I don't have any formal art training and I had never heard the phrase "negative space" until I took a workshop with a famous quilter in 1985. When I drew a quilt block the design was black and the background white. When she drew the block it was the opposite, and the black was the negative space. As the modern quilt guilds were formed the term has been widely used. I needed a little more information about negative space. Trisch Price has analyzed and labeled some ways negative space is used in modern quilts in "Accentuate the Negative", published by Kansas City Star Books, now part of C&T Publishing. Here is a link to see some of the quilts in the book. I found it interesting and even though I didn't find any project I wanted to make in the book I know I will go back and re-read about each style of negative space as I work on future quilts.
I have always admired Amish quilts with their bright contrasting colors. Carl Hentsch also admired them and he has written a book with his quilts inspired by but not copies of Amish quilts. This link will take you to a peek inside the "Amish-Inspired Quilts" (C&T Publishing). The second photo shows a quilt that I might have to make. Carl used prints as well as solids in his quilts and I most likely will too.
On my projects: I cut the pieces for the corners on the medallion quilt but haven't sewn them yet. I did quite a bit of ditch quilting on the star quilt, just 6 lines to go. Hopefully I'll have progress on both to show tomorrow.
That Amish... one looks like fun!!! Funny how in Modern Quilts... 'negative' space just means large areas of uninterrupted fabric.... In piecing it used to mean a large-ish area/square to accentuate/separate the pieced areas (think Irish Chains) or as a place to show off your hand quilting skill (in the old days!!!)
I find that funny about the "negative space" ---because once you quilt it - there is a design and there is no longer any large negative space remaining. On the cover of the book those pebbles are now a a design and not a negative space.
You can do a lot with the negative space/modern quilting style, but I like yours better. Sometimes all that negative space seems to say "not too close! Don't touch me!" Or maybe it's because I'm a scrapper!
Funniest thing happened when I got onto your blog on our IPad. Next to your writing were empty spots where the pictures usually are. I figured ok, she's writing about 'empty space' and you left the pictures blank. But then I saw you had links and went in and out and finally the pictures appeared. A good laugh this morning.
When I started quilting a few years ago "negative space" and solids were all the rage in the blogs I first started reading. I honestly thought it was because solids are generally cheaper than prints (and that still might be the case). Thankfully my education is a little more well rounded now and I have come to appreciate a bit of "negative space" but I'm still a prints and color girl through and through.
Interesting reads you have found. Negative space equals background to me. And that is why I am not a pure artist. Amish designs looks great for inspirations.
That Amish... one looks like fun!!! Funny how in Modern Quilts... 'negative' space just means large areas of uninterrupted fabric.... In piecing it used to mean a large-ish area/square to accentuate/separate the pieced areas (think Irish Chains) or as a place to show off your hand quilting skill (in the old days!!!)
ReplyDeleteI find that funny about the "negative space" ---because once you quilt it - there is a design and there is no longer any large negative space remaining. On the cover of the book those pebbles are now a a design and not a negative space.
ReplyDeleteYou can do a lot with the negative space/modern quilting style, but I like yours better. Sometimes all that negative space seems to say "not too close! Don't touch me!" Or maybe it's because I'm a scrapper!
ReplyDeleteYou know how I feel about all the hoopla about "negative" space.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Patty, sometimes it's overdone.
ReplyDeleteFunniest thing happened when I got onto your blog on our IPad. Next to your writing were empty spots where the pictures usually are. I figured ok, she's writing about 'empty space' and you left the pictures blank. But then I saw you had links and went in and out and finally the pictures appeared. A good laugh this morning.
ReplyDeleteWhen I started quilting a few years ago "negative space" and solids were all the rage in the blogs I first started reading. I honestly thought it was because solids are generally cheaper than prints (and that still might be the case). Thankfully my education is a little more well rounded now and I have come to appreciate a bit of "negative space" but I'm still a prints and color girl through and through.
ReplyDeleteInteresting reads you have found. Negative space equals background to me. And that is why I am not a pure artist. Amish designs looks great for inspirations.
ReplyDeleteWhat a stunning quilt, but the frame, the seat, perfect setting, I want one of those down here please.
ReplyDelete