Things that are far away look smaller, and they sit higher on the page. Things that are near look bigger, and they sit lower.
Key idea
Far: smaller and higher up the page. Near: bigger and lower.
Why it works
Hold your hand up near your eye: it can cover a whole house far away. Near things fill more of what we see, so they look bigger.
Common mistake
Many children draw a faraway tree as big as a near one, side by side at the bottom of the page. Make the far tree smaller and move it up toward the horizon.
Worked example: Let's look
Leo draws a mountain far away and a flower right in front. Which should be bigger on his page?
- The flower is near.
- Near things look bigger, even if they are small in real life.
Answer: The flower.
For the grown-up. Look down a street together: compare a car close by with one far away. Ask, "Which looks bigger? Which is higher up in what we see?"