Achieving Notan

Asymmetrical Balance with Notan, Otto

1) You could view this image as 5 black shapes or weights that were placed within the given format with the objective of creating assymmentrical balance.

2) Try viewing it instead as black holes (or no-things) in a white wall or like Swiss cheese for example...ok you say, the typical shift from positive shape to negative space...

3) But here's where the transformative part starts...look at your composition again, only this time look at those black holes as black rocks in white water.  Or look at it as if it was a Zen Garden with rocks that had raked sand going around each of them to indicate the flow of water.  If and when you can perceive, realize and represent this, then both positive and negative spaces exist and interact simultaneously.  They no longer alternate in their existence, with one dominating over the other - they are equally important and equally real forming an interchangeable balance.  This is the creation of Notan.  

*you can find this creative exercise in the Notan book noted in the post below.