The Renaissance is much different than any time period before. It is not so much based on styles, but individuals that make wonderful contributions to society. These individuals are for the first time given credit for their work. Before, the emperor, lord, or king received the credit for someones work. No the architect and artist garners the accolades. So as we see the renaissance unfold, the individual becomes important and their contributions seen by more than the rulers.
Story Of Architecture Reading
Pages 78-91
Aerial Perspective
Leonardo was fascinated by the atmosphere and by its effects on the colors and distinctness of distant objects. Though other artists had already begun to create some of these effects in their work, Leonardo was the first to make careful measurements and suggest rules for applying them realistically in painting. He called the subject aerial perspective.
Aerial Perspective ~ Creating a sense of depth in painting by imitating the way the atmosphere makes distant objects appear less distinct and more bluish than they would be if nearby. Also known as atmospheric perspective.
In morning light Leonardo observed that distant objects such as mountains look bluer and less distinct than nearby mountains. He also noted that the more distant the mountain, the more its color approached that of the surrounding atmosphere.
His experiments suggested that to correctly color objects at different distances, artists should do as follows: Paint the nearest one its true color. Paint the one behind proportionately bluer, and the one behind that bluer still.
Thus if one is to be five times as distant, make it five times bluer. ~Leonardo