Museum of Science, Boston

Classroom Activity: Using Leonardo's Window

Main Idea: Students use a glass window as a canvas. Looking through one eye they can trace the outlines of objects seen through the window to create a drawing with natural and correct perspective.

Learning Objectives:

• To become more aware of perspective.
• To learn and apply a Renaissance technique for creating proper perspective in drawing a scene.

Time Needed: 30 minutes

Materials:

• windows with views
• sheets of acetate
• masking tape
• straight backed chairs
• eye patches or bandanas
• white board or overhead markers
• straight edges
• white paper, a copy of Exploring Linear Perspective for easy reference.

Teacher Notes:

If your school has lots of large windows with views, and a large number of portable chairs, all your student may be able to do this activity at one time. More likely you will want to explain the procedure and then have a few students try it at a time.

If the windows are cold, the markers you use may act as if they are out of ink. Holding them point down and breathing warm air on the points will revive them.

Procedure:

1. Place the chair close to the window but facing backwards.
   
2. Sit with your legs around the chair back.
   
3. Tape the acetate to the window centered at eye level.
   
4. Cover one eye with a patch or bandana.
   
5. Rest your chin on the middle of the chair back and try hard to keep your head absolutely still.
   
   
   
6. Carefully trace the outlines of the objects you see through the window. You may want to use a straight edge when tracing straight lines.
   
7. If you stop to rest, be careful not to move the chair and be sure to put your head back in exactly the same place.
   
   
   
   
8. When you have finished your tracing, remove it from the window and tape it to white paper.
   

Going Further:

If you place white paper on top of your tracing while it is still taped to the window, you can trace the tracing in pencil or another medium to make a more permanent drawing. You may want to add people, animals, plants or buildings to create your own version of the scene. If you wish, color it with paint or crayons.

Students can exchange tracings and try finding the exact spot each was drawn from. They can check their predictions by aligning the tracing on the window and looking with one eye to be sure the drawing's lines match those of the objects outside.

Exploring Your Own Perspective:

Before answering these questions students will need to look at the Exploring Linear Perspective web page.

1. Where is the horizon line in your picture? Looking back at the original view may help you locate it.
2. Can you find any lines or pieces of lines coming closer together as they approach the horizon line? These are orthogonal lines. Can you find the vanishing point? If you aren't sure where it is, try using a straight edge to extend any receding straight lines you find until they meet at the horizon line.

Alison Cole's book Eyewitness Art: Perspective  is a fascinating resource on this topic for students who want to learn more.

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Science Learning Network / email: sln@mos.org / © 1997 The Museum of Science