusion. Space sets the mood in a piece of art.The painting below by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel is a great example of space. The space between God's finger and Adam makes the painting feel more suspenseful.
To perceive space you can use all 5 senses or these 3 major ones.
- Sight
- Sound
- Touch
For sight you can see the depth, the light or dark, open or closed.
For Sound you can hear nothing, an open space with nothing around (farm) or a lot of talking, bigger space with more people but less room (arena)
For touch you can feel how big the area is around or between things.
This clocks painting above by Salvador Dali has a good use of space. The space is used good because it sets the mood and makes feel lazy, almost as if time is going really slowly. It also makes you feel as if your trapped in time, no way to get free.
So essentially space is the positive or negative space around or within a component of art. It could also be referred to as the free space around or within a work of art.
