Artists make shapes in the background smaller than shapes in the foreground to cmmunicate their distance

True. This technique is called size perspective and helps create the illusion of depth and distance in a two-dimensional artwork. Smaller shapes in the background suggest that they are farther away from the viewer, while larger shapes in the foreground appear closer. This technique is commonly used in landscape paintings, where the artist wants to convey the sense of distance and depth in the scene.