Pictorial space: a comparative account of projective versus constructivist theories of graphic perception

Abstract

This study aims at constructing an 'overall theoretical outline' that would structure the existing approaches to graphic perception within a comprehensible whole. In this context, two dominant theoretical paradigms, namely 'projective' and 'constructivist' arguments of pictorial perception are analysed in a comparative manner. Due to the fact that different theorists adopt these two arguments in varying degrees, 4 distinct approaches to pictorial perception are analysed extending within two extremes. The comparison is based on the phenomenon of pictorial space as a significant feature of graphic imagery.