POV or “Point of view” is a visual style or angle that an artist can use to project their subject matter from a specific vantage point. When artists consider this aspect when creating their compositions it allows them to create an illusion of depth and space on a flat surface.

There are many examples of different kinds of POV that an artist can use. Some more common perspectives that are used in art are:

1. Still lifes
2. Portraits
3. Landscapes

All of these perspectives are typically straight on angles, which have the onlooker feel like they are looking at an object or piece. But when different perspectives are used it can give the onlooker a more unique experience, they can feel like they are actually in the piece or are looking at a scene through another persons eyes. When creating a more unique perspective there are a couple things to keep in mind.

The first is subject perspective, in which an artist considers the point of a view that surrounds the subject of a piece. The second is camera direction, in which the artist places the camera/composition at an unconventional angle looking at the focal point of the piece.

1. Profile
2. 3/4 point of view
3. Warped Grid (fisheye)
4. High angle (like from a drone, or bird)
5. Low angle (like an ant)
6. Not Human (perspectives from inanimate objects like a toothbrush as it’s being used)

When an artist considers camera direction in a piece they can use it to create a more visually engaging image. We as humans are naturally interested in things we are unfamiliar with, so by using an unconventional and unique perspective we as artists can collect more interest in our work.

For my piece, I wanted to draw a scene of Icarus. Icarus is from greek mythology, he was flying with wing that were held together with wax with his father. But he flew too close to the sun and the wax melted, resulting in him falling to his death. I wanted the viewer to be really immersed in the situation and feel as though they were falling with Icarus. So I chose to draw the piece from first person perspective. It was important to me to make Icarus’s hands really expressive. Since we can’t see his emotions from his face, I wanted to be able to convey them through his hands. I also wanted the sun to feel a bit intimidating so I placed it close to the center of the composition and had the wings and clouds frame it.

Overall I really loved experimenting with perspective for this piece, and I’ll definitely want to explore using other perspectives with my work in the future.

Thank you for reading! I hope you have a happy holiday season!

Emma <3