Types of perspective in a painting

Image: Painting and Artists

Perspective has undoubtedly been one of the studies most pursued by artists throughout the world. throughout history and it will be in the Renaissance when these investigations reach their moment culminate. The main objective of this is create a sense of depth In painting, therefore, perspective allows us to capture the three dimensions (width, height and depth) on a surface that is by nature two-dimensional. Next, in this lesson from a TEACHER we are going to see what are the different types of perspectives in a painting, as well as the different techniques that are used for its expression.

Index

1. Linear perspective
2. Aerial perspective
3. Other types of perspective in painting

The linear perspective or also call Conical perspective, is a mathematical method with which it is intended to represent three-dimensional elements on a flat surface, be it a wall, canvas, table... which is two-dimensional. And how?

Said in a more colloquial way, let's imagine looking at a pyramid from the base; we see how all its sides converge at the same point (the top), well, that is what the artists are going to do, that is, when it comes to represent objects, characters, pavements... before painting them as such, they will create a system of straight and parallel lines, which are They also know lines of flight and that conclude at a point chosen arbitrarily by the artist, with which that illusion of depth.

In this way, the elements that are closer to us will appear larger than those that are closer to the vanishing point.

Some of the most characteristic examples where we can observe this type of perspective that we are talking about, are The Annunciation by Fra Angélico and The Last Supper of great Leonardo da Vinci.

The aerial perspective or also call atmospheric perspective it consists, like all perspectives, in representing depth or that feeling of remoteness; in this case by means of the gradation of the color, as well as the sharpness as the elements move away in the plane.

The aerial perspective is a step further from the previous perspective, the linear perspective, and now those lines that ended at a point are going to vanish. The method is eliminating the limits that these established of the color and of the form, thus giving rise to a very real representation of the distance.

In aerial perspective, as the distance gets smaller, the sharpness decreases and the contours of objects, characters... are increasingly blurred and blurred, the same as in reality. With regard to color, we will see that the further away an object is represented, its colors will be increasingly dim.

The most insightful example of this perspective are Las Meninas by Velázquez, and the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. The latter was responsible for coining the term aerial perspective and this is reflected in his Treatise on painting.

In addition to the two previous perspectives, the linear perspective and the aerial perspective, which are the most used, we have to name other types of perspective in a painting that also occur in the representation of painting, although to a lesser extent and are:

Oblique perspective

It is a system by which, instead of using a single vanishing point, two are used, and both are on the horizon line that for us to understand each other, is the one that corresponds to our point of view. Well, these two points are going to meet at an angle of 90º with the vertex of our point of view.

Afterwards, horizontal lines will be drawn from the different vanishing points until reaching the vertical line emanating from the vanishing point, thus giving the elements greater depth.

Inverted perspective

It is another type of perspective that differs from all those previously commented in that the point of leakage that we have always placed within the painting, in this case, as its name suggests, it is reversed and it is what he stands in front, that is, outside.

Perspective of importance

It is the easiest to understand, and it is that it only consists of highlight either an object or a character with a larger size than all those around it to know which of the figures is more important.

If you want to read more articles similar to Types of perspective in a painting, we recommend that you enter our category of Story.