Lesson video

Hello, everyone.

How are you doing today? I hope you're feeling great.

My name is Ms. Asal, and I will be your art teacher for this lesson, which I'm super pleased about.

Today, we'll be looking at the subject of perspective.

I wonder if that's something you've thought about much before.

I wonder if you've noticed perspective in art, if you created different kinds of perspective yourself in art, or any other ways in which you considered perspective.

Well, we'll be getting right into it today.

Our lesson is called "The Principles of Art Perspective," and it comes from the unit of work, the principles of art.

So it's really something quite principle when it comes to art is perspective.

So if you're ready with some focus, energy, and enthusiasm, we'll begin.

The outcome for today's lesson is I can describe and draw a range of perspective techniques.

We have some keywords in our lesson.

They are "linear perspective," "vanishing point," and "horizon line." What do they mean? Well, linear perspective is a drawing method used by artists to give the illusion of depth on a 2D surface.

Vanishing point, the points in perspective drawings that all lines recede to, and horizon line, where the earth meets the sky.

These are our key words.

Let's look and listen out for them.

Our lesson is called the principles of art perspective, and it has three learning cycles.

First of all, understand how and why perspective is used.

Next, describe alternative ways to represent space.

And finally, draw using one and two point perspective.

Are you ready? Let's begin with understanding how and why perspective is used.

An outcome for today's lesson could look like this.

Wow.

Incredible, incredible outcomes.

More on these later.

Laura and Lucas are thinking about the word 'perspective.

' I see things from my perspective.

My perspective might be different to yours.

Great points.

What else do you think about in relation to the word perspective? Pause here and share with someone.

What's your perspective on perspective? Thanks for sharing your perspective.

So why do artists use perspective? Pause here and share with someone.

Perhaps you said something like this.

"Artists use perspective to create the illusion of depth in a 2D artwork." These artists experiment with perspective in their work.

Tarsila do Amaral uses stylized perspective focusing on creating vibrant colours and abstracted shapes rather than realistic spaces.

George Nick captures urban scenes, interiors, and street scapes.

He employs perspective to draw viewers into the scene, creating depth.

Bridget Riley uses perspective to create optical illusions that make her paintings appear to move or vibrate.

And Cas Holmes uses a combination of perspectives in her textile landscapes with detailed stitching in the foreground and loose hazy layers behind to emulate how our eyes see the world.

Why does this image suggest 3D space? Pause here and share with someone.

Linear perspective shows objects appearing smaller as they get further away.

Perspective helps artists make flat surfaces look three dimensional.

Check for understanding, true or false.

Linear perspective is a method used by artists to create the illusion of 3D space on a 2D surface.

Pause and decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected true.

Indeed, perspective helps artists create realistic 3D scenes by creating the illusion of depth on a 2D surface.

Perspective drawings need both a vanishing point and a horizon line, and a vanishing point is a point in perspective drawings that all lines recede to.

The horizon line is where the earth meets the sky.

True or false: the lines travelling away from you in a perspective drawing meet at the vanishing point.

Pause and decide, is this true or false? Well done if you selected true.

The vanishing point is the point in perspective drawings that all lines recede to and meet at.

There are different methods that artists can use to create depth in a drawing.

One point perspective is a form of linear perspective.

With this method, things get smaller as they get further away.

All lines converge at a single point on horizon with one point perspective.

One point perspective helps to create depth in scenes like roads or hallways.

One point perspective is often used by interior designers to show a view into a room.

So let's have a go.

I'm gonna draw a cylinder using one point perspective.

So I've drawn an X to mark my vanishing point, and remember to add this vanishing point and ensure that your diagonal lines meet this point.

So there is my cylinder, a circle, and then my diagonal lines reaching towards the vanishing point.

Now, it's time for you to have a go.

Pause it while you draw a cylinder using one point perspective.

All right, good job, everyone.

Here's Andy.

I added one vanishing point then drew a circle.

I connected each edge to the vanishing point and added a matching curve to complete the shape.

I outlined my cylinder in red.

Check for which chess board is drawn using one point perspective.

Is it A, B or C? Pause here while you decide.

Well done if you selected A.

Indeed, A is one point perspective as all lines meet at one vanishing point.

Here's an example of a building in two point perspective.

Two point perspective is another form of linear perspective.

What do you think defines two point perspective? Pause here and share with someone.

Two point perspective uses two vanishing points on horizon line.

You can see one on the left and one on the right.

Two point perspective is often used by architects to show realistic building ideas.

Check for understanding, true or false: in two point perspective, all lines meet at a single point on the horizon.

Pause and decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected false.

In two point perspective, you have two vanishing points.

Check for understanding: which chessboard is drawn using two point perspective - A, B, or C? Well done if you selected image B.

This uses two point perspective.

Lines converge at two different vanishing points.

The cyclical isometric projection.

Isometric drawings are used in technical designs to show an object in 3D on a 2D page.

They're good for showing how components fit together and for displaying measurements.

Isometric drawings are often used by product designers.

Do you think this 3D isometric drawing uses a vanishing point? Pause here and decide.

Here's Izzy.

"It looks like the lines are parallel, so I don't think they can ever meet at a vanishing point." Good point, Izzy.

Unlike perspective drawings, isometric drawings don't get smaller the further they are away.

The lines don't recede into the distance.

Check for understanding: which chessboard is drawn using isometric projection.

Is A, B or C? Well done if you chose image C.

Image C shows isometric projection.

There are no vanishing points, and the lines are parallel.

And now it's time for your task.

I'd like you to label each box in the table as A, B, or C based on which term it refers to.

So A is one point perspective, B is two point perspective, and C is isometric projection.

So label each box in this table with either A, B, or C.

Pause there while you do this.

Well done for having go at this task.

Hopefully, you have labelled each box in this way.

So often used by product designers is C, isometric projection.

Often used by architects is B, two point perspective.

Used often used by interior designers is A, one point perspective.

Uses more than one vanishing point is B, two point perspective.

Doesn't use vanishing points is C, isometric projection, and lines converge at one point in one point perspective.

And finally, creates the illusion of 3D space on a 2D page.

All three of them - A, B, and C.

Useful for sharing measurements and components is isometric projection.

And creates depth in scenes like a road or hallway is one point perspective.

Well done if you labelled each box in a table in this way.

And now, it's time for our next learning cycle.

Describe alternative ways to represent space.

Aisha is visiting an art gallery for inspiration.

She has noticed that lots of artworks don't use perspective.

Why might an artist choose not to use linear perspective? Pause here while you discuss this.

Thanks for discussing.

Aisha and Sam discussing their thoughts around the use of perspective.

"If artists want you to see their vision, they might not be interested in using perspective at all." Sam, "I think different ways of seeing are important.

They help you visually describe your own worldview." Perspective is just one way of representing the world.

Check for understanding, true or false.

Different ways of seeing the world don't matter as everything should be drawn realistically.

Pause here and decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected false.

Indeed, different ways of seeing are important, especially as artists.

And Sam says, "How we sense the world takes many forms. Our eye is just one way of experiencing what is around us." Many artists throughout history have intentionally represented space differently.

For example, ancient Egyptian art often focused on telling a story or showing important figures in different sizes to show power or they're made things look further away by placing them higher up on the picture.

Chinese scroll paintings use multiple overlapping scenes across a long scroll from different viewpoints.

Called this floating perspective.

And the Nasca Line can only be seen as an image from the air.

They consist of hundreds of huge lines and figures carved into the earth by the Nasca people from modern day Peru.

What techniques or approaches might artists use instead of perspective? Pause here and share with someone.

Let's hear some ideas.

"Important people or gods may be larger to show their importance.

We can call this visual hierarchy." "Historically, things higher up in a picture were meant to look further away, even if they weren't drawn any smaller." "One thing can be layered in front of another to show which is closer." Many contemporary artists still prioritise different ways of seeing.

For example, Liu Kuo-Sung emphasises the natural flow of a landscape.

His paintings blend Chinese brush techniques with modern ideas, creating layered views where elements appear at various depth.

Nongirrna Marawili is interested in the interplay between water, land, and sky.

Her work is a representation of the Yolnu concept of Liya-dhalinymirr, which signifies a spiritual link between people and environment.

Check for understanding, true or false.

There are many reasons why artists might choose not to represent the world as their eye alone sees it.

Pause here and decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected true.

Indeed, spiritual, symbolic, and hierarchical meanings can be presented effectively without using linear perspective.

And now, it's time for your next task.

I'd like you to find an artwork that does not use perspective and describe the techniques they have used.

Use this word bank to help you.

Symbolic, spiritual, hierarchical horizon, layering, overlapping distance, viewpoint, position, and size.

So pause here while you have a go at this task.

Great to be back with you.

How did you get on with that task? You might have said something like this.

Here's Izzy.

"This is a relief carved from stone.

The figures are overlapped, so there is some 3D space, but the image doesn't try to use perspective.

Instead, it focuses on hierarchy with more powerful people bigger and closer to the top." And now, it's time for our final learning cycle.

Draw using one and two point perspective.

So first of all, I'm going to have a go.

I'm gonna draw a straight horizontal line and add two vanishing points at either end.

And now it's your turn.

Can you draw a straight horizontal line with two vanishing points at either end? Pause here while you do this.

And here's some feedback.

"I created horizontal line that represents the horizon line and added a dot at either end to show where all my new lines will recede to." And now I'm going to add a short vertical line on the page intersecting the horizon line.

And now it's your turn.

Pause here while you do this.

I added my first vertical line, making sure it crossed the horizon line on my paper that represents the horizon.

And now I'm going to connect the ends of the vertical line to the vanishing points.

Pause here while you have a go at this too.

And you should have something like this.

Now I'm going to add two more vertical lines to create a box.

And these vertical lines should be parallel.

Pause here while you have a go at doing this.

You should have something like this.

And perhaps your box has been outlined in colour and red to make it clearer to see.

You can repeat this process with a vertical line, starting anywhere on the page.

Draw a vertical line and connect each end to the vanishing points.

Add two more verticals and join the vanishing points.

The end of every vertical joins the vanishing points.

Check for understanding, true or false.

In the last example, the end of each vertical line was connected to both vanishing points.

Pause here and decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected true.

To create a box, the verticals must connect to both vanishing points.

When drawing using one and two point perspective, you can overlap shapes.

So draw two shapes overlapping each other, and then review which lines you need to keep.

What about the lines you don't need? You can also create the illusion of an empty box.

Draw an edge inside one face, and then join each corner back to the vanishing points.

Alternatively, do this from the edges you already have on one side of a box.

Jun is making a curve to doorway.

He draws a smaller box on one side of the shape.

He divides it using two diagonal lines.

He finds the centre and draws a vertical line, and then he creates a curve on either side of the centre line.

Draw a short line to the vanishing point to create the base.

Add a second curve on the inside edge, and then we have our curved doorway.

Adding tone can help to enhance form and further create depth.

Decide where the light is coming from, and then shade the planes facing the dark side using dark tones.

Remember that inside the shapes, it will be darker inside.

And now it's time for your task.

I would like you to draw a geometric composition using two point perspective.

You should start with the horizon line.

Add two vanishing points, draw a series of boxes or geometric forms using two point perspective.

Make some forms overlap each other.

So pause here while you have a go at this task.

It's great to be back with you.

How did you get on with that task? You might have made something like this and said, "I created a two point perspective drawing using layered boxes.

Some look like they're floating." Now I'd like you to add curved openings and create empty forms. Pause here while you do this.

You might have made something like this and said, "I overlapped lots of boxes then cut out openings and added additional lines back to the vanishing points to make the boxes look empty.

It looks like a surreal city." It certainly does.

And now, I'd like you to add cylinders using one point perspective.

Draw a circle below the horizon line and a single vanishing point above.

Join the edge of the circle to the vanishing point.

Decide on how long your cylinder will be and draw the curved end to complete it.

Pause here while you have a go at this part of your task.

Good to be back with you.

You might have made something like this and said, "I added a cylinder using one point perspective.

Adding more cylinders would make it more balanced." And now, add tone to create light and shadows.

You should use a range of light tones, mid tones, and dark tones.

Decide on where the light source is coming from and consistently consider this.

Shade cylindrical forms or spheres with curved lines.

Remember that inside the shapes, it will be darker inside.

Use a medium of your choice.

So pause here while you have a go at this part of your task.

Adding tone.

Okay, how did you get on? You might have made something like this and said, "I added mid and dark tone using pencil, then painted on top with watercolour to create extra visual interest." Oh yes, you've certainly done that, Alex.

In our lesson, principles of art perspective, we've covered the following: linear perspective helps create solid objects on a two dimensional surface to create the illusion of depth.

Perspective is rooted in a western idea of seeing.

Global communities explore the picture space in different ways.

Different ways of seeing are important, as they help you visually describe your own worldview.

Perspective is just one way of representing your world.

Perspective can be used to create realistic or disorientating images.

Well done, everyone, for joining in with this lesson.

It was great to explore perspective together and then to get right into the details of how to create one and two point perspective.

I hope you've enjoyed this lesson.

I really have.

And I'm looking forward to seeing you at another art lesson soon.

Until then, stay creative.