How To Draw A City In One Point Perspective

Goal (Terminal Objective):

Students will create works of art demonstrating their understanding of one-point perspective.

Objective:

Students will design and draw a scene of a city at night in one-point perspective.

National Standards:

Visual Arts Grades 5-8 Content Standard 1: Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes

Visual Arts Grades 5-8 Content Standard 2: Using knowledge of structures and functions

Visual Arts Grades 5-8 Content Standard 3: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject
matter, symbols, and ideas

Visual Arts Grades 5-8 Content Standard 4: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures

Visual Arts Grades 5-8 Content Standard 5: Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others

Purpose:

Students will use one-point perspective as a device to create the illusion of three-dimensional space on a flat surface. Students will view and examine important works from the history of art. Students will exercise their creative thinking in imagining a city.

New Vocabulary:

perspective, horizon line, vanishing point

Materials:

#22-7209 Construction Paper Pencils

#22-1506 Metallic Medium Point Peggable Carton

#22-Metallic Fine Point Peggable Carton

#23-40xx 50 ct. Construction Paper Pack

Straightedges, historical art prints

Time:

This lesson may be modified to last from two to four hours, depending upon size and complexity expectations.

Introduction and Motivation (Set):

Students will view exemplars of cityscapes including works by Hopper and Sheeler. Teacher presents and discusses exemplars.

Instruction:

Teacher introduces the concepts of one-point perspective, horizon line, and vanishing point. Teacher organizes the classroom to facilitate students' easy, orderly access to materials.

Activities:

(1) Guided Practice:

Students reflect upon images provided by teacher.
Students draw simple boxes in one-point perspective.
Students lay out Citysearch design in white construction paper colored pencil on construction paper in one-point perspective.
Students use Sargent Construction Paper Colored Pencils to color the buildings of the city, selecting lightest values for the buildingwindows.
Students add finishing details in Sargent Liquid Metal Markers to highlight brightest areas.
Clean up with soap andwater.

(2) Independent Practice and Check for Understanding: Teacher approves students' pencil drawings that demonstrate correct use of perspective. Teacher circulates among the working students visually recording (checklist) students demonstrating understanding of objectives, asking direct questions when understanding isn't observable, and asking peers to critique each other.
Teacher helps and reinforces students as they work. Teacher helps and reinforces students as they work.

(3) Closure: Students display their work.

Evaluation:

Use teacher or class critiques to evaluate particularly strong works and strong qualities within works.

Level One – The finished drawing clearly shows a city at night in one-point perspective. The imagery and symbols are clear. Perspective is correct throughout the drawing.
Colors are bright and contribute to the feeling of the city's energy. The organization of the drawing is complex and interesting. The student used a variety of materials appropriately to create an interesting visual effect. Craftsmanship is excellent.

Level Two – The finished drawing shows a city at night in one-point perspective. The imagery and symbols are clear. Perspective is correct throughout the drawing. A variety of colors is used. The organization of the drawing is balanced. The student used a variety of materials. Craftsmanship is good.

Level Three — The finished drawing shows a city in one-point perspective, although the perspective may not always be accurate. Some imagery may be unclear. It is not clear that the scene occurs at night. A variety of colors is used. The organization of the drawing may be unbalanced. The student used materials appropriately. Craftsmanship is variable.

Level Four — The finished painting does not demonstrate an understanding of perspective. The imagery and symbols are unclear, difficult to delineate, or flat. The student used materials inappropriately. Craftsmanship is poor.

Extension:

This project can be extended to create a variety of different environments, or can be done in two-point or three-point perspective. A daytime view might also include

cast shadows drawn in perspective. Larger paper can be used for a longer project duration.

Resources:

http://isaacsartcenter.hpa.edu/HTML/pohl_louis_bio.html
www.ibhe.org/Art/Gallery/2004/Collograph2.jpg
http://artmuseum.msu.edu/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId= 336&g2_serialNumber=4
http://www.wsworkshop.org/_class/_images/07_nessim_girl.jpg

BY MARK SCHATZ,
Art Consultant

#22-7209 Construction Paper Pencils/div>

#22-1506 Metallic Medium Point Peggable Carton

#22-Metallic Fine Point Peggable Carton

#23-40xx 50 ct. Construction Paper Pack