Procedural Lesson - Preview
Look at this painting by Edward Hopper. There is a boat and a lighthouse. How do you think the artist made the boat look closer to the viewer than the lighthouse?
Objective
Identify and describe how foreground, middleground, and background are used to create the illusion of space.
Big Idea
Composition: The placement or arrangement of visual elements in a work of art.
Most paintings can be broken down into three parts: foreground, middleground, and background. Objects in the foreground usually appear larger and closer to the viewer (you) than objects in the background.
Background |
Middleground |
Foreground |
By: Hokusai
Big Idea
Artists paint or draw specific objects or details in the foreground, middleground, and background to create a sense of space. This helps the painting look like it has depth even though it’s on a flat piece of paper or canvas.
When planning the composition of a painting, artists think about how to make the subject of their painting appear close to the viewer.
Model #1
What is in the foreground, middleground, and background of this painting?
What is the subject of this composition? How do you know?
By: Claude Monet
Steps
1. Look at the artwork.
2. Ask myself: What is in the
foreground, middleground, and
background of this painting?
3. Ask myself: What is the subject of
this composition?
Model #2
By: Andrew Wyeth
What is in the foreground, middleground, and background of this painting?
What is the subject of this composition? How do you know?
Guided Practice #1
By: Frederick Remington
Partner A: What is in the foreground, middleground, and background of this
painting?
Partner B: What is the subject of this composition? How do you know?
Guided Practice #2
Partner B: What is in the foreground, middleground, and background of this
painting?
Partner A: What is the subject of this composition? How do you know?
1. What did we learn today?
2. How do artists use foreground, middle
ground and background?
3. What are the steps we use to talk about the
illusion of space in artwork?
Closure
Independent Practice #1
Partner A: What is in the foreground, middleground, and background of this painting?
Partner B: What is the subject of this composition? How do you know?
By: Gustave Caillebote
Independent Practice #2
By: Mary Cassatt
Partner B: What is in the foreground, middleground, and background of this painting?
Partner A: What is the subject of this composition? How do you know?