Confused about foreshortening
https://www.reddit.com/r/ArtFundamentals/comments/r6mr90/confused_about_foreshortening/
2021-12-01 19:21
Drew_Luv
I've noticed how there are two explanations for the subject of foreshortening.
When first reading about it the box closest to the viewer is dramatic and the box farthest to the viewer is shallow. Right?
But I recently went to the lesson material for the form intersections and the explanation goes like this "one box may get smaller REALLY quickly (dramatic perspective or foreshortening) and another may barely change over the length of its form (shallow perspective or foreshortening)." It's like two sides of the same coin. Any comment would be greatly appreciative.
Uncomfortable
2021-12-01 22:21
There are two factors that influence the foreshortening of an object, which may be why you are getting a little confused:
When objects are of larger scale, they tend to have more foreshortening, simply because the far end of said object is going to be much farther away from the viewer, and thus much smaller, resulting in rapid convergences of parallel edges drawn as lines on the page. So basically, when things get really big, they tend to feature more rapid foreshortening. Conversely, if things are far away, they tend to flatten out with more gradual convergences.
When objects are very close to the viewer (think right up to their eye, not just a little close, but uncomfortably so), they'll also end up with more dramatic foreshortening. As soon as you get outside of that "uncomfortably close" proximity, the foreshortening shallows out.
So if you've got a small object really close to the viewer's eye, or a large object a reasonable distance away, it'll be highly foreshortened. If you've got a large object far away, or a small object a reasonable distance away, the foreshortening will be shallower.
The reason we touch briefly upon foreshortening in the form intersections is that because these forms are all meant to be intersecting with one another, things get really complicated when you start playing with crazy foreshortening or stretched forms, because you can easily end up with contradictory information being presented to the viewer.
For example, if you have a highly foreshortened box, that tells us it's really big, and that its far end is far away. But if it's intersecting along the entirety of its length with a box that is much shallower in its foreshortening, does the intersection (which itself defines a relationship between the forms) tell us that the two forms are the same size, despite one being much shallower? It certainly can't be that one of these forms is closer and the other is far away, if they're both intersecting along the entirety of their lengths.
So, for the purposes of avoiding unnecessary distraction and complication that falls outside of the intended scope of the exercise, when doing our form intersections we avoid forms that are overly long in one dimension, and try to keep our foreshortening fairly shallow - as though we're dealing with toy blocks within a comfortable proximity to the viewer.
schizofred76
2021-12-02 01:34
Use your eyes. Reading and understanding is one thing, drawing and seeing is something else.
Exalibur_Turkey
2021-12-02 07:00
Mate what the hell are you doing on this subreddit, people come here to learn you have to help people who are learning, not put them down, positive reenforcement was implemented in schools for a reason
Drew_Luv
2021-12-02 13:41
Thanks alot :)
schizofred76
2021-12-02 15:21
I was being helpful. Theres no substitute for actually doing the work and studying what youre drawing while actually seeing your subject in real life. Thats why theres hours upon hours of life drawing in art school. Thats why students copy masters work. They just dont read about it. Sorry if the truth was to direct for your delicate ears.
Exalibur_Turkey
2021-12-02 18:14
Nope, but we are here to give and take advice, if your advice was essentially practice makes perfect, and maybe watch some pros too you couldve just said that, what you said has been understood as a snarky ass telling someone to look with their eyes The intention was the same, but people generally dont react well to people rude when they are asking for advice
schizofred76
2021-12-03 05:47
Ill speak and say things the way I wish. Thanks.
I offered sincere advice to the posters question. My advice was exactly what I wrote,USE YOUR EYES. You can practice ,practice, practice, drawing never really using your eyes. A Common mistake artists make is drawing the idea instead of what they actually see, thats why many artists use references. An artist has train the eyes.
Is it Possible maybe some of you area bit sensitive?
schizofred76
2021-12-02 15:23
And I didnt put anyone down. I offered a suggestion. Christ, what are you a child?
Exalibur_Turkey
2021-12-02 18:07
Ok, Im sorry for assuming, however maybe try to be a little more polite or clear next time as I and a few others (based off of your downvotes) misunderstood and thought you were being a sarcastic asshole