Linear Perspective

They way we see certain things is due to how we perceive them. There are many different types of perception. Some include figure and ground, Linear

Perspective, depth perception (both binocular and monocular) and others. The perspective that I would like to discuss more in depth is Linear perspective. Linear perspective is when two parallel lines of a picture or in the outside world appear to come together with distance. If the parallel lines continue far enough, it appears that the two lines completely align. In other words the more the lines come together, the greater the distance is perceived. Linear perspective is considered a monocular cue and is one of the many forms of perception that Artists use to portray depth within their paintings and to allow for more texture within their work.

During the summer, I am a camp counselor at YMCA camp Kon-o-Kwee Spencer. The way our summer camp is set up is to be, in a sense, aesthetically pleasing for the campers and their families as they enter the camp. The road of the camp was designed to portray depth and as they are entering they are getting closer and closer to the end. The less the parallel lines converge, the distance is perceived as shorter and shorter. The did this on purpose to make this feeling towards the campers that they are getting closer and closer to camp. The drive down the famous path lined with parallel lines of pine trees is notorious around the camp. The designers used linear perspective to draw attention towards one place on camp. At the end of the path is the dining hall. The less the lines converge, the closer the dining hall gets, and the less distance there is between the camper and their family and sign-in. Shown below is a picture of what the entrance to my camp looks like from the beginning of the parallel set of trees.