Home Forums The Learning Center Composition and Design Are eye level and horizon the same?

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  • #452831
    Retiree
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        I didn’t know quite where to post this, so I thought this might be the appropriate forum. I am still confused. I have googled this question, there seem to be varying opinions as to whether your eye level and horizon are one and the same. Could someone help me out?:confused:

        #583405
        Harold Roth
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            They aren’t the same either in life or in paintings. You can put the horizon anywhere you want in a painting. Some people like to put it high up, some in the middle, some low. Eye level is where the painting is hung. You can have a painting with a low horizon hung at eye level, etc.

            #583380
            La_
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                eye level and horizon do play together.

                a horizon line helps tremendously to figure out the perspective of a work, but a horizon line doesn’t always have to be seen in the painting (it can be off canvas and still provide the help you need with perspective).

                this pic may help you understand a bit more as the horizon line is off canvas with both … follow the vanishing points and you’ll find the horizon.

                you might also enjoy this link about perspective

                la

                _____________________________________________
                When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know Peace

                #583392
                Retiree
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                    They aren’t the same either in life or in paintings. You can put the horizon anywhere you want in a painting. Some people like to put it high up, some in the middle, some low. Eye level is where the painting is hung. You can have a painting with a low horizon hung at eye level, etc.

                    I don’t think I was very clear in my question. Please see the image below on how the eye level/horizon are perceived to be when painting.

                    #583404
                    Colorado_Ed
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                        Sounds like you’ve kind of answered your own question.

                        "The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you." Neil deGrasse Tyson

                        My blog: http://ejsherman.blogspot.com/
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                        #583373

                        The terms horizon and eye level are used interchangeably, but this is largely wrong although standing at sea level and looking out to sea they are interchangeable.

                        Eye level is the line used when calculating perspective and the vanishing point is situated at the eye level.

                        Doug


                        We must leave our mark on this world

                        #583385
                        virgil carter
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                            Both are terms used in linear perspective, as others have said.

                            They are not necessarily interchangeable, however. Eye-level, depends entirely on where the viewer of the perspective is located relative to the horizon. If the viewer is an adult human, standing on the ground, then eye-level and horizon are considered one and the same:

                            This is often the most “realistic” and familiar approach when working with perspective, since as humans, we are most often standing on ground level and looking at things in the distance.

                            On the other hand, if the viewer’s eye level is above or below the horizon, then eye-level and horizon are separate and not the same. For example, the viewer could be sitting or in a prone position. Alternatively, the viewer could be at the top of a tall ladder, looking from a high window of a building, or even in an airplane. All of these “eye-levels”, radically change what one views in a perspective:

                            Hope this helps!

                            Sling paint,
                            Virgil

                            Sling paint,
                            Virgil Carter
                            http://www.virgilcarterfineart.com/

                            #583393
                            Retiree
                            Default

                                I am going to print this out, thank you, very helpful!:clap:

                                #583394
                                Retiree
                                Default

                                    eye level and horizon do play together.

                                    a horizon line helps tremendously to figure out the perspective of a work, but a horizon line doesn’t always have to be seen in the painting (it can be off canvas and still provide the help you need with perspective).

                                    this pic may help you understand a bit more as the horizon line is off canvas with both … follow the vanishing points and you’ll find the horizon.

                                    you might also enjoy this link about [URL=http://www.artyfactory.com/perspective_drawing/perspective_2.html]perspective[/URL]

                                    la

                                    Thank you for the link!

                                    #583395
                                    Retiree
                                    Default

                                        The terms horizon and eye level are used interchangeably, but this is largely wrong although standing at sea level and looking out to sea they are interchangeable.

                                        Eye level is the line used when calculating perspective and the vanishing point is situated at the eye level.

                                        Doug

                                        Thank you as I was not aware of the above.

                                        #583396
                                        Retiree
                                        Default

                                            Sounds like you’ve kind of answered your own question.

                                            Well, the image is taken from a course that I am following by artist Len Hend. So I kind of assumed that this was correct. Thank you for your comment.

                                            #583386
                                            virgil carter
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                                                “…Eye level is the line used when calculating perspective and the vanishing point is situated at the eye level…”

                                                No…the vanishing point(s) for one and two-point perspective are always located on the horizon line:

                                                It’s the eye level which can vary and can change the perspective view, based on where the eye level is in relation to the horizon line. But the vanishing points (for one and two-point perspective) are always on the horizon line.

                                                Three-point perspective opens a new door.

                                                Sling paint,
                                                Virgil

                                                Sling paint,
                                                Virgil Carter
                                                http://www.virgilcarterfineart.com/

                                                #583374

                                                That is only true if the eye level is the same as the horizon. The public conception of “horizon” is where the sky meets the land.

                                                If you are in a valley all horizontals on houses on the mountain slope downwards, if you are on top of a mountain all horizontals on houses in the valley slope upwards.

                                                Doug


                                                We must leave our mark on this world

                                                #583387
                                                virgil carter
                                                Default

                                                    We are missing one another’s points.

                                                    I’m saying: 1) the vanishing points are always on the horizon line for 1- and 2-point perspective. There is no exception, but that horizon line may be artificial as in the case of your valley and mountain analogies (where the actual horizon line cannot be seen as in the case of the photo below), depending on the height of the viewer’s eye; 2) eye level depends on where the viewer’s eye is located in a given perspective. It could be anywhere, including above, on, or below the horizon line.

                                                    sling paint,
                                                    Virgil

                                                    Sling paint,
                                                    Virgil Carter
                                                    http://www.virgilcarterfineart.com/

                                                    #583375

                                                    Nothing wrong with that, in this example the vanishing point is shown on a line going through the heads of the people, i.e. eye level.

                                                    Doug


                                                    We must leave our mark on this world

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