Positive Uses of Negative Spaces

In art, negative space is what you see around and within the subject of a piece. Negative space can be used dramatically and creatively.

In conversations, you can use the negative space by noticing what's not being said, or the question that hasn't been asked.

Strategically, the negative space holds opportunities created by unexpected or unwanted events. Notice the way future Speaker of the House Rahm Emanuel uses negative space when he says, ''You don't ever want a crisis to go to waste; it's an opportunity to do important things that you would otherwise avoid.'' And the way CMU professor Rami el Samahy, optimizes negative space when he encourages designers studying an urban area to stop trying to bring back those who've left - and start asking themselves what new opportunities the vacant spaces allow them to create.

When you're working on something important,
step back,
consider the context
and look for opportunities in the "negative space."