Foreshortening

Foreshortening is a figure drawing and painting technique in which an object or part of it is drawn shorter than its true length because it extends toward or away from the viewer. It is a consequence of perspective projection: parts that lie along lines converging toward a vanishing point appear compressed. Proper foreshortening creates a sense of depth and immediacy in a two-dimensional image.

In practice, artists determine the viewer’s line of sight and the position of the horizon, then depict forms as they are projected onto the picture plane. This often involves elongating or compressing shapes, overlapping forms, and controlling tonal values to read depth. Foreshortening can be used for limbs reaching forward, torsos bent toward the observer, or objects oriented toward the viewer. The technique is challenging because proportions change with viewpoint, requiring careful observation and sometimes a preparatory grid or studies. Notable historical examples include Andrea Mantegna’s Dead Christ and various Renaissance depictions of saints and apostles where limbs appear dramatically shortened.

Beyond painting, foreshortening occurs in sculpture, photography, and film when the subject is viewed from an extreme angle. Artists and photographers exploit this effect to enhance drama, action, or spatial drama; in digital rendering, perspective cameras and lens choices simulate foreshortening. The term also appears in medical illustration and anatomy, where accurate foreshortening conveys limb movement and spatial relationships.