TExES Art EC-12 (178) Practice Exam

Depth in a multi-layer composition is built by placing elements in foreground, middle ground, and background. The layer between the closest elements and the farthest ones is the middle ground. It serves as a transition zone where objects are smaller and less detailed than in the foreground but not as faint as in the background, helping the viewer move from near to far. Overlapping relationships and relative size in the middle ground reinforce depth—think of a mid-distance hill or group of trees that partially hides the distant hills. The background contains the farthest elements and is typically softened by atmospheric perspective. The horizon is a line, not a layer, marking eye level. So the layer between closest and farthest is the middle ground.