Viewing Perspective Works

1
Viewing Perspective Works

• Given a perspective painting, we want to find the
  ideal viewing location
• the position of the artists eye
• the spot where the work appears most three
  dimensional
• Example Piero della Francescas Flagellation of
  Christ

2
Practice

• The handout shows a perspective view of a floor
  with square tiles. Find the vanishing points
  corresponding to the sides and diagonals of the
  squares.
• Which point is the principal vanishing point?
• What is true of all the vanishing points?

3
One-point perspective

• A work is in one-point perspective if the major
  lines of the work are either parallel or
  perpendicular to the picture plane.
• In a one-point perspective work, all the
  vanishing points lie on the horizon.
• In a one-point perspective work, the ideal
  viewing location is across from the principal
  vanishing point.
• Return to Flagellation of Christ

4
Viewing distance

• How far back should we stand?
• Note given any line, if we know where the
  horizon is, we can find its vanishing point.
• Find the vanishing point for the diagonal on the
  top of this box.

5
Viewing distance

• Derive the formula d a(D/A).
• What happens if the top is a square?
• Show the viewing distance on the last picture.

6
Viewing distance

• Given a work in one-point perspective
• locate the principal vanishing point using lines
  perpendicular to the painting
• draw the horizon
• find a square with sides parallel and
  perpendicular to the picture plane
• find the vanishing point of the diagonal of the
  square - the distance between the principal
  vanishing point and the original vanishing point
  is the viewing distance.
• Return to Flagellation of Christ

7
Practice

• Try this technique with the work on the handout.