The document discusses how artists use foreground, middle ground, and background to show depth and space in artwork. It provides examples of famous paintings and interactive exercises for identifying the foreground, middle ground, and background in different pieces of art. Users are asked to silently think about the placement of these elements in several classic paintings.

1. Defining & Identifying Foreground,
Middle Ground, & Background
Amy Bultena
www.artfulartsyamy.com
@artfulartsyamy

2. Artists
show
space &
depth in
many
ways.

3. One way to show
space is to
overlap parts of
an artwork to
create a
foreground,
middle ground,
& background.

4. One way to show
space is to
overlap parts of
an artwork to
create a
foreground,
middle ground,
& background.

5. One way to show
space is to
overlap parts of
an artwork to
create a
foreground,
middle ground,
& background.
Seven Hills: An American
Landscape
Joshua Shaw
1818

6. The
background
shows items
that are in
the back of
an artwork.

7. The
foreground
shows items
that are in
the front of
an artwork.

8. The middle
ground
shows items
that are in
the middle of
an artwork.

9. Identify
Background
Middle Ground
Foreground

10. Identify
Background
Middle Ground
Foreground

11. Identify
Background
Middle Ground
Foreground

12. Identify
- Foreground
(Click shape to select)

13. Back
Oops!
Try again!
Identify
- Foreground

14. Oops!
Try again!
Back
Identify
- Foreground

15. Next
Correct!
Great job!
Identify
- Foreground

16. (Click shape to select)
Identify
- Background

17. Back
Oops!
Try again!
Identify
- Background

18. Back
Oops!
Try again!
Identify
- Background

19. Next
Correct!
Great job!
Identify
- Background

20. Identify
- Middle Ground
(Click shape to select)

21. Back
Oops!
Try again!
Identify
- Middle Ground

22. Back
Oops!
Try again!
Identify
- Middle Ground

23. Next
Correct!
Great job!
Identify
- Middle Ground

24. Starry Night
Vincent Van Gogh
1889
Think silently
inside your head.
Can you identify:
- Foreground
- Middle Ground
- Background

25. Think silently
inside your head.
Can you identify:
- Background
- Middle ground
- Foreground

26. Think silently
inside your head.
Can you identify:
- Middle ground
- Background
- Foreground
Christina’s World
Andrew Wyeth
1948

27. Think silently
inside your head.
Can you identify:
- Middle Ground
- Foreground
- Background

28. Think silently
inside your head.
Can you identify:
- Foreground
- Middle Ground
- Background
The Great Wave Off Kanagawa
Katsushika Hokusai
1829-1833

29. Think silently
inside your head.
Can you identify:
- Foreground
- Middle Ground
- Background

30. Think silently
inside your head.
Can you identify:
- Background
- Middle Ground
- Foreground
Jungle with Lion
Henri Rousseau
1904-1910

31. Think silently
inside your head.
Can you identify:
- Middle Ground
- Background
- Foreground

32. Think silently
inside your head.
Can you identify:
- Middle Ground
- Foreground
- Background
Exotic Landscape
Henri Rousseau
1910

33. Think silently
inside your head.
Can you identify:
- Background
- Middle Ground
- Foreground