The Role of Depth in Composition

Session 2: from plane to recession

2.1 General

The painting begins with a flat picture plane. to which is added the illusion of depth. The illusion of depth in a painting may be accomplished through the use of plane (flat shapes) painted parallel to the picture plane and or through the use of recession (strong diagonals in conjunction with linear and aerial perspective).

Note: varying the color intensity between the foreground, middle ground and background planes gives you control over recession in the planer mode.

Some writers on the illusion of depth in painting refer to plane as flat space theory (I prefer shallow space) and recession as continuous space theory, but continuous space theory refers to the use of perspective which can provide the illusion of extreme depth. Both concepts, plane and recession, can provide the artist with the tools
required to create the illusion of pictorial depth.

Note: although the illusion of depth is normally associated with representational painting it may also be found in abstract painting. See Hans Hofmanns abstract painting graphic below.

2.2 Plane or Shallow Space

The landscape images are gathered into foreground, middle-ground and back-ground planes. Each plane is parallel to the picture plane The graphic images on each plane are viewed with a side to side or up and down eye-movement with no in-and-out movement of the eyes except between the planes. The system is much like a theatrical stage with elements of painted scenery located different distances from the audience.

An artist can foreground the entire scene into one plane such that there is no in-and-out movement of the eyes. The only eye movement in that case would be up-and-down and right-and-left. (See example "A" landscape painting below.)

Note: see below graphic of medieval Ikon composed in the plane style.

The artist may design the foreground, middle-ground, back-ground planes such that the viewer's eye moves in a stepping fashion between planes which have been defined by some type of perceptual difference between them. (See example "B" painting below)

Note: In some instances there is a requirement to prevent the volumetric shaped objects within the planes from appearing to move into another plane a foreshortening method is applied. Click on this hyper-link for basic foreshortening concepts.

2.3 Recession or Deep Space

The recessional style uses angles which cause the eye to move in an angular direction creating a forward and backward movement in the visual field. Perspective is an extreme example of this method. (See example "C" below)

Note: Single and multiple point perspective concepts as well as variations of such are used to compose recessional space. Traditional pictorial balance methodology is conceptualized as a balance between a foreground point - usually the lower left of the pictorial field - counterbalancing a middle-ground or background point on the right of the pictorial field.

Summary : recession can be accomplished through overlapping of planes or strong diagonals. It is only important that you recognize the existence of flat planes used to create recession and converging diagonals used to create recession.

2.4   Exercise :

Study the paintings in your reference illustration book in terms of the different types of recession used in their composition. Practice sketching these paintings paying attention to the different recessional methods.

If we have time at this second class we will discuss an integrated exercise which will allow you to identify your compositonal landscape attributes with parallel compositional attributes contained in and while listening to classical music. This exercise creates identifiable links between visual and auditory aesthetics thus providing a multi-dimensional mind expanding exercise.

2.5     Reference Notes:

Reference illustrations in "Thoughts on the North" : by Bruno Cote

Example: "A" Page 33

Trees in foreground form a plane through which the middle-ground and back-ground is seen. Some of the tops of trees in the background tend to merge with the top parts of the trees used in the foreground plane. If this occurred all over then you would have a flat or planer painting.

Example "B" Page 33

As the eye moves upward off the edge of the coloured foliage, (painted as a flat shape in the lower left foreground), it seems to step down into the water of the middle ground.

Example "C" Page 32 (graphic a)

The logs and dark tree together form a large foreground mass. The eye steps from the dark trees on the left to the grey tinted trees and then to a fog providing depth through a succession of planes painted parallel to the foreground plane.

Example "C" Page 9 (graphic b)

A strong diagonal just right of center points slightly upwards into the landscape towards the upper left of the pictorial field.