Art Term Plane A plane surface is a flat surface, and any distinct flat surface within a painting or sculpture can be referred to as a plane TwitterFacebookEmailPinterest Left Right Pablo Picasso Head of a Woman 1924 Tate © Succession Picasso/DACS 2019 Jasper Johns Dancers on a Plane 1980–1 Tate © Jasper Johns Dame Barbara Hepworth Ball, Plane and Hole 1936 Tate © Bowness The flat patches seen in cubist paintings are often referred to as planes, and geometric abstract artists refer frequently to planes in discussing their work.