In a beginning
level art class students learn the basic principles of perspective. We have
them draw letters of their name, blocks floating in space; I even have my
students make up a city. Now it is time to take the next step, transferring
perspective to real life.
Seeing perspective in the world around you is
difficult. We are always moving, changing point of view. Static images we make
in art have fixed viewpoints. The challenge is to help the student find and use
the parts of perspective the see in real live to their art work.
Using images found
on the internet was one way, but having the students take their own photos was
better. They must see the perspective in real life and capture it in
photography. I found have the students personalize this project by using their
home. The students create the composition
of their home, this becomes personal. Students take ownership and pride of the
work.
I used two point perspective for my assignment. In most images the vanishing points are off
the photograph. Most cameras do not
capture the field of vision we have. Students must adjust for this in their
drawing.
The image are printed for the students. The way I find the
vanishing points is by taping the print down to news print, using a ruler I
follow angled lines of the house to see where they cross.
Taping news print to drawing paper in the same way as the
printed photo. Approximate the vanishing points and horizon line for the
drawing. One can use a scale and measure the image, but approximation is good
enough for me. I do not grid!!! In this project it defeats
the purpose of learning where vanishing point are in real life.
You can use drawing paper or water color paper. I have my students water color the final image so I use water color paper.
You can use drawing paper or water color paper. I have my students water color the final image so I use water color paper.
This is an intermediate level
lesson. Student should have had the basics of perspective.