Fig. 31a shows a more complex, multi-layered use of neg-on-pos relationships.  Often, this kind of relationship works extremely well for these kinds of abstract organic tattoos that aim to create a sense of depth.  A darker background behind the lighter foreground shapes naturally pushes them forward, making it appear that they are casting shadows on the background.  When we have different layers of elements weaving in and out of the foreground and background, a simple and foolproof strategy for keeping the design clear and giving it depth is to make the parts in the furthest foreground the lightest and the furthest back areas the darkest.  If a foreground shape passes in front of a middleground shape, light and medium shading on the middleground shape helps push out the foreground.  Whenever a foreground shape passes in front of the deep background, the even greater contrast between the light foreground shape and the dark background pushes it out that much more. 

In Fig. 31b we have many examples of pos/neg relationships within one small tattoo.  The flower, on a whole, has a clear neg-on-pos relationship with its background.  Each petal, in turn, has a neg-on-pos relationship with the other petals that it overlaps, until you get to the smallest, innermost ring of petals, which create a pos-on-neg relationship with the glow around the central gemstone.  The gemstone also has a clear pos-on-neg relationship with the glow behind it, making it stand out clearly.  With the larger petals, readability is assisted by a strong outline.  The second largest row of petals, which curve upward to form the volume of the flower, are shaded a cool lavender blue on the underside, which gives them curvature by making the undersides of these petals cooler and darker than their top parts, which are in warm pinks.  However, these blue areas are still significantly lighter than the shadows beneath them, giving them a neg-on-pos relationship with the bottom row of petals and preventing these layers from visually merging.

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