Artists use various techniques in two-dimensional art that connect depth, space and size. One simple technique is called overlapping, where one object is drawn slightly covering another object. By composing the object being covered as smaller than the covering object -- taking into account the size ratio of the objects in question -- an artist can give the piece a sense of distance and depth. Ladder perspective technique arranges elements in a small to large development from the top of a piece to the bottom, making those images at the top seem father away. Linear perspective, finally, uses a geometrical arrangement of space in order to create a vanishing point to which the sizes of objects in the piece are related to. Again, smaller objects typically will look farther away.
Three-dimensional artwork, including sculpture and installation art, works with space in a different way. Relief sculptures are those carved into a single piece of material -- wood, clay, marble. -- and are carved so that the main figures of the sculpture jut out of the material. The amount and distance they emerge from the backing surface is called the amount of relief. High-relief sculptures jut out more than low-relief ones. Freestanding sculptures and installations are made to be viewed from all directions. In this way, artists not only need to build the piece of art, but also take into account the viewer, who will move 360-degrees around the piece and view it from different angles.
Size and space play an important role in curating art shows and exhibits. These in themselves can be viewed as artistic expressions, as exhibits are meant to not only display art, but also do so in a visually and conceptually appealing, suggestive and inviting way. The idea is not to cluster many pieces together, so large artwork should generally stand alone, while smaller pieces can be grouped and arranged closer together. Enough blank space should be allowed to surround each work or collection of like works so that the viewer's gaze is not distracted when viewing the art.
Art comes in many sizes, and size has an effect on how the artist gets his or her message across and how it is received by an audience. Small pieces of art are typically more intimate. Imagine, for instance, the small locket-sized portraits given to people as personal gifts, especially popular during the Renaissance period. On the other hand, large, monumental sculptures are meant to be seen by many and can, without the proper training, be a heavy-handed approach to spreading an artist's message.