By Becky Joy
There are three ways to create depth in a painting:
- Linear Perspective.
- Aerial Perspective.
- Separation of Planes.
Linear perspective: Linear perspective
Is the use of intersecting lines drawn vertically and horizontally that radiate from one point (one-point perspective, two points (two-point perspective) or several points on a horizon line from a viewer’s position. These lines create three dimensional space and depth on a two-dimensional surface.
Aerial perspective or atmospheric perspective:Aerial perspective
Is the effect the atmosphere has on the appearance of an object as it is viewed from a distance. As the distance increases between the foreground and the background, the distance becomes cooler in temperature, less contrast between light and dark and less saturated in color (grayer). The colors in he foreground are warmer, more contrast and more saturated in color.
(© 2013 Becky Joy “Birds of a Feather” oil 16 x 20 inches)
Separation of planes: Separation of planes
Is the overlapping of shapes and their relationship to each other.
They will become progressively smaller as they recede.
If you overlap shapes instead of placing them side-by-side, you will automatically see depth
(see on the right).