• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
    • About Art Class Curator
    • Contact
    • Speaking
    • Media & Press
    • Programs for Schools
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Shop
  • Join
  • Member Login

Art Class Curator

Hands-on and Minds-curious Art Learning

  • Art & Artists
  • Art Connection Activities
  • Art Teacher Tips
  • Elements & Principles
  • Downloads & Resources
Home
  • About
    • About Art Class Curator
    • Contact
    • Speaking
    • Media & Press
    • Programs for Schools
  • Blog
    • Art & Artists
    • Elements & Principles
    • Art Connection Activities
    • Art Teacher Tips
    • Downloads & Resources
  • Book
  • Podcast
  • Shop
  • Join
  • Member Login

December 8, 2014 11 Comments

How Artists Depict Space

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Hello there! Today on Masterpiece Monday, we are going to talk about how artist show space with South Beach Bathers by John Sloan. I’ve been using this artwork for years and years to teach about choices artists makes to show depth in their artworks.

Take a look and ask your student(s):

How does this artist show space/depth? How do we know that the people at the front are closer to us than the people in the background?

The Art Curator for Kids - How Artists Depict Space - Masterpiece Monday, John Sloan , South Beach Bathers, 1907-1908, Space Art Lesson, Elements of Art Lesson
John Sloan , South Beach Bathers, 1907-1908

This is a great exercise in looking and in figuring out all the things the artist has to do to convince us that a place and the people are real. Make sure you have your kids think through all of the strategies the artist used before giving them any of the below information. The learning happens through discovery not through telling.

Strategies for Depicting Space in Art

  • Position – The stuff at the bottom of the picture plane (the 2d space the painting occupies) is closer to us, and the stuff at the top is farther away. You can introduce art vocabulary words here–background, middleground, and foreground.
  • Size – The figures that are close to us are painted larger than the figures farther away.
  • Clarity – The figures that are farther from us are painted fuzzier and less detailed than the figures close to us. This is called atmospheric or aerial perspective.
  • Value – The use of shading adds form to the figures and adds to the depth.
  • Proportion – Proportion in art is the size of something in relationship to the size of something else. If something is “in proportion,” everything make sense to our eyes. The eyes are the right size on the face compared with the mouth, the hot dog is not too small or too big compare to the mouth, etc. Putting everything in the correct proportions makes the space believable.
  • Overlapping – When you overlap something on top of another thing. It tells our eyes that the thing on top is closer. If Sloan would have painted the above picture with no overlapping and each figure with space around it, it would flatten the picture and remove the realistic sense of depth.
  • Foreshortening – This is a way of shortening an object in order to make it appear as if it is coming out at the viewer in the artwork. Take a look at the arms of the woman standing. If you measure the arms, her left arm is shorter than the right. We know that her arms aren’t actually different lengths. Our eye sees her left elbow sticking out at us, and the artist understands how to manipulate his figures and proportions to show that to us.
  • Linear Perspective – This is not a strategy covered in the artwork above, but I didn’t want to leave it out. Learn more about linear perspective over at Khan Academy.

Six Ways to Create the Illusion of Space

I love this video illustrating many of these strategies with simple drawings from Italian art teacher Miriam Paternoster.

Space and Perspective Lessons and Project Ideas

Now that you have discussed this work with your kids, here are some extension activities and lessons about depicting space from around the web.

  • From Foreground to Background Lesson from the Getty Museum — This excellent lesson for upper elementary covers a lot of the above concepts in relationship to landscape painting. It has several resources and printables as well as focuses on a work from the Getty’s collection.
  • Free-Fall Foreshortening Art – This is a cute art project good for upper elementary about foreshortening.
  • Drawing Steps for One Point Perspective – A great step-by-step tutorial for drawing with one-point perspective with lots of pictures from . This is another great lesson for upper elementary and middle.
  • Hear, Near, and Far Winter Trees – This is a great lesson on Deep Space Sparkle for the younger lower Elementary kids on perspective introducing the idea in very simple terms. The results are lovely!
  • Perspective Drawing – A HUGE Collection of Perspective Lessons and Resources from the Incredible Art Department.

More About This Artwork

I filmed another video of me talking with my daughter about this artwork. That is coming later soon, and I will also talk a little bit more about this artist and artwork in that post. Warning: It is SO CUTE. πŸ™‚


Want more elements and principles of art resources? Check out the below posts.

The Art Curator for Kids -Example Artworks that Show Space - The Elements and Principles of Art Series-300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Line - The Elements and Principles of Art - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis - The Elements and Principles of Art SeriesElements and Principles of Art - Artworks that Show Proportion in art and ScaleThe Art Curator for Kids - Elements and Principles of Art Series - Artworks that Show Shape - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Why I Hate the Elements and Principles But Teach Them Anyway - 300The Art Curator for Kids - How Artists Depict Space - Masterpiece Monday - John Sloan , South Beach Bathers, 1907-1908, Art Lessons for Kids - Elements of Art Lessons
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Filed Under: Elements and Principles of Art
Tagged With: john sloan

 

You May Also Enjoy These Posts:

The Art Curator for Kids - How to Talk about Art with Kids - John Sloan , South Beach Bathers, 1907-1908Looking at Art with Kids: Video of John Sloan’s South Beach BathersArtworks that Show SpaceProportion in Art: The Ultimate List of Proportion and Scale in Art Examples

Reader Interactions

11 Comments

  1. Ginny Marie

    December 8, 2014 at 1:08 pm

    You just taught me some new things about art! I’m looking forward to sharing South Beach Bathers with my daughters when they come home from school. πŸ™‚

    Reply to this comment
    • Cindy, The Art Curator for Kids

      December 9, 2014 at 10:52 am

      Awesome! Let me know how it goes. πŸ™‚

      Reply to this comment
  2. Danielle @ It's a Love/Love Thing

    December 8, 2014 at 3:01 pm

    Thank you for this overview! I never took art when I was younger, so this is all new to me. Great post!

    Reply to this comment
    • Cindy, The Art Curator for Kids

      December 9, 2014 at 10:52 am

      Thanks! That’s just what I’m trying to do–reach all the people who haven’t been exposed to art and show them how awesome it is! πŸ™‚

      Reply to this comment
  3. Nancy Barth

    December 8, 2014 at 4:51 pm

    I love this informative post! Now that I have some of the tools you suggested for high school kids for Christmas, I can play around. I saw this painting on a FB page yesterday. It feels as if I could be right there.

    http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/dc/a7/d0/dca7d06aa528ab8c60a693e8c20478fc.jpg
    “Knitting lesson”. Pierre Jacques Dierckx (1855-1947), Belgium

    Reply to this comment
    • Cindy, The Art Curator for Kids

      December 12, 2014 at 10:18 am

      Ooh, that’s beautiful! I’ve never seen that one before. Thanks for sharing.

      Have fun making your art! Feel free to share when you finish something. πŸ™‚

      Reply to this comment
  4. Patty

    December 12, 2014 at 7:57 am

    You are amazing! I love your site and all the wonderful nuggets of information. Can’t wait to come back. Already signed up for your newsletter. Thanks for sharing your talents!

    Reply to this comment
    • Cindy, The Art Curator for Kids

      December 12, 2014 at 10:14 am

      Aww, thank you so much! I feel like a celebrity just commented on my blog right now. πŸ™‚

      Reply to this comment
      • SARA DUNNING

        April 11, 2021 at 12:02 am

        I love this! Y’all are two of my favorites in the art teacher world! Thank you both for helping out all of us!

        Reply to this comment
        • Amy Davis

          April 13, 2021 at 6:30 am

          Awww…You’re welcome!

          Reply to this comment
  5. Tricia

    September 1, 2016 at 6:43 pm

    Thanks for a great post! I used it this week with my first week of art classes. πŸ™‚

    Reply to this comment

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hi! I’m Cindy Ingram, the creator of Art Class Curator and The Curated Connections Library

I’m on a mission to revolutionize education with the power of life-changing art connections. Art is not “extra”. Art is essential. We are empowering teachers to bridge the gap between art making and art connection, kindling a passion for art that will transform generations.

More About Me

Free Resource!

Elements & Principles Printable Pack

The Elements & Principles of Art are the foundation of every artwork, but teaching them can be a bore. Wake your students up and engage them with full color artworks, easy to understand definitions, and thought-provoking higher level thinking questions. This versatile resource can be hung in the classroom or used as an art manipulative.

Download

Free Resource!

Elements & Principles Printable Pack

The Elements & Principles of Art are the foundation of every artwork, but teaching them can be a bore. Wake your students up and engage them with full color artworks, easy to understand definitions, and thought-provoking higher level thinking questions. This versatile resource can be hung in the classroom or used as an art manipulative.

Enrollment in Curated Connections Library is currently open. Click here to join. Join our list to get more information and to get a free lesson from the vault! If you are purchasing for a school or school district, head over here for more information.

Check Out What’s New In The Shop

Experience Art: Engaging Art Criticism Discussions and Activities for Teachers and Students of All Ages
Call to Art: An Un-Conference for Art Educators
Curated Connections Library Membership
Perspectives High School Curriculum

More Products

Have You Listened to the Latest Podcast Episode?

Falling for Naudline Pierre’s Evocative Art: A Conversation with Madalyn (Part 2)

More Episodes

Testimonials

I like how this program, unlike other art class resource membership programs, feels authentic. It's like art matters more here, and not fancy flash-in-the-pan trendiness. The goal of Art Class Curator seemed to be helping kids develop a lifelong love and art appreciation versus "Hey, look. I painted this fish."
Erin A.
Your questions are helping me to delve into much deeper learning, and my students are getting better at discussion-and then, making connections in their own work. Art Class Curator is awesome!
Denise W.
Interestingly, my lower performing classes really get engaged in these [lessons] and come away with some profound thoughts!
Melissa G.
I had the most amazing 6th grade class today. They were jumping out of their seats with hands raised just to respond and give input. It was as if I was waving candy in front of them! They saw more and more and the ideas and interpretations unfolded. So cool!!! This is what makes teaching art so wonderful – thank you!!
Caroline G.
I just wanted to thank you for the invaluable resource you have through Art Class Curator. Not only do you have thought provoking activities and discussion prompts, but it saves me so much time in preparing things for myself! I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface with your site.
Maryjane F.

Get Art Inspiration To Your Inbox!

Enter your email address to get regular art inspiration to your inbox
plus a BUNDLE OF 6 FREE WORKSHEETS!
We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe.
Download

Free Worksheets!

*Free Bundle of Art Appreciation Worksheets*

In this free bundle of art worksheets, you receive six ready-to-use art worksheets with looking activities designed to work with almost any work of art.

Copyright © 2025 Ignite Art, LLC DBA Art Class Curator β€’  All rights reserved  β€’  Privacy Policy  β€’  Terms of Service  β€’  Site Design by Emily White Designs