On-Demand Education: Negative Space

by Augusto García

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What is negative space and how is it used in modern quilting? Augusto García, an Individual MQG member, starts by defining how positive space and negative space are effectively utilized in cinematography and photography. Augusto explains how negative space is used in modern quilting by starting with a traditional quilt design and showing how changes in the negative space impact the design. He outlines the effects negative space can create in modern quilt designs, including movement, scale, leading the eye, depth, layering, optical illusions, and secondary designs.

August Garcia

About the Contributor

My name is Augusto García and I was born 49 years ago in Spain, more precisely in the city of Vigo, which is located on the north-western coast of the country.

Since I was a child, I have always had an interest in artistic creation and design, which is why, after my high school graduation, I decided to do my university studies in Fine Arts. While I studied, I decided to specialize in graphic and audiovisual design. 

I graduated in 1999 and within two months I was working in a graphic design studio, where I started my first works in ephemeral architecture, what I later devoted myself to in my professional career for 20 years. During these 20 years I worked in two companies specialized in ephemeral architecture. The first one was in Madrid, where I started working shortly after my work at the design agency, and 12 years later I was hired in a company in San Sebastian.

While I was living in San Sebastian, the covid pandemic broke out and as a result all the events and exhibitions were canceled and I was forced to temporarily stop working. It was during this time that my restlessness in finding something to occupy my idle hours led me to search for some kind of activity that would give me some knowledge and keep me entertained. That’s how I discovered quilting. After taking a very basic online course on patchwork, I began to search for information and delve deeper into the subject and found what is now called quilting. It should be noted that in my country, quilting as it is understood in the USA is practically non-existent. Here there is almost no tradition in this field. I fell in love with the technique and creative processes of this craft, especially the design of quilt patterns. After studying how to write a pattern, its composition and structure, I decided to start my own pattern publishing business and began publishing my own designs, which I have been doing for three years now.

During these years I have published nine of my own quilt designs and about 20 other designs, several workshops, manuals and other types of work for different publications, platforms and entities such as Love Patchwork and Quilting, Das Mach Ich Nachts, The National Quilt Museum, the MQG, and Quilters Candy.

Find more about Augusto at: IG @capaquilts and www.capaquilts.com