Visual Perspective

1
Visual Perspective
Giotto, Scrovegni Chapel, Padua, With the Last
Judgment over the door, C. 1304-1313
2
Depth in the World

• Being able to see, to understand, and to guide
  ones actions involves being able to differentiate
  near objects from far objects. In other words
  creating visual perspective.
• This requires being able to see in depth.
• The world that we live in has three physical
  dimensions, height, width, and depth, however
  visual signals are transduced by the visual
  system in only two dimensions, height and width.
• This means that the brain must create a three
  dimensional image through the use of context
  cues, and knowledge of the world based on
  experience.
• In art, 3 dimensional images must be created on a
  flat two dimensional surface. This means an
  artist must use technique to create perspective.

3
Perspective

• Perspective is the term used in art to refer to
  representing a three dimensional object of a two
  dimensional canvas.
• Although artists had used perspective techniques
  for thousands of years before the renaissance it
  was during the renaissance that the laws of
  perspective were finally understood
• In particular renaissance artists found that
  changing image size would change perceived
  distance, and shading differences also
  contributed to perceived distance

4
Principals of Depth Perception

• General Principals of Depth Perception.
• Note that Binocular cues are most important for
  close up work and monocular cues most important
  for distance

5
Binocular Cues

• Why is Binocular Disparity is important for close
  up work?
• The two eyes subtend different areas do to
  different angles
• But this becomes less important as distance
  increases

6
Common Binocular and Monocular cues at use in Art

• a

7
Occlusion Relative Size
Giovanni Bellini-Procession in the Piazza of St.
Marco, C. 1496

• Two common techniques used by artists to create
  the perspective of depth include
• 1) using larger figures in the foreground, and
  smaller figure in the
• background
• 2) having closer objects occlude more distant
  figures

8
Monocular Cues -Shadow

• In this Gentileschi, shadow is used as a cue to
  depth.
• Depth can be assertained by shadows, such as the
  way a shadow is cast on the underside of a ball,
  which suggests a solid three dimensional object

• Gentileschi-Judith slaying Holofernes
• C. 1620

9

• In this visual illusion, why does the upper ball
  appear larger than the lower
• Why do they appear three dimensional

10
Elevation

• In this famous piece by Bellini, Elevation is
  used as a cue to depth (what wlse can you find
  that is a cue to depth).

Bellini-S. Giobbe Altarpiece, C. 1485
11
Depth and Visual Perspective Elevation

• This famous piece by Masaccio, also uses
  elevation to give the illusion of depth

Masaccio-Trinity
12
More examples of Occlusion, Height, Size
Manipulation

• This painting by El Grecco, demonstrates nearly
  every monocular depth cue know to artists in this
  period

el grecco 1
13
Visual Perspective

• What techniques has Leonardo used to give the
  perspective of Depth in This famous Painting?

Leonardo Da Vinci- Mona Lisa, C. 1506
14
Visual Perspective

• What techniques has Leonardo used to give the
  perspective of Depth in This famous Painting?

Leonardo da Vinci-Virgin Child with St. Anne,
C. 1508
15
Visual Perspective

• What techniques has Bellini used to give the
  perspective of Depth in This famous Painting?

G. Bellini, Madonna of the Meadows, C. 1505
16
Illusion Constancy One Point Perspective
Leonardo Da Vinci-Last supper, C. 1495

• Note that all the lines appear to vanish at one
  particular point

17
Illusion Constancy One Point Perspective
Donatello-St. Anthony healing the young man's
foot, C. 1446

• In this famous etching by Donatello, orientation
  is used as a cue to depth. Where is the Vanishing
  Point

18
Illusion Constancy Multiple Angles

• Many artists use rectangular and flat forms to
  create powerful depth cues

19
Drawing recumbent figures
Paolo Ucello, Battle of San Ramano, C. 1430

• Drawing people in perspective is a challenging
  task! Compare the fallen figure in the lower left
  corner of this painting to other figures. You
  will see that the figure is significantly
  foreshortened and out of scale with other figures.

20
Drawing recumbent figures

• The use of three dimensional rectangular and
  cylindrical forms to guide an artist in drawing
  objects and overcome the challenge of drawing
  recumbent figures in perspective is a technique
  pioneered in the renaissance.

21
Famous examples of foreshortening
Mantegna-The Dead Christ,1466

• A means of drawing reclining figures in
  perspective. This portrait was later corrected
  to more appropriately portray the Christ figure
  in perspective.
• These figures are hard to draw because our
  psychological perception of what we expect to see
  in figures are powerful prototype images that
  sway what we think we see.

22

• Leonardo Da Vinci spent years studying the human
  body in order to more accurately portray the his
  figures

Leonardo Da Vinci-Anatomical Studies, C. 1510