What Is the Birds Eye View Definition in Art?

A beautiful view as though seen through the eyes of a bird.

As an idiomatic phrase, a bird's-eye view means something that can be seen with absolute clarity. In the artistic sense, it means the aerial perspective or angle used for a work of art, as if seen through the eyes of a bird.

Why It's Used

The artist, whether a painter, photographer or filmmaker, may choose a certain perspective for his piece in order to further its meaning.

How It's Used

A piece of art with a bird's-eye view.

It is common to see a bird's-eye view in drawings, paintings, and pastels depicting landscapes. Film is another medium that often employs this technique.

Interpreting Its Use in Film

Seeing this view at the start of a movie would give a broad but clear idea of setting.

The most common filmic uses for bird's-eye view are to represent God's perspective, to give a sense of vulnerability as the high angle reduces man's comparative size to the world, or to establish a setting.

Examples in Film

Filmed from far overhead, the opening scenes of "American Beauty," "Rosemary's Baby" and "West Side Story" are all classic examples of using the bird's-eye view.

Other Perspectives

Example of a low-angle view.

Just as perspective is only one compositional element of art, the bird's-eye view is just one perspective. Other angles are the straight-on or eye-level, the low, the high (not as high as the bird's-eye view) and the tilted.

References

• Purdue University: Establishing Shot
• "The Critical Eye"; Margo Kasdan, Christine Saxton, Susan Tavernetti; 1998