Form: Perspective A matter of perspective Overlap gives a sense of depth to objects that face forward on the picture plane — but what about objects that appear to fall backward or forward? Notice in the figures below which seems to recede into space. The one on the left appears to be a rectangle positioned face-forward on a flat plane. The figure in the center is a parallelogram, or what might appear to be a rectangle slumping slightly to the right — but it too is not clearly receding into the distance. Only the one on the right is distorted so that it seems to reach back into space. Distorting the facts Distorting figures in a systematic way, in a pattern (or gradient) from large to small, creates a more convincing illusion of depth. Look at the image on the left below. We perceive this series of lines as a series of same-sized objects — possibly fence posts — receding into space. The regular gradient from large to small that we see on the left is accelerated in the image on the right, so that we perceive the row of posts as not only extending into space, but doing so on a curve. A historical perspective In the 1430s, Italian Renaissance artists combined overlap, distortion, and gradients to create a geometrically complex illusion of depth. In the earliest version of this system, objects were drawn as if they lay along lines of sight that extended from the front of the pictorial space to a single point on the distant horizon (the vanishing point). In order to fit into this rigid net of lines, objects were often dramatically distorted — but the result is a reasonably convincing illusion of volume and depth, as shown above. This illusion is called one-point perspective, and it is still in use today. The trick to one-point perspective is that the objects lie along the perspective lines so that at least one surface is parallel to the front of the picture. This gives our eyes an easy entry into the work. Moving on The painting above by Stephen Coyle is a good modern example of one-point perspective. All the parallel lines in red merge at one point on the distant blue horizon line. Coyle has taken a little artistic license by bending the lines slightly, in order to give a sense of movement to the work. On edge and complexity to a work using two-point perspective. This system uses two vanishing points (shown as points a and b, below) and allows artists to depict objects on edge. The viewer's eye tends to move between the two vanishing points and the sides of the objects, creating an added element of tension and intrigue. More than one side to this story Jennifer Hale Notice here how photographer Jennifer Hale has used two-point perspective to build a sense of drama around this structure. On both sides, the brick walls recede into the darkness. The ivy on the left side seems to appear out of nowhere in a sudden burst of color, while the closed door and high window on the right side leave us speculating about what goes on behind these ivy-covered walls. The links below will lead you further into a discussion about space. Dimension Depth Other solutions Next: Other solutions