Letterform Abstraction

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to identify basic visual and verbal vocabulary.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate the unique power of different types of line.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of positive and negative space and gestalt theory.

Project Description

The goal of this assignment is to create small compositions consisting of positive and negative space. You will be using letters to create abstract (non-representational) compositions that play with our understanding of positive and negative space.

Project Considerations

The goal of this assignment is to explore positive and negative space and how they impact or play off of each other. If we cannot tell what letter you’ve used but the space is engaging, that is ok. The letters are meant to help you get started. Isolate just enough of each letter to hint at its identity. Strike a balance between positive and negative space.

Materials

  • Card stock or Bristol board (9″ by 12″)
  • Ruler (metal preferred)
  • Fine tip Sharpie marker
  • Pencil (any kind will do)

Directions

Name these slides Project – Letterform Abstraction in your Google Slides Presentation.

Project – Letterform Abstraction – Part 1

  1. Take notes in your sketchbook on positive and negative space from the Elements and Principles research link to the right.
  2. Watch the video below on the Gestalt Principle and take notes in your sketchbook. It is a little long (17 minutes) so you might want to break it up. If you want a little more, this page has a lot of good information.
  1. Using the 9″ x 12″ piece of Bristol board and a pencil, construct a grid of 16 squares. The grid of squares should be centered in your piece of Bristol board. Each square should be 1 1/2″ by 1 1/2″ and have a gap of 1/4″ between them. Make sure to take the time to get this right – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve miss measured something only to have to start over or worse, buy the materials again.
  1. Choose one letter (a, b, c…) or symbol (!, #, %…) for each column. You will end up with 4 different letters or symbols. You can use the website dafont.com to find some interesting fonts. Using what you learned in the previous assignments, gradually explore that one letter across each box from top to bottom. For example you might choose the letter A for the first column. Explore the different compositional possibilities of that one letter in the next 3 boxes. * While I encourage you to explore one letter multiple times, it is ok to use different letters if you feel like you’ve exhausted the possibilities with your original letter.

Project – Letterform Abstraction – Part 2

  1. After you have received feedback on Part 1, complete the remaining three columns.
  2. Make sure to upload an image of the final work, and image of the work with a ruler and image of yourself holding the work.

Research / Examples

  • Gestalt Ideas
  • Gestalt Ideas

Research / Videos