Well, I came to earth to learn about art.

There is so much I don't know where to start.

It's all so much fun.

So come on everyone.

We're gonna get out what we have in our hearts.

So hold on tight, cause we're ready to start.

Hey, Nic , what are you doing?

Well, I'm in my creative space.

So I'm from outer space.

And this is the band  space and you're in your creative space.

I'm   not sure I quite understand space.

Well, you see  space is the available room to use in an area.

And   this is my creative space because I'm in the area  making art.

But I don't hear any music.

Well, I'm   not making art that you can hear with your ears.

I'm making art that you can see with your eyes!

There's art for your eyes.

Oh, well, you have no  idea.

Well, so today I'm painting and painting   is when you take different colored liquids, and  you put them on a surface like this canvas here,   and then they dry and they make a vision that  lasts.

It's a junkyard!

Yeah, there's the pile   of junk here.

And here's green grass.

What  are you gonna paint up there?

The sky?

Are   you going to paint an earth blue?

Oh right!

My  Rocket Man!

Earth's your new habitat.

Yes.

So   do tell what color is the sky on your  home planet?

Strawberry yogurt pink.

Well, that will make you  think.

And great minds think.

Pink sky.

Or maybe we could add some polka dots.

Pink sky.

No, this painting is supposed to be  a record of how the junkyard is now because   things are changing out there.

The sky must be  blue.

Oh, all right.

But maybe Jupiter blue.

Well.

I figure I'm just gonna  go with classic Earth sky blue.

What are you going to put in the sky?

Nothing.

Just empty?

Well, it's not the focus, Zig.

It's negative space.

Negative space?

Doesn't  negative mean bad?

Is negative space like,   like a solar system where you get in a lot of  trouble?

No, my alien friend negative space   is all the open spaces in art.

So like, the  space between the eyes of a smiley face or   the silence between the phrases of a  song.

Like Jingle bells, jingle bells.

Well, negative space is all the  places where what is isn't.

Yeah,   there's negative space and all kinds of  art forms like, like painting, music,   dance.

What's dance?

Oh, I keep forgetting  you're new to earth and the art here.

I'll   tell you what.

I'll call my friend Anna.

She's  a dancer.

And I'll have her show you.

Yeah, it   would do much better to have a show you dance  then for me to try to explain it with words.

Jack that was a proper entrance!

What are you doing Jack?

I feel the need to fill this empty area and the  band space.

So I'm measuring 8, 9, 10.

You hear   that Zig?

He's talking about negative space in the  room.

There's negative space here in this room?

It doesn't feel any different.

Don't you worry,  Ziggy.

I'm going to fill this empty space between   us.

And them.

Whose them?

I don't know.

I suspect  friends we haven't met yet.

8, 9, 10.

So what does negative space do Nick?

Everything needs a little personal space to   call it's own, Zig.

There's negative space in the  world all around us.

Like in the space between the   middle of words in a sentence or the space between  the posters on the wall over here.

Or even where   we live.

See me, I grew up near a big city where  people want to live right up next to each other.

There's not much space between neighbors there.

But where I'm from in Essex, just like in Anna's   neighborhood, Pleasant Valley.

People like a  little bit more space between neighbors.

So   there's room for grass and trees and lawns to mow.

Me myself, however, I've discovered that I like   big space wide open you see,  downright rural, just grass and sky.

Like the junk in the junkyard?

Like that magnificent pile of  junk in our junk yard.

Yeah,   that's where the real value is for me in this  place here.

Now you see, all this empty blue sky   allows me to fill up this painting with junk and  junk yard.

And that is how you fill up a space,   Zig.

You don't want too much going on everywhere.

It gets hard to focus on what really matters.

Well, I think I think that the negative space  works in your painting Nic.

I think that the blue   sky makes it look like a nice day.

And I think  that the junkyard looks important.

Magnificent!

Makes me think of all the dark space around  earth when I first came on my rocket ship.

The Earth was so beautiful and bright  in the dark, and I'd come so far.

Oh, hi, Pat.

That was absolutely a proper entrance.

Are  you helping Jack?

There's no helping jack.

He's out there with hammers and saws building  something so big, it's gonna put through the roof.

He says it's gonna fit in this  space but no way it's gonna fit.

He just doesn't have the right measurements.

Okay, Pat's off to save the band space.

Oh, I just love how big jack  dreams and how much Pat cares.

I'm telling you, you're not thinking  about the amount that place can hold.

I am only thinking about the  amount that place can hold.

Place value.

For this activity,  you'll need a piece of paper,   one die from a game and two different  colored markers or crayons.

Ready?

First,   choose one color and draw symbols that color at  the top of your page.

Now, choose a second color   and draw a second symbol right below that.

And  a third color and symbol below that.

Roll the   dice and write the number next to your first  symbol.

Do the same for the second.

And third.

Now make a picture using the number  of symbols right next to each symbol.

We just drew the number 254.

Hearts are  hundreds, stars are 10s, and flowers are ones.

254.

And that's how you do a place value drawing.

Hello!

Anna, you wild unicorn of a human being!

Hi Nic!

Come in Come in.

Yeah,   this is Ziggy.

And he's new to these parts and  the arts and he's never met a dancer before.

It's so nice to meet you.

Ziggy Have you  really never met a dancer before?

Well,   I had heard music.

And then Nic started  painting today.

And then he said the word   dance and well now you're here.

Because he says  words aren't the best way to understand dance.

Well, movement does work better.

But there  are a few words that may help you understand.

Dance is created by combining  energy plus space plus time.

Like this?

Kind of.

Nic, will you come dance  with me so we can show him?

Well,   I don't have on my dancing shoes.

So don't judge  me.

Any space where I danced save space, Nic.

Oh well, brilliant!

Ziggy, do you see how we're using energy  to move our bodies through space?

I do.

But   where's the negative space?

Do you see the empty  space created between me and Nic as we move?

Yes.

Is that the negative space?

Sure,  but in dance we just call it space.

Those spaces allow you to clearly see the  lines and shapes that we make as we move I see it!

I see the space!

Now Jack that was a proper entrance!

What do you have there Jack?

It's an old TV.

I think really fits the space.

After talking with Pat my current project is going   to stay outside so it can  grow to its natural size.

Besides, this TV will help connect  us to the world outside the junkyard.

Neat.

That's why I love coming to the  junkyard y'all are always doing something fun!

Are we having a dance party?

Make room for me!

We should put wheels on that so we can  move it out when we need the space.

We should put wheels on everything!

I keep thinking of all these  art forms like painting, music,   dance are so different, yet they're all  still interesting ways of filling up space.

Way to put it all together Zig.

No, Turn up  the music.

I want to feel it in my bones!

Let the good times roll!

The arts are definitely fun!

Hi, Dad.

Hi, Mom.

I had such a great day here  on Earth.

I learned there are other kinds of art   besides music.

There's painting which is for your  eyes instead of your ears and starts as a liquid   but dries into a solid you can see forever.

And I met a dancer and learned about dance,   which is art you make by moving your body through  space.

And I learned about negative space,   which isn't a bad part of the universe where you  get in trouble Mom, it's just space that's left   open on purpose.

I wonder if there are other  arts that fill up space in different ways.

I'll ask Nic if there are other arts tomorrow, what could they be?

Art for your ears, your  eyes?

Is there art for noses?