Art Appreciation - Formal Analysis of an artwork

1.3 Implied Depth: Value and Space

The depiction of space in a work of art is more than just an illusion, trick, or device. By means of a rich and creative variety of techniques, artists through the ages and around the world have given us clues that we can connect with things we have seen and the ways in which we have seen them.

Artists anticipate the effects of light on an object by subtle variations in value. By noting how we see light and shadow the artist can use chiaroscuro or hatching to remind us of solid objects.

When an artist overlaps different shapes, or contrasts their sizes in a particular way, we begin to perceive space and depth in their two-dimensional artwork. The artist, from observation of the real world, mimics variations in texture, brightness, color intensity, and atmospheric perspective. The right method can help even the simplest graphic convey depth.

Different systems of perspective organize and distribute lines and forms in two-dimensional space, allowing artists to create a new and convincing sense of depth. The Renaissance architect Brunelleschi was the first to define a formal system of linear perspective, and since that time artists have exploited the ability to make a two-dimensional surface look as if it opens up into a new space.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS CHAPTER:

• VALUE • SPACE