See highlights and high-quality resources for advanced investigations.

Space is an element of visual art and design.   It is either real (three-dimensional) or an illusion of 3-D in a work of art/design.    There is negative and positive space. also refer to the area around the primary objects in a work of art is known as negative space, while the space occupied by the primary objects is known as positive space.   Getty Museum

This is a broad exploration of space with cultural community connections.   Learn about the emergence of "linear perspective" and major factors contributing to changes in art.   We begin with inspirational examples and "recede" (lol) backward in time to the origin of linear perspective during the Rennaissance.

We begin our lesson on Space with the inspirational work created during the 19th century Post-Impressionism movement in Europe called "Paris Street; Rainy Day" (video cover) by Gustave Caillebotte and "recede" (lol) backward in time to the origin of linear perspective during the 15-16th century Rennaissance movement.   The video precedes to show multiple examples of "illusory" visual space used by artists as well as "actual" space used by architects.

For more advanced investigations of these movements see:

Featured Video: Google Art Project & Featured Video Cover Artwork:   Paris Street; Rainy Day, oil on canvas detail, 1877, at the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) by Gustave Caillebotte, a French Impressionist painter, lawyer, engineer, and soldier, 1848–1894.  Artwork Links Below:

During the Renaissance, artists became preoccupied with new ways of capturing reality such as the use of linear perspective, and the realism possible through the use of painting techniques.   A great example of "one-point linear perspective" is the "School of Athens" by Raphael.   Virtual Tour: stockholm360.net: 360°

The Magic of Illusion is a seven part podcast series about "how we see, what we see, or what it is we think we see".   Al Roker guides us on a journey into the secrets of illusion, utilizing special effects to illustrate the artistic and visionary discoveries of the Renaissance.   — National Gallery of Art  

National Gallery of Art

While Copernicus and Columbus were changing our understanding of the world, the Renaissance masters were dramatically changing the way we see that world.   The seven part podcast series uses recent technology to look at old works in new ways.   — National Gallery of Art  

Discover the techniques artists use to control and manipulate space in their work:

1. Overlapping: how objects appear to be on top of each other

2. Shading: how adding value (lights & darks), make an object appear three-dimensional

3. Placement: how objects appear to be on top of each other

4. Size: how same size objects appear larger up-close and smaller far away

5. Atmospheric Perspective: how air acts as a filter to change the appearance of distant objects.

6. Linear Perspective: how an object appears smaller the farther away it is.

Image/Lesson/Link: Drawing the Illusion of Depth by Mrs. Heredia, Teacher at MCHS

Master the techniques yourself with artist Lillian Gray!

SPACE 7 Elements of Art by artist Lillian Gray (20:58)

Introduction to Space (0:00)

Site-Specific Art (1:05)

Keith Haring's Use of Space (1:26)

Banksy's Use of Space (2:02)

Positive and Negative Space (2:30)

White Space (3:41)

Techniques: Illusion of Space (4:12)

Describing the Use of Space (7:43)

Improving Your Own Art (8:22)

Understanding 1, 2 & 3 Point Perspective in under 1 minute!
(1:16) RubberOnion

1  │  2  │  3

  Perspective (from Latin: perspicere "to see through") and
  Linear perspective always works by representing the light that passes from a scene through an imaginary rectangle (realized as the plane of the painting), to the viewer's eye, as if a viewer were looking through a window and painting what is seen directly onto the windowpane.   If viewed from the same spot as the windowpane was painted, the painted image would be identical to what was seen through the unpainted window.   Each painted object in the scene is thus a flat, scaled down version of the object on the other side of the window.  —    (Refer to Grids and Graphs below.)

One Point Perspective (10:22)  A horizon line is defined and then one point is placed on the horizon line.   Lines are drawn back to the vanishing point to create 3D forms.Drawing & Painting
—The Virtual Instructor

Two Point Perspective   (11:50)  Drawing & Painting —The Virtual Instructor

  Two-Point Perspective is when a drawing contains two vanishing points on the horizon line.   In an illustration, these vanishing points can be placed arbitrarily along the horizon.   Two-point perspective can be used to draw the same objects as one-point perspective, rotated: looking at the corner of a house, or at two forked roads shrinking into the distance, for example.   One point represents one set of parallel lines, the other point represents the other.   Seen from the corner, one wall of a house would recede towards one vanishing point while the other wall recedes towards the opposite vanishing point... Wikipedia

How to Draw in 3-Point Perspective   (10:13)  Circle Line Art School

  Three-Point Perspective   is often used for buildings seen from above (or below).   In addition to the two vanishing points from before, one for each wall, there is now one for how the vertical lines of the walls recede.   For an object seen from above, this third vanishing point is below the ground.   For an object seen from below, as when the viewer looks up at a tall building, the third vanishing point is high in space... Wikipedia

What is foreshortening?  (2:41)  Smarthistory

  Foreshortening is the visual effect or optical illusion that causes an object or distance to appear shorter than it actually is because it is angled toward the viewer.   Additionally, an object is often not scaled evenly: a circle often appears as an ellipse and a square can appear as a trapezoid... Wikipedia

What is atmospheric perspective? (1:23)  Smarthistory

  Aerial or Atmospheric Perspective   refers to the effect the atmosphere has on the appearance of an object as it is viewed from a distance.   As the distance between an object and a viewer increases, the contrast between the object and its background decreases, and the contrast of any markings or details within the object also decreases.   The colours of the object also become less saturated and shift towards the background colour, which is usually blue, but under some conditions may be some other colour (for example, at sunrise or sunset distant colours may shift towards red)... WikiPedia

Measuring Methods For Artists (2:53)   Artists often use measuring techniques to achieve more accurate, realistic effects.   Measuring is used to calculate relative sizes and proportions and is useful for still lifes, landscapes and even figurative art.   Today we use several measuring methods including:   comparative, sight-size and triangulation." —CroquisCafe

  Principles: Scale / Proportion   Using the relative size of elements against each other can attract attention to a focal point. When elements are designed larger than life, scale is being used to show drama... Wikipedia

  Draughtsman Making a Perspective Drawing of a Reclining Woman, ca. 1600, woodcut (detail) by Albrecht Durer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, USA

  Grids and Graph Systems Graph paper, coordinate paper, grid paper, or squared paper is writing paper that is printed with fine lines making up a regular grid.   The lines are often used as guides for plotting mathematical functions or experimental data and drawing two-dimensional graphs.  It is commonly found in mathematics and engineering education settings and in laboratory notebooks.   Graph paper is available either as loose leaf paper or bound in notebooks... Wikipedia

Below, is a small sample of information links coordinated with video playlists.   Each link and video thumbnail takes you to the category on the Resource page.   Once there, activate the links.   Resources

Creative Commons Public Domain
0 1.0 Universal 0 1.0) License