Why does a building that is 50 feet away appear smaller in size when compared to one that is only 25 feet away from the viewer? One of the key answers to this question is behind the theory of perspective and it’s at the heart of a current Art 1 and Advanced Art 1 project.

“Interior design, architecture, landscape design, video game design, home improvement, it all helps with spacing relations,” art teacher Jeb Matulich said. “It’s an important skill needed to create space in 2D artwork.”

Students have been practicing and refining their perspective drawing skills through drawing models such as furniture, buildings, and more.

“My favorite part about perspective drawing is watching the perspective part of it come to life,” freshman Tuhina Das said. “When I first start working, my lines are usually very obscure and messy, but seeing them gradually build into something more is worth the time spent drawing them.”

Das has been practicing 2-point perspective drawing along with the rest of the Advanced Art 1 courses.

“I definitely hope we have more perspective-related projects in the future,” Das said. “I rarely use perspective in my art and I’d love to keep working with it; it gives my artwork life.”

Some students like Das enjoy the concept of perspective, and view it as an opportunity to get creative and work from her imagination.

Freshman Pritika Bhasin, an Art 1 student, is also fond of traditional perspective drawing.

“I do hope for more perspective drawings because they’re very straightforward and overall fun to do,” Bhasin said. “Perspective drawing can be somewhat difficult because it takes time to get it right, and sometimes the drawings look off even with perspective. Despite the struggle, it all looks great once you’re all done with it.”