Foreshortenings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An act of reducing the apparent length of an object in art or design through technique
2. A method used to create the illusion of depth by adjusting proportions for perspective
3. The process of visually compressing dimensions to enhance realism in representations

Etymology: "Foreshortenings" is the plural of "foreshortening," the noun for the artistic technique of compressing an object's depth so that a limb or form appears to project toward the viewer. The base word is "foreshorten," formed from "fore," meaning in front or before, and "shorten," so the literal sense is making something shorter in the foreground. Its plural names the several instances of this compression within a work, such as the outstretched arm or the reclining figure seen from the feet.

Synonyms: abbreviations, shortenings