How artists use perspective to show space

• Two dimensional works of art can be done in a way that trick you eye to believe it is looking at a three dimensional surface.

• Artists make use of many techniques that help them do this.

• Picture Plane – the surface of a painting or drawing

• Foreground – part of the picture plane that appears nearest to you

• Background – part of the picture plane that appears farthest away

• Middle ground – the area between the Foreground and Background

• Perspective – a graphic system that creates the illusion of depth and volume on a two-dimensional surface

• Overlapping – when one object covers part of a second object, the first appears to be closer to the viewer

• Size – large objects appear to be closer than smaller objects

• Placement – Objects placed low on the picture plane seem to be closer to the viewer than objects placed near eye level

• Detail – Objects with clear, sharp edges and visible details appear closer than those with lack detail

• Color – Brightly colored objects seem closer versus the ones that have dull, light colors

• Converging Lines – As parallel lines move away from you, they appear to move closer together toward the horizon line.

Color ?

Size?

Placement?

Detail?

Overlapping?

Converging Lines?

Doris Lee (1905 1983)Thanksgiving

c. 1935Oil on canvas

Practice Linear Perspective

First Draw the horizon line

Horizon line is the line parallel to the horizon (where the earth and sky meet)

Next place a vanishing point somewhere on the horizon line

Vanishing point is the point on the horizon where receding parallel lines seem to meet

Now Draw a square in front of the horizon line and vanishing point

Now draw lines from the corners of the square that all converge at the

vanishing point

You have now turned your square into a cube!

Now draw lines that are parallel with the ones on your square

Try this with a triangle…

Try this with a triangle…

Practice on your own

• Draw at least 4 squares from different areas on your paper all going to the same vanishing point

• Draw at least 3 other shapes• Try this with one right in front of the

vanishing point – what is the difference?• Try a cityscape that all of the buildings and

road go to one single vanishing point

Linear 1 point Perspective