On the graphic arts in virtual space

In the system of Western art, the free space among objects presenting on the painting is named’negative space’(opposite to the ’positive space’), which exists as the subordinate to the objects. There are enough systematic theories and researches on the factors making up ’positive space’ in the system of Western art, such as on light and shadow, perspective, dissection and color; nevertheless, the ’negative space’ is seldomly referred to in its academic system. On the contrary, the Chinese art of painting and calligraphy have paid much attention to the ’negative space’ and make unique views on it. The different views and values on the ’negative space’ between western and eastern art may trace to their different philosophical ideas. The western aesthetics based on the western classical philosophy leads to the pursuit of exploring and modifying the ’positive space’ in their paintings; meanwhile, influenced by the thoughts of Buddhism and Taoism, the Chinese artists values the idea of’nihility’,’empty’ and ’False or True’ in the whole, and prefer to present these ideas in the Chinese classical painting and calligraphy.This dissertation focus on the idea of ’negative space’, comparing the different presentations of the negative space in Chinese painting and calligraphy and western oil painting. It aims to analyze the different forms of negative space in different art systems from the view of comparative culture; moreover, it attempts to explore the transformation between ’negative space’ and ’positive space’ in the oil painting, illustrating in the comparation between Impressionism paintings and the classical paintings before Impressionism.