Rank order scaling of pictorial depth

doi:10.1068/i0432aap

Art and Perception

Rank order scaling of pictorial depth

Andrea van Doorn

Delft University of Technology, Industrial Design, Landbergstraat 15, NL-2628 CE Delft, The Netherlands

a.j.vandoorn@tudelft.nl

Jan Koenderink

Delft University of Technology, EEMCS, MMI, Mekelweg 4, NL-2628 CD Delft, The Netherlands; and University of Leuven (K.U. Leuven), Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, Tiensestraat 102-box 3711, BE-3000 Leuven, Belgium

j.j.koenderink@tudelft.nl

Johan Wagemans

University of Leuven (K.U. Leuven), Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, Tiensestraat 102-box 3711, BE-3000 Leuven, Belgium

johan.wagemans@psy.kuleuven.be

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Abstract. We address the topic of “pictorial depth” in cases of pictures that are unlike photographic renderings. The most basic measure of “depth” is no doubt that of depth order. We establish depth order through the pairwise depth-comparison method, involving all pairs from a set of 49 fiducial points. The pictorial space for this study was evoked by a capriccio (imaginary landscape) by Francesco Guardi (1712-1793). In such a drawing pictorial space is suggested by the artist through a small set of conventional depth cues. As a result typical Western observers tend to agree largely in their visual awareness when looking at such art. We rank depths for locations that are not on a single surface and far apart in pictorial space. We find that observers resolve about 40 distinct depth layers and agree largely in this. From a previous experiment we have metrical data for the same observers. The rank correlations between the results are high. Perhaps surprisingly, we find no correlation between the number of distinct depth layers and the total metrical depth range. Thus, the relation between subjective magnitude and discrimination threshold fails to hold for pictorial depth.

Cite as: van Doorn A, Koenderink J, Wagemans J, 2011, "Rank order scaling of pictorial depth" i-Perception 2(7) 724–744
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DOI: 10.1068/i0432aap

ISSN: 2041-6695 (electronic only)

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