What effect can an artist achieve by correctly rendering proportion in their work?

Correctly rendering proportion in an artwork is crucial for achieving realism. When an artist accurately depicts the sizes and relationships of objects within their composition, the result is a convincing representation of the physical world. Realism in art strives to portray subjects as they appear in everyday life, capturing their true dimensions and spatial relationships.

Proportion helps to create a sense of scale, depth, and perspective, allowing viewers to perceive the depicted scene as plausible and lifelike. For instance, if a human figure is properly proportioned in a landscape, it helps to establish a believable interaction between the figure and its environment. In contrast, abstraction, expressionism, and surrealism often intentionally distort proportions to evoke specific emotions or convey alternative realities, rather than aiming for an authentic representation of the observable world.