An unplanned face forming in negative space is a warning of what?

Correct answer: An unintended figure-ground effect

The correct answer is C: it warns of an unintended figure-ground effect. Negative space is the area around and between the main forms. Sometimes that space accidentally creates a recognisable face or another object. The viewer may then notice the accidental figure instead of concentrating on the intended subject, producing distraction or ambiguity that the artist did not plan. Option A is not supported because an effective colour scheme does not prevent an unwanted shape. Option B is also unrelated; a complete value structure cannot guarantee that negative spaces are safe. Option D concerns the frame, not the relationships inside the artwork. The artist should inspect the empty areas as carefully as the objects, perhaps from a distance or by turning the work around. The memory cue is: “Empty space is still an active shape.”