Layers of Meaning

Expansion of the Square

Today's workout: Jane Dunnewold has a wonderful exercise, Expansion of the Square, on her site. The stated goal of the exercise is to stretch yourself in seeing positive-negative space. But the way the work is executed, or perhaps it is Jane's design sensibilities, makes a simple exercise in negative space and symmetry into something active and evocative.

From the exercise: "Notan, the interaction of positive and negative, or field and ground, is the basis of all good design and exists all around us. The "Expansion of the Square" exercise is one Notan exercise designed to study the interaction of positive and negative space, but these very cool designs can also be turned into quilt blocks, images to be printed, or small embroideries."