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Year 9 - Art and design

Principles of art: perspective

The principles of art

Unit Summary

This unit expands pupils understanding of the foundations of creative practice, building on knowledge of the elements of art, to now explore more complex principles. This will deepen understanding of how artists use these principles to question the world around them and communicate their ideas.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to describe and draw a range of perspective techniques.

Key Notes

  • Perspective helps create solid objects on a two-dimensional surface to give an illusion of height, width and depth
  • Perspective can be used to create realistic or disorientating images
  • Perspective is rooted in a Western idea of seeing, global communities explore the picture space in different ways

Vocabulary To Learn

  • linear perspective: 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
  • horizon line: where the earth meets the sky

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • In two point perspective, some lines don't need to recede to the vanishing point

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

Perspective helps create solid objects on a two-dimensional surface to give an illusion of height, width and depth. Perspective can be used to create realistic or disorientating images.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'linear perspective'

a drawing method used by artists to give the illusion of depth on a 2D surface.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: In two point perspective, some lines don't need to recede to the vanishing point. Correction: All lines recede to one of the vanishing points. Otherwise your drawing won't be realistic.

More Lessons In This Unit

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