ART LESSON PLAN

SUBJECT: ONE-POINT PERSPECTIVE

GRADE: FIFTH

OBJECTIVES:

  1. Reinforce and review one-point perspective.
  2. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the following terms:
    • Horizontal and Vertical
    • Depth
    • Horizon and Horizon Line
    • Parallel
    • Plane
  3. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the principles of perspective:
    • Foreshortening
    • Convergence
    • Overlapping
    • Vanishing Point
  4. Students will create a drawing in one-point perspective.

MATERIALS:

9X12 and 12X18 white drawing paper, three dimensional cube, perspective drawing examples, colored pencils and fine point black markers.

MOTIVATION:

Perspective drawing builds the foundation in which artists can create a realistic looking environment. Prior to the invention of perspective, drawings and paintings had a flat quality, the illusion of depth was missing. Teacher will use art history examples to illustrate the point. Some examples of M. C. Escher’s work will be used to illustrate modern use of perspective drawing and to excite the students about the coming projects.

PROCEDURE:

Explain and illustrate principles of perspective:

  1. A plane is a flat surface existing in space.
  2. Vertical and Horizontal
  3. Parallel
  4. Vanishing point.
  5. Horizon line.
  6. Convergence

Distribute drawing paper and have students fold paper horizontally to make a horizon line. Place a vanishing point near the center of the paper. Draw light pencil lines out from the vanishing point to the edges of the paper. Use a ruler to draw horizontal or vertical lines to establish the edges of a plane. Teacher should demonstrate each step at board.

When teacher is satisfied that students understand the concept of planes in perspective the class will begin to combine planes to create three dimensional shapes in two- point perspective.

Use a box or a cube for demonstration of an object which is made up of planes.

  1. Draw a square on the board using a ruler, pass out 9X12 paper and have students draw a square in the right hand corner of their paper.
  2. Place a vanishing point near the center of the paper.
  3. Extend vanishing lines to the point from all four corners of the square.
  4. Ask students which one of the lines to the vanishing point was unnecessary?
  5. Cut off the side of the cube using a vertical line and the tip of the cube using a horizontal line. Demonstrate how the shape of the cube changes according to how far the cut-off lines are placed from the square.
  6. Which sides of the cube are visible? front, top, and left side. Why? Because the cube is to the right and below the vanishing point, therefore below the horizon. How would the drawing change if the cube was placed above the horizon? You would be able to see the bottom instead. To the left? You would see the right side instead of the left.
  7. Spend the rest of the class helping students draw cubes above, below, to the right, and to the left of the vanishing point.
  8. For the final drawing students will create a room and place in that room any furniture, windows, and other accessories that they like. Demonstrate for students how almost any shape can be created by breaking it down into cubes. These drawings may be painted.

EVALUATION

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