Question

What are the advantages of two-dimensional art forms like photographs?

Answer 1

Whenever we look at a flat surface (a picture, a television screen) and assume we are looking at spaces and objects that have depth, we are accepting a set of visual signals that create an illusion of three dimensional space. 3D cues are so common today that we are almost unaware of them. However, these signals were not always used and understood; even today in some preliterate societies, people may have difficulty understanding 3D illusions. Understanding how these illusions work is a key to developing our ability to think spatially. Spatial concepts come into play whether we are trying to find our way through the streets of a strange town, figure out how to wrap cloth around a body to achieve a fashion idea, envision the inner structures of a complex mechanism or body part, or simply do an accurate drawing of what we see.

Two dimensional forms can create the illusion of three dimensional shapes and spaces