Most often white space, sometimes negative space comprises another colour such as black. In many ways, picturebooks are like film, but negative space is not an option in most kinds of films, where there has to be some kind of backdrop.
Negative space is advantageous because lack of setting means a story may not date so much. Although crisp white backdrops in picture books feel contemporary, we can find many examples which are really pretty old.
Dream boats and other stories 1920 by Dugald Stewart WalkerMarie Madeleine FRENCH NOHAINRetold by Edward Holmes Illustrated by Ronald EmbletonNohara no chiisana ie のはらのちいさないえ by Kobayashi Kenzo 小林研三 1981Eyvind Earle (American Painter 1916 – 2000)Kiyoshi Saito (1907-1997)犬のルーカス 山本容子 1994AWAKENINGDorrie and the Blue Witch written and illustrated by Patricia Coombs (1964)Nancy Ekholm Burkert, March from ‘A Child’s Calendar’ by John Updike – first published in 1965M. Mayofis – Tales of the Brothers Grimm, Lazy HansPICCOLI CONCERTI DELLA SERA (1980) Josef PalecekFun for the Shut-in in Childcraft vol 11 by Carl Yates. First printed by Field Enterprises 1964DIE WEISHEITEN DES HERRN APRIL (1963) Vladimir Fuka tobaccoAndré François cover design for LE NOUVEL OBSERVATEUR (Jan. 1966)Alone Together, Toonerville Trolley (1921) Fontaine FoxPhoto Magazin No 2 1956Mirko HanákBarbara Cooney (American, 1917-2000) ‘Chanticleer and the Fox’ adapted from The Canterbury Tales 1958Animals from the Bible, part 1, all Kinds of Birds and other Creatures Fritz Hug 1960Tall City, Famous Sally (1966) Chas. B. Slackman soft cityANIMALS AT HOME THE BEES (1967) Iliane RoelsA Children’s Garden Of Verses, 1966, Robert Louis Stevenson, illustrated by Brian WildsmithNicole Claveloux, Animaux étranges, 1993Albert Dubout (1905-1976)Niroot Puttapipat – The Red Fairy BookNiroot Puttapipat – The Red Fairy BookSalvador Bartolozzi, 1923, Little Red Riding HoodThe Painter by Kaho Nashiki illustrated by Iku Dekune 2014Le peintre by Kaho Nashiki illustrated by Iku Dekune 2014. Interesting that the French edition has an entirely different character (design?) on the cover.Kritters of the Kitchen Kingdom by Aunt Jo and Uncle George 1922 Kritterkraft Books (left hand side)Kritters of the Kitchen Kingdom by Aunt Jo and Uncle George 1922 Kritterkraft Books (right hand side)
Interesting examples of negative space can sometimes be found on the back covers of hardbacks, under the dust jacket.
Abraham Lincoln lithographed on stone in five colors by the authors and printed by offset lithography in the USA 1939 back coverDaily Herald E. McKnight Kauffer (American graphic designer, 1890-1954)
