In a picture outside, the ground goes along the bottom of the page. The sky goes above it, all the way down to the ground.
Key idea
The sky reaches all the way down to where the land ends. There is no white gap.
Why it works
Look out a window: the sky does not stop high above the trees. It goes all the way down to the far-off line where the land meets the sky. That line is called the horizon.
Worked example: Let's look
Mia painted the grass at the bottom and a strip of blue at the top. What should go in the white part between?
- Outside, there is no white strip of air.
- The sky comes down to the land.
Answer: More sky.
Common mistake
Many children paint a thin strip of blue at the top, with white paper between the sky and the ground. Bring the sky color all the way down to the ground line.
For the grown-up. On a walk, stop and look at the horizon together. Ask, "Where does the sky stop?" Then color a picture with the sky meeting the land.