Space.

Space is one of the seven Elements of Art.

      Space is the area around, above, and within an object. But the feeling of space in a painting or drawing is always an illusion. Painters have been creating the illusion of space for a very long time. Leonardo Da Vinci recorded these devices to show the illusion of space during the Italian Renaissance.

     There are six easy ways to make our three-dimensional drawings and give the illusion of depth and space (by Miriam Paternoster, Arte a scuola)

1. Overlapping. Occurs when a figure partially hides an object that's behind it. Our brain beli
eves that one is closer and the other further.
2. Shading. Light and shadow create the illusion of form and space.
3. Placement on the paper. Elements placed on the top of the  picture are appear to be in the distance.
4. Size. The smaller objects will appear to be further away from the viewer.
5. Value and focus.

• Lighter values and less detail suggest distance. 
• Perception of detail and clarity decrease as things go back into space.
• Objects that are further away are cooler in color temperature, while objects that are closer are warmer.  Color seems to become less intense as it gets further away.

6. Linear Perspective. Linear perspective is a drawing method that uses lines to create the illusion of space on a flat surface.  Things appear to get smaller as they go back into space.