Transcript The Elements of Art - Art at Bronx Science-2012

Space
Space is basically divided into 3 parts: Foreground,
Middle Ground and Background
Generally, the background area is considered to be the
upper 1/3 of the picture plane. The middle ground
area is considered to be the middle 1/3 of the picture
plane. The foreground area is considered to be the
lower 1/3 of the picture plane.
Space
Space can be shallow or deep depending
on what the artist wants to use. Shallow
space is used when the artist has
objects very close to the viewer.
Space
Deep Space
may show
objects up
close but
objects are
shown far
away
too.
Space
Positive and Negative space is a way that
an artwork is divided. When planning a
work of art, both areas must be
examined so that they balance one
another. Drawing items running off the
page and zooming in on objects are
ways to create visual interest within a
work.
Space
Positive space is the
actual object(s) within
the artwork
Negative Space is the
area in and around the
objects. It is the
“background” and it
contributes to the
work of art---you can’t
have positive space
without negative space
Space
Perspective is also a way of showing space in
a work of art. Perspective is when the artist
uses a vanishing point on the horizon and
then creates a sense of deep space by
showing objects getting progressively smaller
as they get closer to the vanishing point.
Space
Objects may overlap as well. When objects are
overlapped it is obvious that enough space
had to be in the picture to contain all the
objects that have been included
Linear Perspective
During the Middle Ages, European artists painted in a
way that emphasized religious images and
symbolism rather than realism. Most paintings
depicted scenes holy figures and people important in
the Christian religion. Even the most talented painters
of the Middle Ages paid little attention to making
humans and animals look lifelike, creating natural
looking landscapes, or creating a sense of depth and
space in their paintings.
Painting in the Middle Ages
Linear Perspective
 Questions:
What parts of these
paintings look most realistic to you?
 What parts look least lifelike?
 Which objects or people seem closest
and most distant in each painting?
 What clues does the artist give that one
object is further away than another?
Linear Perspective
During the Renaissance, European artists began to
study the model of nature more closely and to paint
with the goal of greater realism. They learned to
create lifelike people and animals, and they became
skilled at creating the illusion of depth and distance
on flat walls and canvases by using the techniques of
linear perspective.
Exploring Linear Perspective
Linear perspective is a mathematical system for creating the
illusion of space and distance on a flat surface. The system
originated in Florence, Italy in the early 1400s. The artist and
architect Brunelleschi demonstrated its principles, but another
architect and writer, Leon Battista Alberti was first to write
down rules of linear perspective for artists to follow. Leonardo
da Vinci probably learned Alberti's system while serving as an
apprentice to the artist Verrocchio in Florence.
Exploring Linear Perspective
To use linear perspective an artist must first imagine the picture
surface as an "open window" through which to see the painted
world. Straight lines are then drawn on the canvas to represent
the horizon and "visual rays" connecting the viewer's eye to a
point in the distance.
The horizon line runs across the canvas at the eye level of the
viewer. The horizon line is where the sky appears to meet the
ground.
Exploring Linear Perspective
The vanishing point should be located near the center of the
horizon line. The vanishing point is where all parallel lines
(orthogonals) that run towards the horizon line appear to come
together like train tracks in the distance.
Orthogonal lines are "visual rays" helping the viewer's eye to
connect points around the edges of the canvas to the vanishing
point. An artist uses them to align the edges of walls and paving
stones.
Orthogonal lines
Adoration of the Magi (Da Vinci)
Preparatory drawing
Adoration of the Magi (Da Vinci)
Preparatory drawing
X
Adoration of the Magi (Da Vinci)
Preparatory drawing
Adoration of the Magi (Da Vinci)
Preparatory drawing
Draw a room using perspective
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZYBW
A-ifEs
OPTION 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv1LFjApbKk&NR=1
Van Gogh’s Bedroom
Van Gogh’s use of linear perspective
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.
Step 1
 Determine
the horizon in your
drawing. Sketch a horizontal line for the
horizon as in the first method.
Step 2
 Determine
the point of view, which is
the approximate location of the eye
of the person viewing the drawing.
This point may be located below the
bottom of the paper (outside the paper.)
You don't need to actually mark the
point.
Step 3

Determine your first vanishing point. The usual
method for this is to sketch a first line from the point
of view in a 60 degree angle to the left and mark your
vanishing point where this line intersects the horizon.
Step 4

Determine your second vanishing point. For this you will
draw a second line from the point of view in a 30 degree angle
to the right. Again, the vanishing point will be the intersection of
this line and the horizon. The 60 and 30 degree angles can be
different, but the angle between the lines that go from the eye of
the observer to the vanishing points have to form a 90 degree
angle.
Step 5

Sketch your main objects drawing the vertical lines
perfectly vertical, the horizontal lines moving to the left at
an angle towards the left vanishing point and the horizontal
lines moving to the right at an angle towards the right
vanishing point (all the horizontal lines should converge in
one or the other of the vanishing points if extended far
enough).
Three point perspective

Notice that the three point
perspective includes the
two point perspective or
perspective with two
vanishing points plus it
also has a third
perspective point or third
vanishing point in the
vertical perspective
aspect as from near the
ground for instance
looking up at a tower -- as
the viewer is facing a
vertical corner (edge) of
the object.
Multiple point perspective
Consider that the third point can be any
fourth, fifth,... view for an angular, tilted or
rotated part of a drawing, but it is usually
based on parallel lines in each part and
relates those parts that are actually parallel to
each other.
Activity one
Activity two