Why linear perspective? Inspired by Patrick Caulfield.

During my student teaching assignment, my cooperative teacher suggested incorporating the use of linear perspective into a lesson for the ninth-grade Art 1 classes. The students were completing a study of the Italian Renaissance and investigating the revolutionary art innovations of that period. As I thought about ways to present a lesson on linear perspective, two goals became important:

First, I wanted a perspective lesson that would avoid dependence solely on logical measuring and left-brain processing. I thought that it was important for students to use sighting techniques as described by Betty Edwards in Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain in combination with a knowledge of linear perspective to depict space. I wanted students to feel comfortable and confident with linear perspective and avoid rigid, contrived artwork.

Second, I hoped that students would appreciate the current relevance and usefulness of perspective. Because contemporary British artist Patrick Caulfield incorporates both linear perspective and collage elements, I thought his work would capture student interest. In his paintings, Patrick Caulfield combines black outlines with monochromatic color to depict lonely, contemplative spaces. Discussing the moods and meanings in Caulfield's work was particularly intriguing to the students. They enjoyed comparing ways in which Patrick Caulfield's paintings were similar to and influenced by twentieth-century artists such as Rene Magritte, Roy Lichtenstein, and Edward Hopper.

Process

We began the lesson with a practice drawing of an imaginary interior using one-point perspective. Using rulers, students drew a room and added items such as windows, doorways, rugs, a drop ceiling, or a tiled floor. Next, we talked about sighting techniques as a way to measure angles and compare size relationships of objects. Students held their pencils at arm's length and practiced sighting within the artroom.

Following our exploration of Patrick Caulfield's paintings, students began a series of thumbnail sketches depicting the interior of the artroom, each from a separate viewpoint. The ninth graders enjoyed positioning themselves around the room. A few students sat on a counter next to the windows and included a view of the school rooftops. Several students and interesting views from outside the artroom looking in through the doorway; others sat on chairs positioned on top of tables or on the floor to experience high and low vantage points. At first, students found perspective drawing difficult, but with practice they soon caught on and began challenging themselves further. They opened cupboard doors, pulled out drawers, and included organic objects seen around the room in their drawings.

Using fine-point, permanent, felt-tip markers, students drew over their pencil lines. Although they tried to persuade me, I did not allow them to use rulers for this step. Using pencil lines as guidelines for drawing with the markers made the final appearance less rigid. After viewing the final work, many students agreed that the freely drawn lines added character to their drawings.

Patrick Caulfield used house paint to achieve flat areas of color in many of his paintings. Latex paint proved to be a good choice for our purposes as well. Although many students were eager to paint their final piece, we found it necessary to create three miniature preparatory studies to test color choices. These studies proved to be invaluable when several students discovered that their lines did not show through the paint layers. We thinned several colors with water to solve the problem. A maximum of three colors were permitted for the final drawings. With broad strokes and a soft brush, students painted over their lines. After the paint dried, they retraced their lines with the felt-tip marker. Several students needed to use a light table to see their lines through the paint.

To complete the painting, students chose an area of focus that would contrast with the monochromatic interior. Their choices included adding a surreal element using collage, or rendering an object in detail using acrylic paint. Most students chose to add a collage element cut from a magazine. The results were fascinating. Our image of the artroom was transformed. I displayed the artwork in the hallway and felt very privileged for the opportunity to work with such an imaginative and talented group of students.

Student Self-Evaluation

To assess their paintings students completed a self-evaluation form. The objectives they considered when evaluating their work were posted on a rubric in the classroom during the project. In addition to answering questions about the life and work of Patrick Caulfield, students considered the following in relation to their paintings:

1. use of sighting and linear perspective to depict a three-dimensional space;

2. choice of an interesting or unusual point of view for their drawing;

3. control of monochromatic color;

4. incorporation of a unique or original area of focus with detail or collage;

5. overall presentation.

NATIONAL STANDARD

Students create artworks that use organizational principles and functions to solve specific visual arts problems and evaluate their effectiveness.

At the time this article was written, Cara Longacre Hurst was a Kutztown University student teacher at Wyomissing Area Junior/Senior High School in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. Her cooperating teacher was Michael Miller.