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May 3, 2017 3 Comments

Proportion in Art: The Ultimate List of Proportion and Scale in Art Examples

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I’m continuing with my Elements and Principles of art series on the blog today focusing on scale and one of the principles of design proportion. Scale and proportion in art are closely related and both deal with the size and the relationship of things to other things.

Here are some artworks you can use to teach scale and proportion in art for your elements and principles of art lessons. I will add to this list when I find more, so this is a good one to pin or bookmark! The horizontal images do not contain all of the examples.

Download the Free Elements and Principles Printable Pack


This pack of printables was designed to work in a variety of ways in your classroom when teaching the elements and principles of art. You can print and hang in your classroom as posters/anchor charts or you can cut each element and principle of art in its own individual card to use as a lesson manipulative.

Proportion in Art Examples

Proportion in Art artwork examples

Proportion in Art: Good Proportion

  • Caravaggio, Still Life with Fruit, ca. 1603

Proportion in Art: Emphasizing Space with Proportion

  • Andrew Wyeth, Christina’s World, 1948
  • Hiroshige, 107 Fukagawa Susaki and Jūmantsubo (5th Month, 1857) from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, 1857
  • Gustave Caillebotte, Paris: A Rainy Day, 1877
  • Pieter Brueghel, Hunters in the Snow, 1565

Proportion in Art ExamplesOut of Proportion Art

  • Sir John Everett Millais, The Blind Girl, 1854-56
  • André Derain, Portrait of a Man with a Newspaper, 1911-1914
  • Songye people, Democratic Republic of Congo, Female Figure, late 1800s-early 1900s
  • Fernando Botero, Dancing in Colombia, 1980
  • Dorothea Tanning, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, 1943
  • Saul Steinberg, The Fisherman
  • Giacometti, Man Pointing, 1947
  • Prehistoric, Nude Woman (Venus of Willendorf), c. 28,000-25,000 B.C.E (On ACFK, 5 Artworks to Promote Introspection)
  • Parmigianino, Madonna with the Long Neck, 1535-4

ARTWORKS THAT SHOW PROPORTION AND SCALE in Art examplesProportion in Art: Manipulating Proportion of Figures for Meaning

  • Ben Shahn, We French Workers Warn You, 1942
  • Hannah Hoch, Equilibre (Balance), 1925
  • Michelangelo, Pieta, 1498-99
  • Gerardo Feldstein, All at this Link

Artworks with Things Out of Proportion with Other Things

  • Jeff Jordan, Curiosity, 2009
  • Francisco Goya, The Colossus, c. 1808
  • René Magritte, Les valeurs personnelles (Personal Values), 1952
  • Hans Eworth, Allegorical Portrait of Sir John Luttrell, 1550
  • N.C. Wyeth, The Giant, 1923

Scale and Proportion in Art ExamplesHierarchical Scale in Art

  • Ancient Egypt, Nebamun Hunting in the Marshes, ca. 1350 B.C.E.
  • Tanjore style painting from the late 19th century showing the ten Sikh, Gururs, Bhai Bala, and Bhai Mardana
  • Sumer, the Standard of Ur, about 2600-2400 B.C.E.
  • Palette of King Narmer, from Hierakonpolis, Egypt, Predynastic, c. 3000-2920 B.C.E
  • Benin Plaques, 16th-17th century

Principles of Design ProportionBig Scale in Art

  • Ron Mueck, A Boy, 2005
  • Ron Mueck, A Girl, 2006
  • Georgia O’Keeffe, Oriental Poppies, 1928
  • The Colossus of Constantine, c. 312-15
  • Nazca Earth Drawings
  • Chuck Close, Mark, 1978-79
  • Henry Beacon and Daniel Chester French, Lincoln Memorial, 1914-22
  • Robert Smithson, Spiral Jetty, 1970
  • Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, Spoonbridge and Cherry, 1985-88

Proportional ScaleSmall Scale in Art

  • Jade Mountain Illustrating the Gathering of Poets at the Lan T’ing Pavilion, 1784
  • Diem Chau, Mahjongg
  • Yang Yongliang, A Bowl of Taipei, 2012
  • Slinkachu, Any Artworks at this Link

Scale in Art: Artworks that Show the Scale of Nature in Relationship to Humans

  • Shen Zhou, Poet on a Mountaintop, 1496
  • Caspar David Friedrich, Wanderer above the Sea of Fog, c. 1818
  • Albert Bierstadt, Valley of the Yosemite, 1864

Elements and Principles Teaching Bundle

This extraordinary bundle includes the best resources for teaching each of the elements and principles—37 worksheets/handouts, 15 lessons (with accompanying PowerPoints and Handouts), 3 ready-to-go art analysis activities, 3 art analysis videos, and 13 elements and principle PDF articles.

Buy Now

There you have it! The best scale and proportion in art examples for your elements and principles of art lessons. Want more elements and principles of art teacher 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
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Filed Under: Elements and Principles of Art

 

You May Also Enjoy These Posts:

The Art of an Idea-The Concepts of Sol Lewitt InstructionThe Art of an Idea: Math and Art Integration with Sol LeWitt’s InstructionThe Best Examples of Emphasis in ArtThe Best Examples of Balance in Art: Symmetrical, Asymmetrical, and Radial

Reader Interactions

3 Comments

  1. Bridget

    July 13, 2018 at 11:37 am

    Thank you so much! I’m working on using artwork to show proportions in math class, so this is incredibly helpful!

    Reply to this comment
  2. Alexandra H

    April 23, 2021 at 8:13 pm

    Thank you! I learned a lot from your hard work and excellent observations!

    Reply to this comment
    • Amy Davis

      April 27, 2021 at 10:16 am

      You’re welcome! So glad you are enjoying!

      Reply to this comment

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