Perspective
To kick off our study of perspective, let's watch: Stefan Pabst's 3D
Follow up video: What Do You See: Brain Games
Follow up video: What Do You See: Brain Games
Renaissance
re- is a prefix that means back, again
-naiss- is a root that means birth
Renaissance culture fostered a renewed interest in science, math, philosophy, and art. Interestingly, all of these subjects are combined in linear perspective, which uses geometric lines and a vanishing point to give the illusion of depth and space to painting.
re- is a prefix that means back, again
-naiss- is a root that means birth
Renaissance culture fostered a renewed interest in science, math, philosophy, and art. Interestingly, all of these subjects are combined in linear perspective, which uses geometric lines and a vanishing point to give the illusion of depth and space to painting.
The Last Supper measures (180 in × 350 in) and covers an end wall of the dining hall at the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy.
Santa Maria delle Grazie ("Holy Mary of Grace") is a church and Dominican convent in Milan, northern Italy, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The convent contains the mural of The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, which is in the refectory.
The Sistine Chapel is the large papal chapel built within the Vatican between 1477 and 1480 by Pope Sixtus IV, for whom the chapel is named. The ceiling was painted at the commission of Pope Julius II.
The Sistine Chapel ceiling (Italian: Soffitto della Cappella Sistina), painted in fresco by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512, is a cornerstone work of High Renaissance art. The
The ceiling's various painted elements form part of a larger scheme of decoration within the chapel. Prior to Michelangelo's contribution, the walls were painted by several leading artists of the late 15th century including Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Pietro Perugino. After the ceiling was painted, Raphael created a set of large tapestries (1515–1516) to cover the lower portion of the wall. Michelangelo returned to the chapel to create The Last Judgment, a large wall fresco situated behind the altar. The chapel's decoration illustrates much of the doctrine of the Catholic Church, serving as the location for papal conclaves and many other important services.
Central to the ceiling decoration are nine scenes from the Book of Genesis, including the famous Creation of Adam. The complex design includes several sets of figures, some clothed and some nude, allowing Michelangelo to fully demonstrate his skill in depicting the human figure in a wide variety of poses. The ceiling was immediately well-received and imitated by other artists, continuing to the present. It has been restored multiple times, most recently in the late 20th century.
The ceiling's various painted elements form part of a larger scheme of decoration within the chapel. Prior to Michelangelo's contribution, the walls were painted by several leading artists of the late 15th century including Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Pietro Perugino. After the ceiling was painted, Raphael created a set of large tapestries (1515–1516) to cover the lower portion of the wall. Michelangelo returned to the chapel to create The Last Judgment, a large wall fresco situated behind the altar. The chapel's decoration illustrates much of the doctrine of the Catholic Church, serving as the location for papal conclaves and many other important services.
Central to the ceiling decoration are nine scenes from the Book of Genesis, including the famous Creation of Adam. The complex design includes several sets of figures, some clothed and some nude, allowing Michelangelo to fully demonstrate his skill in depicting the human figure in a wide variety of poses. The ceiling was immediately well-received and imitated by other artists, continuing to the present. It has been restored multiple times, most recently in the late 20th century.
The four Raphael Rooms (Italian: Stanze di Raffaello) form a suite of reception rooms in the Apostolic Palace, now part of the Vatican Museums, in Vatican City. They are famous for their frescoes, painted by Raphael and his workshop. Together with Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling frescoes, they are the grand fresco sequences that mark the High Renaissance in Rome.
The School of Athens (Italian: Scuola di Atene) is a fresco by the Italian Renaissance artist, Raphael. The fresco was painted between 1509 and 1511 as a part of Raphael's commission to decorate the rooms now known as the Stanze di Raffaello, in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. It depicts a congregation of philosophers, mathematicians, and scientists from Ancient Greece, including Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Archimedes, and Heraclitus. The Italian artists Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo are also featured in the painting, shown as Plato and Heraclitus respectively.
The painting notably features accurate perspective projection, a defining characteristic of the Renaissance era. Raphael learned perspective from Leonardo, whose role as Plato is central in the painting. The themes of the painting, such as the rebirth of Ancient Greek philosophy and culture in Europe (along with Raphael's work) were inspired by Leonardo's individual pursuits in theatre, engineering, optics, geometry, physiology, anatomy, history, architecture and art.
The School of Athens is regarded as one of Raphael's best known works, and has been described as "Raphael's masterpiece and the perfect embodiment of the classical spirit of the Renaissance".
The painting notably features accurate perspective projection, a defining characteristic of the Renaissance era. Raphael learned perspective from Leonardo, whose role as Plato is central in the painting. The themes of the painting, such as the rebirth of Ancient Greek philosophy and culture in Europe (along with Raphael's work) were inspired by Leonardo's individual pursuits in theatre, engineering, optics, geometry, physiology, anatomy, history, architecture and art.
The School of Athens is regarded as one of Raphael's best known works, and has been described as "Raphael's masterpiece and the perfect embodiment of the classical spirit of the Renaissance".
Renaissance Unit
To celebrate the period, fifth grade students learn about the elements perspective and famous artists such as Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, and Raphael's The School of Athens.
During the lessons, we focus heavily on the development of perspective in art. We discuss the use of a vanishing point and a horizon line to make work show depth.
Resource Videos:
Exploring the Renaissance
Famous Artists for Kids: Famous Artists for Kids
Art with Mati and Dada: Leonardo Da Vinci
Art with Mati and Dada: Michelangelo
To celebrate the period, fifth grade students learn about the elements perspective and famous artists such as Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, and Raphael's The School of Athens.
During the lessons, we focus heavily on the development of perspective in art. We discuss the use of a vanishing point and a horizon line to make work show depth.
Resource Videos:
Exploring the Renaissance
Famous Artists for Kids: Famous Artists for Kids
Art with Mati and Dada: Leonardo Da Vinci
Art with Mati and Dada: Michelangelo
Aquarium Art
Another fantastic resource for teaching the use of perspective is
Aquarium Art Perspective Lesson for Kids Leah's Newton Art
1) Brain Games: “Perspective Cues, Linear Perspective, and Size Contrast”
2) Ways to Create the Illusion of Space
One Point Perspective (good for drawing one point perspective cityscapes)
Youtube video of walking through the underwater tunnel at the Georgia Aquarium
Youtube video of Georgia's Aquarium: A Guided Tour (good visuals of sea creatures up close)
Farmland Landscapes
I used a lesson plan from Color, collage, and much more - art lessons galore... help yourself and explore!
See this Landscape slideshow for great examples of work that depicts perspective.
This is a step-by-step video of chalk pastel techniques.
I had the students try each technique out on their own paper as they watched the video.
I also discussed the Color Wheel. This helped students understand more about using complimentary colors,
I used a lesson plan from Color, collage, and much more - art lessons galore... help yourself and explore!
See this Landscape slideshow for great examples of work that depicts perspective.
This is a step-by-step video of chalk pastel techniques.
I had the students try each technique out on their own paper as they watched the video.
I also discussed the Color Wheel. This helped students understand more about using complimentary colors,
One Point Perspective with Shapes
The activity below is a good review and reinforcement of perspective- 6th Grade Perspective.
OnE Point Perspective with First Names
This project was inspired by The Rolling Artroom: One Point Names. I started off by having the fifth grade students write their name in an arc going down the paper. Then, I shared a resource on making block letters. Lastly, I had each student draw a dot in the bottom left corner, and they used that as a fixed point to draw lines to the block letters creating the three-dimensional effect.