Art History in Perspective | Scholastic Art | Scholastic.com ART Scholastic ART combines lessons on classic and contemporary artists with hands-on workshop projects to help support a balanced art curriculum for grades 7–12. Teacher’s Edition for grades 4–6 also included. Renaissance artist Raphael shows off the technique of perspective in The School of Athens. (Raphael, The School of Athens; Scala / Art Resource, NY) Art History in Perspective EMAIL Study the diagram showing one-point perspective. Then look for additional converging lines in School of Athens. (Raphael, The School of Athens; Scala / Art Resource, NY) During the Renaissance (1400-1600), the air in Europe seemed charged with ideas. Artists, writers, musicians, architects, scientists, and mathematicians clamored for knowledge and new ways of looking at the world. It was one of the most exciting times in history. FLAT FIGURES Before the Renaissance, most art in Europe centered around Christianity. The most important figures were placed centrally and painted larger than the others. It wasn’t important for them to be in realistic-looking settings. At the start of the Renaissance, artists became interested in painting more of the world around them.

However, they did not have the visual tools to create depth on a two-dimensional picture plane. In Giovanni di Paolo’s (joh-VAHN-ni DEE-pow-loh) 1445 Paradise, the figures look flat and appear to be floating in space. They’re all the same size and are stacked on top of one another in rows. The horizon line (the line dividing the earth from the sky) is placed near the top rather than at eye level, as we see Earth’s horizon in real life. ART MEETS MATH Renaissance artists experimented with ways to create the illusion of deep space on a flat surface. They figured out that in real life, parallel lines (for example, a road) appear to converge, or meet, as they recede into the horizon. Additionally, objects that are close appear to be larger and in better focus than those farther away. By applying these concepts to their canvases, artists could mimic the way we see the world. This mathematical system of using lines to create realistic-looking depth is called linear perspective. SCHOOL OF GREATS By the 1500s, many artists had mastered the new system of using perspective.

When a young artist named Raphael was hired to paint a fresco on a wall of the library at St. Peter’s Church in Rome, he was excited to show off this technique. From our point of view, when we look at School of Athens (above, right) it is hard to tell where the real architecture ends and the painted arches begin. It is as if we are looking through the wall it is painted on and into the next room. In that room are some of the great thinkers of history who inspired Raphael, including the Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle in the center. Raphael used one-point perspective to compose this work. The lines on the floor tiles and the pillars converge at a single vanishing point on the horizon line. It is between Plato’s and Aristotle’s heads (see diagram). The converging lines also draw our attention to the two figures. Even though they are painted smaller and with less detail than the figures in the foreground (the closest area to the viewer), we can still tell they are the most important. School of Athens is considered one of the best examples of linear perspective. For more than 500 years, artists have continued to use the techniques developed during the Renaissance.

Today artists like Richard Estes play with these techniques to create even more realistic scenes than thought possible in Raphael’s time. Information in Action Education Week Spotlight This spotlight focuses on a Michigan district's successful implementation of Information in Action. Includes testimonials from teachers and administrators. $ The Mountain and the Squirrel & Mother to Son (Theme): Spotlight On Literary Elements Explore the literary element of theme with these two poems. $2.99 Vanishing Point (movie) - definition of Vanishing Point (movie) by The Free Dictionary Vanishing Point (movie) - definition of Vanishing Point (movie) by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Thesaurus , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . van·ish·ing point a. The point at which parallel lines receding from an observer seem to converge. b. The point in linear perspective at which all imaginary lines of perspective converge. 2. The point at which a thing disappears or ceases to exist. vanishing point n 1. (Art Terms) the point to which parallel lines appear to converge in the rendering of perspective, usually on the horizon 2. a point in space or time at or beyond which something disappears or ceases to exist van′ishing point` 1. a point of disappearance or cessation. 2.

the point at which receding parallel lines appear to converge. [1790–1800] Linear Perspective in Painting Linear Perspective in Painting  History of Perspective in Art PUT SIMPLY: The term "perspective" refers to the attempt to depict (on a two-dimensional surface like paper) an image as it is viewed by the eye. It is what lends depth to a painting or drawing. It was mastered for the first time during the Italian Renaissance , by painters such as Piero della Francesca (1420-92). (1490) by Andrea Mantegna. A work which exemplifies the technique of media from 1300-present. Definition and Meaning of Perspective Perspective is a linear system of spatial alignment which creates an illusion of depth on a two-dimensional flat surface (or on a shallow three-dimensional surface such as a relief carving). It replicates the optical effects of recession, by organizing space and depth from one point of view.

Often called Linear Perspective (geometric, mathematical or optical perspective), this system is based on how the human eye sees the world: that is, (1) objects which are closer appear larger, while more distant objects appear smaller; (2) the size of an object's dimensions along the line of sight appear relatively shorter (foreshortened) than dimensions across the line of sight. Perspective drawing is used by representational artists to re-create a natural depth and solidity. It is a highly useful tool for creating realistic art. However, Surrealists or other painters for whom strict replication of the natural world is not important or desirable, may distort or disregard the rules of perspective entirely. WHAT IS ART? For an explanation of the aesthetic issues surrounding Art Definition, Meaning . Vanishing Point One of the main uses of perspective in painting is to establish the position from which the artist or spectator views the scene. This is done by placing a horizontal line across the notional surface of the picture (the 'horizon line') and a vertical line down it (the 'centre of vision'). Both are wholly imaginary lines, and may extend beyond the edge of the picture for the purpose of construction.

Having fixed the position from which the spectator views the scene, the artist proceeds on the basis that parallel lines converge as they recede, and that they eventually meet at what is termed the 'vanishing point' on the 'horizon line'. The artist then draws imaginary converging lines in order to depict how objects diminish in size the further they recede from the spectator. Types of Linear Perspective There are several types of perspective in painting, of which the most common are one-point two-point and three-point perspective, classified according to the number of vanishing points in the drawing. One-point perspective is normally used when simple views are depicted, such as a railway track disappearing into the distance directly in front of the spectator. Two-point perspective is typically used to depict two receding views, such as those visible to a person standing at the street-level corner of a building, where one wall recedes (eg) to the left, one to the right. Three-point perspective is typically used for buildings viewed from above, or below. As well as the two vanishing points from our last example, one for each wall, there is now a third vanishing point which reflects how those walls recede into the ground or above into the sky.

Because by definition, a vanishing point(s) can only exist when parallel lines are present in the scene, the absence of such lines means that the picture has no vanishing points - that is, zero-point perspective. This situation exists, for instance, in a natural scene like a mountain range, or a view out to sea - neither of which usually contains any parallel lines. However, zero-point perspective can still have a sense of 'depth': more distant mountains and more distant sailing boats have smaller scale features. The concept of 'atmospheric perspective' - where dust and water vapour suspended in the atmosphere partly obscure our view of distant objects - is also used to depict depth in these natural scenes. History of Linear Perspective The techniques of pictorial perspective were discussed during Classical Antiquity, around the 5th century BCE, by the painter Agatharchus of Athensas and others, as part of a growing interest in illusionism (known as skenographia) in theatrical sets and scenery. It was later implemented with no little success in the illusionistic mural paintings at Pompeii. But the value of perspective in art was not simply a matter of aesthetics, it was also a reflection of cultural politics.

For example, Egyptian art and Byzantine art - disregarded perspective entirely, in favour of non-naturalistic representation. Thus Egyptian and Byzantine artists adhered to a hieratic scheme of pictorial representation, in which figures were sized and drawn according to their relative status in society. In Chinese painting , perspective was of secondary concern until the era of Qing Dynasty art (1644-1911). Development of Perspective During the Renaissance At the beginning of the 14th-century, the great proto-Renaissance fresco painter Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337) introduced linear perspective into his 1305 painting - Jesus Before Caiaphas; but the implementation was contradictory and inadequate. Indeed, the use of perspective in painting wasn't properly investigated until the era of the Early Renaissance . The process commenced about 1413 when Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446), the architect, engineer and sculptor, demonstrated the geometrical method of perspective, by comparing his painting of the Florentine baptistry with a real-life view.

His ideas were further developed during the Florentine Renaissance by the painter Masaccio in his fresco paintings like The Holy Trinity (1425) and The Tribute Money (1426), and by Tommaso di Cristofano Masolino (1383-1440) in his work The Healing of the Cripple and the Raising of Tabitha (1425) - part of the Brancacci Chapel frescoes . The scientific details of linear perspective and the correct method of showing distance in painting were also discussed by the Genovese architect and art-theorist Leon Battista Alberti (1404-72) - in his treatise Della Pittura (1435/1436) - and by the Florentine sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti (1378-1455) - in his incomplete manuscript entitled Commentaries, a work which drew heavily on the 11th century Book of Optics by the Iraqi mathematician Alhazen.

Other pioneers of perspective in art included the Umbrian painter Piero della Francesca, who further developed the mathematical principles contained in Alberti's Della Pittura (complete with precise illustrations), the Padua-based Francesco Squarcione (1395-1468) - teacher of Andrea Mantegna - and the Florentine Paolo Uccello (1397-1475) whose obsession with optical perspective is well illustrated in his work Battle of San Romano (1455). The principles of linear perspective were further explored during the High Renaissance , by artists such as Raphael (1483-1520), in masterpieces like The School of Athens (1518). However, while Renaissance art made a major breakthrough in our understanding of how to accurately depict depth in a two-dimensional picture plane, it remained firmly wedded to the simple one-point perspective scheme, which duly became part of the core-curriculum in academies of fine art across Europe.

During the Baroque era, painters like Pietro da Cortona (1596-1669) and Andrea Pozzo (1642-1709) used their knowledge of perspective to build on pioneering work by Andrea Mantegna in order to perfect the illusionistic painting technique called quadratura . This trompe l'oeil method of (fresco) ceiling painting appeared to extend the architectural features of a room into imaginary space. Two other masters of single point linear perspective are the Dutch painters Pieter Saenredam (1597-1665) and Emanuel de Witte (1615-1692), renowned for their architectural paintings of church interiors. 18th Century Onwards It wasn't until the 18th century that two-point perspective in art began to be appreciated and explored, notably by artists like the Venetian architectural cityscape painter Canaletto (1697-1768) and Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-78), who all tried bold new ways of improving on one-point perspective with its old idea of a central vanishing point.

The next major development was Cubism , which appeared in the late 1900s and revolutionized all ideas of three-dimensional depth in painting, by promoting the two-dimensional picture plane. However, the most spectacular advances in linear perspective have come during the late 20th century with the advent of computers. Today, modern graphics software programs can demonstrate numerous schemes of spatial depth and alignment at the press of a button.  For details of major movements of painting and sculpture, see: History of Art .  For a chronological list of important dates, see: Timeline: History of Art .  For information about painting, see: Homepage . ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FINE ART * Vanishing point (Fine arts) - Definition,meaning - Online Encyclopedia A vanishing point is a point in a perspective drawing to which parallel lines appear to converge. The number and placement of the vanishing points determines which perspective technique is being used: Linear perspective is drawing with 1-3 vanishing points. The vanishing point is used as part of the system of perspective , which enables the creation the illusion of the three-dimensional world on a two-dimensional picture surface .

See definition for perspective HumanitiesWeb.org - Glossary definition: Vanishing Point Vanishing Point In linear perspective , the point on the horizon line where parallel lines appear to converge. vanishing point - In linear perspective , a position on a horizon where lines or rays between near and distant places appear to converge (come together). In order to produce an illusion of depth in a two-dimensional representation of space, artists sometimes use one, two, or more vanishing points. Vanishing Point In linear perspective , the point on the horizon line at which lines or edges that are parallel appear to converge or "vanish". Vantage Point ... Vanishing point- In a perspective system, the point on the horizon line at which orthogonals meet. Vanitas - An image popular in Europe during the seventeenth century, in which all the objects symbolize the transience of life. Vanitas painting s are usually of still life s or genre subjects. Vanishing Point. The point on the horizon line at which all the lines of perspective converge. Warm Colors . Colors that evoke a feeling of warmth, such as red, orange, and yellow. See also " Cool Colors ." Wash. A thin and transparent layer of ink or paint. vanishing point.

In perspective drawing, a point at which receding lines seem to converge. variety . A principle of art concerned with combining one or more elements of art in different ways to create interest. Vanishing Point - In linear perspective , the point on the horizon line where parallel lines appear to converge. Vehicle - The entire liquid contents of a paint. VANISHING POINT term used in perspective ; all lines lead to this point which may be on or off the canvas. VERTICAL up and down. VISUAL TEXTURE texture that you can see or that an artist will decorate a surface with. You can not feel visual texture. vanishing point: in perspective drawing, a point or points on the horizon where receding parallel lines seem to meet. Vanishing Point - In linear perspective , the point on the horizon line where parallel lines appear to converge. Vehicle - The entire liquid contents of a paint. VANISHING POINT In perspective , the point on the horizon at which sets of lines representing parallel lines will converge. These diverging lines are called orthagonals. Vanishing point: In perspective , the point on the horizon in the distance where two lines seem to converge and visibility ends.

Vermilion: Scarlet red, a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge. Vanishing point. In perspective drawing, the point on the horizon line where the converging parallel lines appear to meet. A principle of design. Achieving variety involves the use of differences or contrasts. VANISHING POINT: Watercolour ... Lines or edges parallel to the ground plane and moving away from the viewer appear to converge at vanishing points on the horizon line . hue That property of a color identifying a specific, named wavelength of light such as green, red, violet, and so on. The jousting combatants engage on a battlefield littered with broken lances that have fallen in a near-grid pattern and are aimed toward a vanishing point somewhere in the distance. ^ della Francesca, Piero (1942) [c. 1474]. G. Nicco Fasola, ed. De Prospectiva Pingendi. Florence. Linear perspective refers to the illusion that objects appear to grow smaller and converge toward a "vanishing point" at the horizon line . The point of convergence may be in any direction the viewer looks, including up, and the horizon/ vanishing point may be visible or imaginary.

The lower area, where the artist has placed the sleeping guards, has a very low vanishing point. Alberti, in his theoretical writings, suggests that the vanishing point should be at the same level as the figures' eyes. The buildings and street floor all conform to the vanishing point making it easy to mentally trace back the lines to the vanishing point. The figures were built upon the simple design shapes as discussed earlier. In this painting , the vanishing point resides below the feet of Jesus. The illusion of the architecture is so real that one feels as if the wall has been opened up to reveal the scene. Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Ghost (symbolized by the dove) are joined by Mary and St.John the Evangelist. The American Landscape has the vanishing point on the left (out of the paper) and the Classic Landscape has its vanishing point on the right. In the American Landscape, there is a nice balance between two basic elements: sky and water. That is why he uses a hesitant and oblique form of perspective , creating multiple horizons and vanishing points, just like his Italian contemporaries. The Dijon altarpiece even has a gold background.

Such regressions are a form of imprisonment (as well as a form of vanishing point), but what is imprisoned, among other things, is a terror of change. This is produced by, and produces, a wish to control it. That very wish masks a desire for change, a desire to escape. Masaccio's use of light, vanishing points, color and spatial context is renowned in the painting world. Tribute Money and Expulsion from the Garden of Eden and the painting s in the Brancacci Chapel are said to have been the training school for Western artists. linear perspective : converging real or imagined lines draw the eye to a vanishing point (horizon). Objects located on these lines diminish proportion ately as they near the vanishing point. Relative to the observer, all the converging lines lead toward a single vanishing point at the centre of the composition . A type of perspective in which the lines of projection converge not on a vanishing point, but on a vertical axis at the center of the picture, as in Roman painting . HH- Hesketh Hubbard Art Society ... In linear perspective the line where sky and earth seem to meet. The vanishing point is located on this imaginary line. Hosay ...

HERRINGBONE PERSPECTIVE - is where lines of projection converge not on a vanishing point but on a vertical axis at the centre of the painting or drawing. In this case, the construction of the perspective is known technically as "accidental", with the two vanishing points situated outside the picture on the horizon line , to restrain the foreshortening and tapering effect so that the buildings were given due importance and value. Linear perspective foreshortens objects as they recede into the distance with lines converging to a vanishing point. Aerial perspective is based on contrasts of colour and shade, which are stronger in the foreground and fainter in the distance. one-point linear perspective - Developed in 15th century Italy, a mathematical system for indicating spatial distance in two-dimensional images, where lines converge in a single vanishing point located on the horizon line , as seen by a stationary viewer. (See also two-point linear perspective .) ... It is mathematically constructed so that all receding parallel lines appear to converge towards each other, eventually meeting at a single point, the vanishing point.

This system was used by artists from the early 15th century in Florence, and codified by Alberti in 'De Pictura'. In one-point linear perspective , developed during the fifteenth century, all parallel lines in a given visual field converge at a single vanishing point on the horizon. Drawing Perspective - How to Draw Perspective How to Draw Perspective This lesson focuses on the subjects of perspective and vanishing points. The video shows a very quick sketch of a room (which is made up) that demonstrates the two point linear perspective, which is the most commonly used by artists. Notice the two vanishing points on the horizon. In this case both of the vanishing points are inside the sheet of paper. This is not always the case. When drawing, the vanishing points will always be on the horizon. The horizon will always be on the level of the eyes of the observer. Notice how on the sketch all the parallel lines converge to the same vanishing point. Drawing interior spaces is a very good way to understand perspective. For practice, try drawing the rooms inside your house. About Linear Perspective Linear perspective in painting is a set of rules used to draw 3-dimensional objects on a flat (2-dimensional) surface.

The subject can be quite elaborate but luckily you don't need to become an expert to be able to draw well. There are 2 basic rules of linear perspective that you need to remember: Objects that are closer appear bigger. Parallel lines intersect at the horizon. We will elaborate on these 2 points below. Click to enlarge image Rule #1: Objects that are closer appear bigger. Take a look at the drawing on the left. It depicts 3 black paintings hanging on a wall. Do you think the paintings are of the same size in real life? Are they the same size on the drawing? The answer to the first question is YES. The paintings depicted here are of the same size in real life. The answer to the second question is NO. On the drawing, you can clearly see how the size of the paintings changes with distance. As the distance increases, so the paintings appear smaller. The painting that is the closest to us is the biggest one, the second is smaller and the last one is the smallest. Click to enlarge image Rule #2: Parallel lines intersect at the horizon. Take a look at the drawing on the left. It depicts railroad lines. Do rails ever intersect in real life? Do they intersect on the drawing?

The answer to the first question is of course NO. Rails never intersect in real life, they are parallel to each other. The answer to the second question is YES. If you look inside the tunnel you will notice that all 4 rails (that are parallel to each other in real life) are going to meet at the same point. This point will be on the horizon. One Point Perspective Example The drawing on the left depicts a cube drawn in a 1 point perspective. One point perspective is used to draw objects that are directly facing the viewer. Click to enlarge image Two Point Perspective Example The drawing on the left depicts a cube drawn in a 2 point perspective. 2 point perspective is the most commonly used in drawing. The cube on the left is a very good example of both rules of linear perspective. Notice how the frontal edge appears bigger (rule #1). Also notice how parallel lines converge to the same point on the horizon (rule #2). Click to enlarge image Three Point Perspective Example The drawing on the left depicts a cube drawn in a 3 point perspective. 3 point perspective is rarely used in drawing. It is required when drawing very tall objects, such as buildings. Click to enlarge image The perspective sketch from the video. Example of Two point perspective.

Click to enlarge image Design Notes: Perspective LINEAR PERSPECTIVE It seems obvious that the apparent size of an object decreases the farther you get away from it. It is a surprise that this has not always been understood to be so. There is some indication from looking at mosaics that the ancient Greeks knew how to use perspective but no documents from that time have survived. The first written information about linear perspective appeared about 400 years ago. It was in Europe during the Renaissance that the concept of linear perspective was finally formalized. Linear perspective is a system for drawing objects that use lines and vanishing points to determine how much an object's apparent size changes with space. These are true for all types of linear perspective. The horizon line gets its name because it is (almost) always horizontal. BASIC CONCEPTS The horizon line is a theoretical line that represents the eye level of the observer. The horizon line is the same as the horizon (the edge of the land against the sky) only on a large flat plane like the ocean. Most of the time geographic features (hills) and other objects (trees and buildings) make the horizon above the horizon line.

Indoors the horizon is often not visible but there is still a theoretical horizon line representing the point of view of the observer. Look at the three sketches below. The same telephone pole is in the same position in all of the formats. The horizon (line) is different. Can you tell where you are in relationship to the poles? The first pole is seen from above, the second from normal eye level and the third appears to be floating over your head. An object's relationship with the horizon line shows whether you are looking up, down or straight at the object. Vanishing points are points (usually) on the horizon line where receding lines (planes) converge. The vanishing point (v.p.) is on the horizon line when an objects has horizontal planes that are parallel to the ground. When the object's planes are inclined the vanishing points can be above or below the horizon line. Objects that are placed parallel to one another use the same vanishing points. Objects set at different angles each have their own vanishing points. There are two basic systems of linear perspective: one-point and two-point named after the number of vanishing points used in each. All parallel lines follow the same rules.

If one goes to a vanishing point then all like lines go to the same vanishing point. In most systems vertical lines are drawn vertical (not in three-point perspective). The station point represents the eye of the observer. It is the camera in a photograph. The picture plane is the "window" that is represented by the picture. The ground line is a line that is parallel to the picture plane at the base of the object being depicted. One-point perspective is also know as parallel perspective because the near side of the object viewed is parallel to the picture plane. ONE-POINT PERSPECTIVE One-point perspective is what you see when you look straight at the side of an object. It uses only one vanishing point, hence its name. The line of sight in one-point perspective is perpendicular (at a right angle to) the side of the cube in these examples. That means you see the near side in plane view (actual shape undistorted by perspective). There are only three kinds of lines used in one-point perspective: Vertical edges are shown as vertical lines. Horizontal edges (perpendicular to the line of sight and parallel to the ground) are shown as horizontal lines.

Edges that recede (are parallel to the line of sight) are on lines that converge at the vanishing point on the horizon line. Note that these same three (and only these three) kinds of lines are used to draw the cubes regardless to where they are in the picture. Also note that the cube to the left, while technically correct, appears distorted. One-point perspective only depicts objects near the vanishing point with accuracy. It is possible to use as many as six vanishing points in a perspective image. For an explanation visit Dick Termes' Six Point Perspective site . TWO-POINT PERSPECTIVE Two-point perspective is used when you look at or into the corner of an object. There are two vanishing points since the two sets of sides are receding in two different directions. In the real world vanishing points are very far apart. Imagine strings streaming out parallel to the edges of a cube going to the horizon. The horizon is miles away so the vanishing points are many miles apart. When you draw them only a few inches apart on a piece of paper there is going to be some distortion in the image produced. Again there are only three different kinds of lines needed to draw in two-point perspective: Vertical edges are drawn as vertical lines.

Edges of sides that recede toward the right are on lines converging at the right vanishing point. Edges of sides that recede toward the left are on lines converging at the left vanishing point. Both of the cubes in the example use only the same three kinds of lines. You see the top of the cube below the horizon line (your eye level). You see the bottom of the cube above the horizon line and more of its left side because it is to the right of your position in the center of the vanishing points. USING LINEAR PERSPECTIVE The use of linear perspective to draw architectural subjects is obvious. All subjects, though, still obey the same rules as geometric shapes. A thorough knowledge of perspective is required to successfully position objects in space. For a more thorough description of perspective check out: Southern Arkansas University's excellent Art Chalkboard site and the Museum of Science in Boston's site about Leonardo de Vinci and perspective Atmospheric perspective is sometimes called aerial perspective. ATMOSPHERIC PERSPECTIVE Atmospheric perspective deals with how the appearance of an object is affected by looking at it through a layer of air. Moisture, dust and pollutants in the atmosphere act to filter the visual information.

This is most apparent on a foggy day when it may be difficult to see across the street. Even in the clear, dry air of a desert the atmosphere changes the appearance of distant objects. The changes follow the following general rules: Contrast is greatest for close objects. Distant objects have less contrast in them and less to their surroundings. Each row of hills receding into the distance has less contract with the next (see photo above). Remember that value contrast is the strongest contrast when creating spatial illusions. Colors also change with depth. All of the colors are clear on near objects. Bright colors are only seen on close objects. Warm colors also show up more on near objects. As objects get farther away the colors dull and eventually turn blue gray. Partially because of this warm colors appear to closer than cool colors (more about this under color). Choose colors in an image accordingly. Focus in an image also gives depth clues. Close objects are generally more sharply focused than distant objects. It is possible to alter this with a camera but the mind sees softly focused edges as being farther away than sharp edges. There may be compositional reasons to soften the focus of close objects in an image to call attention on something farther back in space.

Details are much more apparent on near objects because of all of the above. Linear perspective makes more distant details too small to see but it is low contrast that tends to flatten distant objects. Pay attention to how these concepts play out when you are looking at landscape. The same tree looks not only smaller in the distance (linear perspective) but also less leafy (contrast, detail and focus) and not as bright a green (color). As the trees get farther away they blend into the landscape and eventually all you see are rows of hills, flat as cutouts, receding to the horizon. This is especially true on a hazy day or when looking into the sun. DEEP SPACE PHOTOMONTAGE Make a photomontage that uses overlap, linear perspective and atmospheric perspective to give a convincing illusion of deep space (from several feet to several miles). At least three different photo references must be used: one for the foreground, one for the middle ground and one for the background. PROCEDURE The foreground and background are the most critical parts. For the foreground look for a large sharply focused picture of an object with bright, warm colors.

For the background look for a large photograph that shows deep space and has cool colors in the distance (warm colored sunsets are hard to make look like deep space). The middle ground must fit somewhere in between the foreground and background in space. There is a lot of flexibility with the middle ground. One strategy is to use the interior of a room for the middle ground with the background seen through a window or door. This allows you to use a smaller photograph for the background. LINEAR PERSPECTIVE CONSIDERATIONS Size: Choose the pictures to use for each of the three depths with size in mind. Remember that objects appear to get smaller the farther away they are. Try to judge the depth of the image from the size of the objects in it and choose accordingly. The foreground object will need to be large (close). The background should include distant mountains (small now in size). A cloudy sky may not be used as a background because the depth is hard to verify. The middle ground should fit in the middle. Horizon line: Every photograph has a horizon line that represents the level of the camera that took the picture. The horizon lines for all of the picture parts in your photomontage must be on the same line.

Look carefully at each image and try to find where the horizon line is. The only surefire way to tell is if the ocean is in the background. Then the horizon and the horizon line are the same. Ask yourself if you are looking up, down or straight at the scene or object. This can be difficult with natural objects but lines of perspective will help if there is any architecture in the photo. Your point of view represents the horizon line. ATMOSPHERIC PERSPECTIVE CONSIDERATIONS Contrast: Use a highly contrasting image for the foreground. It should have high contrast within it and contrast with its surroundings in your image. As the scene goes farther back, use less and less contrast. Be aware of a highly contrasting background with a softer middle ground. Color: Keep the foreground bright and warm in color. The background should be the dullest and coolest in color. Be careful of warm colors in the background since they will want to come forward. Focus: Make the foreground the sharpest in the image, the middle ground the next sharpest and the background the dullest if possible. Details: Use an object for the foreground that has a lot of details. The background should be chosen because it has little in the way of details.

The middle ground, as usual, is in the middle. Cut out the three layers carefully (you may use more layers) and stack them to see if they give a convincing illusion. You may have to move the parts around some to get the horizon lines to seem right. The finished product should look like a single photograph that shows a scene that starts close to the observer and goes for miles into the distance. What Is a Vanishing Point? (Drawing Definition) What is a Vanishing Point? What is a Vanishing Point? Gary Yeowell / Getty Images By Helen South's Drawing/Sketching Glossary Updated August 24, 2016. Definition: In short, in Linear Perspective drawing, the vanishing point is that spot on the horizon line to which the receeding parallel lines diminish. As things get further away, from us, they seems smaller and closer together. When they get far enough away, distances become ever tinier and so form a single point . In one-point perspective , all the horizontal lines go straight across, while the lines that move away from us - the sides of boxes, the road we are on, or the railway lines in front of us - all converge towards the center of the picture.

In two-point perspective , our subject is angled so that the two sides, left and right, each have their own vanishing point. In real life, the angle between these combines with our low point of view to make the vanishing points very far apart. If you're drawing from life and try to contstruct your vanishing points, you'll find that they are often right off the paper, sometimes as much as a whole yard or meter across your wall or table! When working from a photograph, that distance can change depending on the lens used by the photographer. When you are constructing perspective , you can put your vanishing points on the edges of your paper, or attach an extra sheet to the sides of your page while working, to create a more natural angle. Also Known As: point of convergence One Point Perspective One Point Perspective Visit One Point Perspective To understand how one-point perspective works, imagine yourself standing In the middle of a straight railroad track. You know the rails are the same distance apart throughout their length, and yet as you look into the distance, they appear to come together and meet at a point on the horizon. This point is called the "vanishing point" because here the rails appear to converge and vanish.

Each set of receding parallel lines has its own vanishing point. On level ground, a road that travels straight away from you is defined by a single pair of parallel lines, and will have one vanishing point located on the horizon line. If the ground is not level, the edges, or boundaries, of the road will consist of several sets of parallel lines, and therefore the road will have more than one vanishing paint. Stairs in one-point perspective are similar to the road. The incline of the stairs has one vanishing point while the level tread has another. To draw a staircase in one-point perspective, start by establishing the height of the bottom step. For the incline, draw perspective lines from the top and bottom corner of the lower step to your chosen vanishing point above the horizon line. (In this example, the horizon fine represents a dog's eye level.) Draw a line from the top corner of the bottom step to a vanishing point on the horizon below your first vanishing point. This is the line of the first tread; where this line crosses the other perspective lines gives you the location of the back of the tread.

From the back of the tread, make a vertical line; where the vertical line crosses the perspective lines, draw a new tread. Continue to zigzag your way up the stairs. If this road were on level ground, it would have just one vanishing point on the horizon. Changes in terrain call for more than a single vanishing point. An uphill stretch of the road has a vanishing point that rises above the horizon, while a downhill stretch has a vanishing point that sinks be/ow the horizon. Picture a road that heads in a single compass direction but travels up and down hills. Each incline or decline is a change of plane; each change of plane is defined by a different pair of parallel lines representing the road's boundaries. An uphill stretch of road has its vanishing point above the horizon line. A downhill stretch of road is defined by a new set of parallel lines, which will meet at a vanishing point below the horizon line. Even though we now have more than one vanishing point, this is still considered one-point perspective. A road that winds along level ground offers another example of how more than one vanishing point can exist in one-point perspective.

Each straight section of the road has its own vanishing point, as the top illustration on this page shows. The road's width is maintained with each change of direction by a horizontal line that crosses the perspective lines. Where these intersect, the road heads toward a new vanishing point. Like the road described above, a fence on level ground that changes direction will have a vanishing point on the horizon line for each such change one for each new set of parallel lines. This winding road twists in four separate directions, each with its own vanishing point. The horizontal lines A, B, and C are used to maintain the correct width of the road throughout its direction changes. This fence on level ground travels in three different directions. Each direction has its own vanishing point on the horizon. One-point perspective is commonly used when depicting boxlike structures and room interiors that have one face or wall parallel to the picture plane. The horizontal and vertical edges of that face are perpendicular. The parallel lines that define all the other faces of the box recede and converge at a point on the horizon line. Remember that in one-point perspective, verticals and horizontals that are perpendicular to each other describe surfaces that are parallel to the picture plane.

A box with a wall parallel or nearly parallel to the picture plane is in one-point perspective. On the walls parallel to the picture plane, the verticals and horizontals are perpendicular to each other. All receding parallel lines meet at the same vanishing point. (If the box is level, the vanishing point will be on the horizon line.) This chest of drawers is drawn in one-point perspective. The vertical and horizontal lines are perpendicular on all surfaces parallel to the picture plane. All other receding lines meet at the vanishing point above the chest. Drawing Equally Spaced Objects in Perspective To find the center of any rectangle in perspective, draw two diagonal lines that join the rectangle's corners, forming an X. The intersection of the two diagonals-the center of the X-is the center of the rectangle. When you are drawing objects in perspective that require equal spacing, such as telephone poles or parking meters, begin by placing the first in the series-say, a parking meter-in your composition. To establish the direction of a row of parking meters, draw perspective lines from the top, bottom and middle of the first meter to a vanishing point on the horizon.

Choose the position of the second meter; its height is determined by the top and bottom perspective lines. Now find the midpoint on the second meter. Draw a diagonal line from the top of the first through the midpoint of the second, continuing the diagonal to the bottom perspective line. Where this diagonal and the bottom perspective line intersect is where you place the base of the third parking meter (as with the others, the height of this meter is determined by the top perspective line). A diagonal line drawn from the top of the second parking meter through the midpoint on the third meter to the bottom perspective line will give you the location of the fourth one. Continue this process until you have the number of parking meters you need. To find the center of any rectangle in perspective, draw diagonal lines from corner to corner, forming an X. Where the diagonals cross is the perspective center. These cross-country skiers are all approximately the same height. The height of the figures in the foreground and background and the length of their cast shadows are calculated using perspective lines. To draw equally spaced objects in perspective, locate the first object in the series-parking meters in this case. Draw perspective lines: from the top, bottom, and middle of the first meter to a vanishing point on the horizon.

These lines establish the direction of the rest of the meters. Choose the position of the second parking meter. Its height is determined by the top and bottom perspective lines. Now draw a line from the top of the first meter through the middle of the second one, continuing the line so it meets the bottom perspective line. At that intersection, place the third meter. Continue until you have the number of meters you want. © Copyright Bill Martin 2007-2014 • PO Box 511, Albion, CA 95410 • info@guidetooilpainting.com Advertisers & Affiliates Art Appreciation Flashcards by ProProfs Ground In two-dimensional images, the relationship between a shape we perceive as dominant (the figure) and the background shape we perceive it against (the ground). Figure shapes are also known as positive shapes, and the shapes of the ground are negative shapes. Psychologists have identified a list of principles we use to decide which shapes are figure and which ground. When none of these conditions are met, figure and ground may seem to shift back and forth as our brain organizes the information first one way and then another, an effect known as figure-ground ambiguity.

Model In figurative drawing, painting, and printmaking, simulating the effects of light and shadow to portray optically convincing masses. Value The relative lightness or darkness of a hue, or of a neutral varying from white to black. Chiaroscuro Italian for "light-dark." In two-dimensional, representational art, the technique of using values to record light and shadow, especially as they provide information about three-dimensional form. Hatching Closely spaced parallel lines that mix optically to suggest values. Hatching is a linear technique for modeling forms according to the principles of chiaroscuro. Cross-Hatching To achieve darker values, layers of hatching may be superimposed, with each new layer set at an angle to the one(s) beneath. Stippling A pattern of closely spaced dots or small marks used to created a sense of three-dimensionality on a flat surface, especially in drawing and printmaking. Color Wheel A circular arrangement of hues used to illustrate a particular color theory or system. The most well-known color wheel uses the special hues of the rainbow plus the intermediary hue of red-violet. Primary colors A hue, that, in theory, cannot be created by a mixture of other hues.

Varying combinations of the primary hues can be used to create all the other hues of the spectrum. In pigment, the primaries are red, yellow, and blue Secondary colors A hue created by combining two primary colors, as yellow and blue mixed together yield green. In pigment, the secondary colors are orange, green, and violet. Intermediate Colors Also known as tertiary colors. Colors made by mixing a primary color with a secondary color adjacent to it on the color wheel (for example, yellow and orange). Warm colors Colors ranged along the blue curve of the color wheel, from green through violet. Palette Refers to the wooden board on which artists traditionally set out their pigments, but it also refers to the range of pigments they select, either for a particular painting or characteristically. Hue Is the name of the color according to the categories of the color wheel--green, or red or blue-violet. Tint A color lighter than the hue's normal value is known as a tint; for example, pink is a tint of red. Shade A color darker than the hue's normal value is called a shade; maroon is a shade of red. Intensity Refers to the relative purity or brightness of a color. Monochromatic Having only one color.

Descriptive of work in which one hue--perhaps with variations of value and intensity--predominates. Complementary Harmonies involve colors directly opposite each other on the color wheel, such as read and green. Analogous Harmony The juxtaposition of hues that contain the same color in differing proportions, such as red-violet, pink, and yellow-orange, all of which contain red. Triadic Harmony A color scheme based in three hues equidistant from one another on the color wheel, such as yellow-orange, blue-green, and red-violet. Restricted Palette The range of colors used by an artist or a group of artists, either generally or in a specific work. A restricted palette is limited to a few colors and their mixtures, tints, and shades. Open Palette The range of colors used by an artist or a group of artists, either generally or in a specific work An open palette is one in which all colors are permitted. Simultaneous Contrast The perceptual phenomenon where by complementary colors appear most brilliant when set side by side. After Image An image that persists after the visual stimulus that first produced it has ceased. The mechanics of vision cause an afterimage to appear in the complementary hue of the original stimulus.

Optical Color Mixture The tendency of the eyes to blend patches of individual colors placed near one another so as to perceive a different, combined color: Also any art style that exploits this tendency, especially the pointillism of George Seurat. Pointillism A quasi-scientific painting technique of the late 19th century, developed and promulgated by Georges Seurat and his followers, in which pure colors wee applied in regular, small touches (points) that blended through optical color mixture when viewed at a certain distance. Picture Plane The literal surface of a painting imagined as window, so that objects depicted in depth are spoken of as behind or receding from the picture plane, and objects in the extreme foreground are spoken of as up against the picture plane. A favorite trick of trompe-l'oeil painters is to paint an object that seems to be projecting froward from the picture plane into the viewer's space. Vanishing Point In linear perspective, the point on the horizon where parallel lines appear to converge. Kinetic Art Having to do with motion. Kinetic art incorporates (rather than depicts) real or apparent movement. Broadly defined, kinetic art may include film, video, and Performance art.

However; the term is most often applied to sculpture that is set in motion by motors or air currents. FA 101 Exam 2 Terminology Flashcards the actual space in which our bodies stand Term space- implied space Definition the actual space is the flat surface of the work itself, which we tend to see all at once Term the picture plane Definition the literal surface of a painting imagined as windows so that objects in depth are spoken of as behind and objects in the foreground are spoken of as up against the picture plane Term overlap Definition when two forms overlap, the one we perceive as complete is in front of the one we perceive as partial Term vanishing point Definition parallel lines receding into the distance seem to converge until they meet at a point on the horizon line where they disappear Term Sir Isaac Newton Definition in 1666 passed a ray of sunshine through a prism.

he observed that the ray of sunlight broke up or refracted into different colors Term Warm colors Definition colors on the red orange side of the color wheel, because of their association with sunlight and firelight Term cool colors Definition colors on the blue green side of the color wheel, because they associate with sky, water, and shade Term palette Definition refers to a wooden board on which artists traditionally set out their pigments, but it also refers to the range of pigments they select Term refers to relative lightness or darkenss Term intensity or saturation or chroma Definition refers to the relative purity of a color. Term light and pigment Definition in light white is the sum of all colors. pigments have to our eyes the color that they reflect Term When pigments or different colors are mixed... Definition the reasulting color is darker and duller because together they absorb more color from the spectrum (subtractive process) Term color harmonies or color schemes: Definition the selective use of two or more colors in a single composition Term monochromatic harmonies Definition composed of variations on the same hue, often with differences in intensity and value (all reds, all blues) Term complementary colors appear more intense when placed side by side.

Term afterimage Definition prolonged staring at any saturated color fatigues the receptors in our eyes, which when allowed to rest produce a complementary ghostly image in the mind Term Japanese prints Definition japan opened themselves up to foreigners after being closed for 200 hundred years. everyone was fascinated by all things Japanese, but more seriously in Paris where impressionist painters were influenced by Japanese work. Term position Definition seated at a desk for example: you look don to see objects closest to us and raise our head up to see objects further away. Term devices for achieving implied depth Definition composition/ design Definition line, shape, mass, light, color, value texture, space, and possibly time and motion must be organized in such a way as to satisfy the artists expressive intent. the more inclusive term, applicable to all kinds of art design Term unity and variety Definition unity is a sense of oneness, of things belonging together and making up a coherent whole. Variety is difference, which provides interest Term balance of visual weight Definition refers th the appearant "heaviness" or "lightness" of forms arranged in a composition. when visual weight is equally distributed to either side of a felt or implied center of gravity, we feel that the composition is balanced.

Term symmetrical balance Definition the implied center of gravity is the vertical axis, an imaginary line dran down the center of the composition Term asymmetrical balance Definition has two sides that do not match. if it seems to be balanced that is because the visual weights of the two halves are very similar. Term through repetition, any of the visual elements can take on a rhythm within a work. Term familiarity and intimacy of drawing Definition drawing is familiar in that it often uses materials we all are accustomed to- a pencil, pen, chalk. drawing seems intimate because it is frequently the artists private notetaking. Term Paper Definition -paper comes from the word "papyrus" which the ancient roams used to designate both a plant that grew along the banks of the nile river, and the writing material the egyptians made from it. -paper is made from plant fibers, beaten to a pulp, mixed w/water, then spread in a thin layer over a fine mesh surface and left to dry -Secret of paper came from shina through buddhist monks Term ink diluted within water and applied with a brushti give greater solidity Term brush and ink Definition the brushes used for watercolor can also be used with ink.

the terms "drawing" and "Painting" have different cultural meanings Term brush and ink Definition the brushes used for watercolor can also be used with ink. the terms "drawing" and "Painting" have different cultural meanings Term pigments Definition powdered color, compounded with a medium or vehicle, a liquid that holds the particles of pigment together without dissolving them. the vehicle generally includes a binder; an ingredient that ensures that the paint will adhere to the surface Term

Question: In a painting, the point on the horizon, where parallel lines appear to converge, is called the ‘what’ point?
Answer: Vanishing point