Perspective and the illusion of depth · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Making a flat page look deep

Arts & Music · Visual Art · ages 12-14
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. For parallel edges receding in the same direction, what is their vanishing point in a perspective drawing?

    • Where those edges appear to meet
    • Where those edges cross the frame
    • The midpoint between their near ends

  2. In the level-ground perspective model, what does the horizon line mark?

    • The base of a nearby wall
    • The viewer's eye level
    • The top of the frame

  3. Which colour treatment uses the lesson's haze cue to suggest distant hills?

    • Keep distant hills equally strong
    • Make distant hills darker
    • Make distant hills paler than nearby hills

  4. Every picture must use linear perspective to count as art.

    Circle one:   True   False

  5. How should the geometric linear perspective developed in Renaissance Europe be understood?

    • The first use of depth in any artwork
    • One system among several ways to suggest depth
    • The system required in later European art

  6. A drawing is described as showing an opaque leaf shape hiding part of a flower shape. Which depth clue is used?

    • Overlap
    • Relative size
    • Converging lines

  7. One artist wants a room to look deep. Another wants figures in separate flat rows to be easy to follow. Which comment fits both stated aims?

    • Both arrangements need more depth
    • Both arrangements fit the stated aims
    • Only the deep room fits its stated aim

  8. An artist wants equal-height trees on level ground to look farther from a fixed viewer. Their drawn heights increase with distance. Which change fits that aim?

    • Increase the drawn heights with distance
    • Keep the drawn heights equal
    • Reduce the drawn heights with distance
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Making a flat page look deep W1-mt_viqsbnnXt5-s1

  1. Where those edges appear to meet · A vanishing point is where those receding parallel edges appear to meet. It is not where they cross the frame, and it is not the midpoint between their near ends.
  2. The viewer's eye level · The horizon represents eye level in this model. It is not defined by the wall or picture frame.
  3. Make distant hills paler than nearby hills · Paler distant colour can suggest depth in haze. This cue is conditional, not a rule for every scene.
  4. False · A flat arrangement can serve a story, pattern or another artistic aim.
  5. One system among several ways to suggest depth · Earlier artists suggested depth, and later artists could use other arrangements. This geometric system was one approach.
  6. Overlap · One shape hiding part of another is overlap. The covering leaf appears in front.
  7. Both arrangements fit the stated aims · Deep space fits the room illusion. Flat rows can fit the aim of organising figures clearly.
  8. Reduce the drawn heights with distance · Farther equal-height trees appear smaller from the fixed viewpoint, so their drawn heights should decrease for this effect.
Worksheet · LightMySky