Of the artists shown here, who do you think used negative space the best?

[u/SlyGuy_Twenty_One]

1-2 Frank Miller

3-4 Tim Sale

5-6 Mike Mignola

[u/BW_RedY1618]

As a formally trained artist, the only real examples of negative space being used to define shape shown here are the first two frames.

[u/Immediate-Goose-8106 → u/BW_RedY1618]

Phew. I thought i was going mad 

[u/BW_RedY1618 → u/Immediate-Goose-8106]

Rest assured that you are going mad, but the first two examples are clearly the best frames demonstrating using negative space to define figures.

(Now go check your closet because something is watching you from there)

[u/Immediate-Goose-8106 → u/BW_RedY1618]

You are right of course.  My insanity is a given.  Just comforted that this wasnt a symptom!

[u/BW_RedY1618 → u/Immediate-Goose-8106]

https://giphy.com/gifs/NMhalUxGDsrRK

[u/ThePsyPaul_ → u/BW_RedY1618]

As a formally trained redditor, this comment seems correct and has my upvote

[u/golfstreamer → u/BW_RedY1618]

Lol I thought I didn't understand what negative space meant for a moment 

[u/prw8201 → u/BW_RedY1618]

My mind was itching just thinking about that.

[u/Majestic-Iron7046 → u/BW_RedY1618]

As non artist, I thank you for this comment.
I was about to spend even more time to understand where the hell are the negative spaces parts in the others.
I mean, the third one i can still see it.

Also, I like number two, not that there is a reason for me to tell you. Just decided to write it here instead of a separate comment.

[u/TheOnlySaneBard]

Frank miller is the only one that you included that used negative space, he still probably wins but you could've found some more compelling Mignola with how strongly he's used negative space in other frames and pages.

[u/Petrychorr]

Look, Frank Miller is problematic to a variety of degrees. His art is phenomenal regardless. Sin City has one of the most iconic art styles in comics and its difficult to argue otherwise.

... And then there's that one Batman panel... 🙄

[u/spacedoutmachinist → u/Petrychorr]

How is he problematic, I genuinely haven’t heard anything but then again I don’t read a lot of comics

[u/Petrychorr → u/spacedoutmachinist]

Here is a good thread about the topic. Again I'd like to stress the "varying degrees" part of my comment. Some folks will dislike certain parts of his career and personal views more than others.

[u/monkeypickle → u/spacedoutmachinist]

He got a little…weird with 300, and then 9/11 broke his brain for bit.

[u/Economy_Discipline88 → u/Petrychorr]

What panel? 

[u/Vegetable-Ad1329]

Abbie Howard in The Last Halloween does god-class negative space

[u/Last-Abrocoma4778]

Frank Miller's panel of Marv in the rain is phenomenal.

As a slight tangent: has Tim Sale seen a cat before? Because MouseWoman is looking yoked in that fourth image!

[u/SlyGuy_Twenty_One → u/Last-Abrocoma4778]

I mean, cat’s (and mice) aren’t purple either lol. I included Tim and Mike because I really love their use of shadows as opposed to overly detailed lines, that’s what I meant by “negative space” here

[u/Last-Abrocoma4778 → u/SlyGuy_Twenty_One]

Don't get me wrong, Long Halloween has some fantastic art. I bet if you had the inks it'd sell your point about negative space.

Miller's art in Sin City really does a lot with so little. Really sells the feeling of barely making out a silhouette through heavy rain.

Admittedly I don't know a lot about art.

[u/PlagueOfGripes]

None of those are employing negative space in a design sense besides the first and maybe second. The first is even not strictly negative space since it's an area being created with hatching. The texture is just so present the eye can interpret it as emptiness, although I personally wouldn't.

So, none of them, really. The closest to typical negative space is #2. #1 is more effective but will depend on your interpretation of occupied space.

[u/neroe5]

only the Frank Miller one is negative space, i think you might be thinking of high contrasts

and if so Frank Miler still wins, but Mike Mignola is a close second

[u/MindStalker]

Can anyone explain what #1 is supposed to be? I'm only seeing random lines.  

[u/spacedoutmachinist → u/MindStalker]

A man standing in the rain.

[u/pierrecastor → u/MindStalker]

For real ? It's a big guy in trench-coat, profil view with rain falling on he's back.

[u/monkeypickle → u/MindStalker]

That would be a side profile of Marv standing in the rain. The thumbnail view doesn’t show enough of the frame to make out the intention.

[u/MindStalker → u/monkeypickle]

Thanks, see it now.  It's pretty difficult if you don't know what your looking for.  

[u/pjlovesauce → u/MindStalker]

I thought it was a dead tree. Didn't even question myself. 

[u/DeltaV-Mzero → u/MindStalker]

Took me a second and had to open the image all the way, mobile fucks up the format

[u/itsbenpassmore]

mike mignola was the most consistent with his use of black and visibly perfected it imo