Clues to near and far
Use visible relationships to understand depth in a flat picture.
The picture in words
- Overlap
- An object partly covering another supplies a depth cue.
- Relative size
- Similar objects appearing smaller can seem farther away.
- Linear perspective
- Parallel edges can appear to converge with distance.
Reading the illustration
Read each scene as a different visual clue to distance: overlap, apparent size under a same-size assumption, or converging edges.
Try a question
Which cue is used when one book partly covers another?
Show the explanation
The covering relationship supplies overlap information. Several cues can contribute to the same impression of depth.
Read the sources
- Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/5-3-visionSelected rendered passages: Depth perception subsection.