Child-led process art is so important throughout childhood, but you may notice your child beginning to show an interest in technical skills around the age of five. If your 5+ artist is craving technical skill development to make drawings look more realistic, try teaching them how to use atmospheric perspective in their artworks.
According to Wikipedia, atmospheric perspective “refers to the effect the atmosphere has on the appearance of an object as viewed from a distance”. Simply put, this means objects appear lighter when farther away and darker when closer.
You don’t need to be an artist or a teacher to teach your kiddo this easy trick for more realistic drawing. You can do it. I promise. Adding atmospheric perspective to a drawing is easy! Simply use varied pressure on the crayon, pencil or chalk to make objects that are farther away appear lighter and objects closer appear darker.
Take out a piece of paper and give it a try! Simple mountain landscapes like the one in this photo are a great way to start practicing this technique.
Still not quite sure how to get started? Check us out on Instagram and TikTok @eat.play.paint to see us using atmospheric perspective in our drawings. Happy drawing!
