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Lesson 16: Perspective - Atmospheric Now that you have learned how to draw objects with straight lines in perspective, let's learn how to create depth in a landscape using "atmospheric" perspective. This technique uses color, value (light and dark) and clarity to make objects look like they are going away into the distance. This is important for drawing landscapes. |
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Color: The colors in a landscape tend to get COOLER as they get further away into the distance. Things in the foreground tend to have slightly WARMER colors. |
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Value: Objects in a landscape tend to get LIGHTER as they get further away. Things in the foreground tend to be DARKER in value. |
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Clarity: Objects in a landscape tend to get BLURRIER and LESS DETAILED as they get further away. Things in the foreground tend to be SHARPER and MORE DETAILED. |
Now let's look at a famous painting by Claude Monet, called "Meadow with Poplars".
See if you can notice the changes in color, value and clarity that create depth:
The background is LIGHT, COOL and BLURRY. Notice all of the blue used.
The foreground is DARK, WARM and SHARP. Notice the warm, red flowers and yellow-green grass! |
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In this lesson, we will color in the perspective drawings that we made in Lesson 14 and use the principles above to create a three dimensional effect!
You will need the following supplies:
Drawings from Lesson 14
Colored Pencil Set
#2 Pencil with eraser (Level 3 only)
Let's get started!
Note: We will be adding many layers of colored pencil. The layers should be LIGHT, but the strokes CLOSE TOGETHER:
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RIGHT!
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1. ALL LEVELS: Fill in all of the boxes with a green colored pencil:
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Levels
2 and 3
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2. Level 1: Add a light layer of red to the 3 boxes in the front.
Levels 2 and 3: Add a light layer of red to the 2 front rows of boxes (6 total).
3. ALL LEVELS: Go back over the red areas with green again. Remember to keep your pressure LIGHT and your strokes CLOSE TOGETHER! We have begun to darken the boxes in the foreground.
4. ALL LEVELS: Add a light layer of yellow to the 3 boxes in the FRONT. We have now added WARMTH to the foreground.
5. ALL LEVELS: Using a #2 pencil, lightly draw a sun in the top right corner. (You will erase this later.) This is our LIGHT SOURCE. It will determine where the shadows will be.
Add a light layer of red to the sides of the boxes that are NOT being directly hit by sunlight.
6. ALL LEVELS: Add another layer of green over the red areas you just colored. Use VERY LIGHT PRESSURE on the boxes in the background! Use hard pressure on the FRONT panels of the boxes in the front.
7. ALL LEVELS: Add a light layer of light blue to the 2 boxes in the background. We have now "cooled off" the background.
8. LEVEL 3 ONLY: You will add cast shadows to the drawing.
- Draw a dot in the center of the sun.
- Use this dot as a reference point for drawing cast shadows from the boxes.
- Use a ruler and #2 pencil. Make all "vertical" lines go back to the center point in the sun.
9. ALL LEVELS: Fill in the entire ground area with a tan pencil. Use the same, light pressure all over.
10. ALL LEVELS: Lightly add some light blue to the "back end" of the ground (the top) and some yellow to the "front end" of the ground (the bottom). We have now "cooled off" the background and "warmed up" the foreground of the ground.
11. ALL LEVELS: Now add some more tan to the foreground and fade it back as you go up. Do this by gradually lightening your pressure as you go up. We have now darkened the foreground.
12. LEVEL 3 only: Fill in the cast shadows with a black pencil. Blur the edges slightly. Color the cast shadows in the foreground darker than the ones in the background.
13: ALL LEVELS: Fill in the sky with a light blue pencil. Make it darker at the top and gradually get lighter as you get to the horizon.
Great job, class!
You have learned both linear and atmospheric perspective and made these boxes really come to life!
Next lesson, we will explore the style of "Impressionism".
Lesson 17