Perspective Drawings Linear perspective is a geometric method of representing the apparent diminishing of scale as the distance from object to viewer increases. Single- or one-point perspective is the simplest method of making objects look three- dimensional.

One-Point Perspective

In one-point perspective, the horizontals and verticals which run across the field of view remain parallel, as their vanishing points are at 'infinity', with horizontals which are perpendicular to the viewer vanish towards a point near the center of the image.

Sample of a real 1 point Perspective

Note the vanishing point on the left image.

Step 1 First, draw a horizon line about one-third down your page. Use a small dot or line to mark a spot roughly in the middle of the line. That's your vanishing point.

Step 2 Now draw square or rectangle, well below and to one side of your vanishing point. Make sure your vertical lines are perpendicular (at right angles) to your horizon line, and your horizontal lines are parallel.

Now draw a line from each corner of your square or rectangle to the vanishing point. Make sure they are straight and finish exactly at the vanishing point. Step 3

Now comes the tricky bit. Draw a horizontal line, starting a little way along the bottom left vanishing line, across until it joins the bottom right vanishing line. This is the bottom edge of the back of your box. Make sure it is straight - parallel to the horizon and front edge. Now, draw two vertical lines, straight up, from where that back line meets the two vanishing lines, up to the two top vanishing lines. Then add the horizontal line that joins them. Step 4

Step 5 Now you can erase the vanishing lines. You can keep all the lines inside the box if you want it to be see-through, like a fishtank, or, you can carefully erase the back corner - the bottom left, back, and lower back lines, as in the example.

Perspective Practice Now on your own draw a Horizon line with a vanishing Point and randomly draw three Boxes on the paper like this Sample.

Draw the vanishing lines for your boxes. So long as your ruler is lined up correctly, you can stop drawing just short of the vanishing point, so that it is still easy to see, and not lost in a tangle of lines. Perspective Practice

Finish off your single point perspective boxes. Draw: 1.A fish tank 2.An open box 3.A solid box. Perspective Practice

Two-Point Perspective In two-point perspective, the viewer is positioned such that objects (such as boxes or buildings) are viewed from one corner, so that two sets of horizontals diminish towards vanishing points at the outer edges of the picture plane, while only verticals remain perpendicular. It is slightly more complex, as both the front and back edges, and side edges, of an object must be diminished towards vanishing points. Two-point perspective is often used when drawing buildings in the landscape.

Two-Point Perspective

Two point perspective box (1) above, (2) on, and (3) below eye level.

This also works very well for something which crosses the horizon line…. Such as a building. Draw the horizon line with 2 vanishing points and put the vertical line intersecting the horizon line.

Draw Orthogonals from top and bottom of the vertical line through each vanishing point

Add the back two vertical lines

Erase the horizon line behind the box you’ve made. And erase the orthogonals where they extend past your box to the vanishing point.

What if this were a building? How would you make a door and windows? All lines, other than the vertical lines, will go through the vanishing points.

What if you have 2 buildings sitting side by side, but of 2 different sizes? You do it the same way! Start with the one closest to you.

Extend the vertical line which is a shared edge of the 2 buildings to a higher level. Draw orthogonals as you did before, then draw verticals.

Erase extra orthogonals and the horizon line where it goes behind the buildings. Add Windows and doors. You can add a street with more orthogonals.

What about a peaked roof for a house top? Start the same way! Then find the center of the side that will have the peak. Make an “X” as shown below. Draw a vertical line that extends through the middle of the “x” up beyond the top orthogonal.

Draw the peak from the top of the center vertical line, touching and passing the corners of the building as shown in red. Draw Orthogonals from the place where your roof line stops through the vanishing point making the lower edge of the roof, and from the peak to the vanishing point making the top edge. (shown in Orange)

Draw another line for the back of the roof. This line is parallel to the angle of the front of the roof. Erase the extra Orthogonals and the horizon line behind the building.

Complete the lines for roof tops and bottom edges of roof. This will not look complete until the doors, windows, and shading is added.

Complete the lines for roof tops and bottom edges of roof. This will not look complete until the doors, windows, and shading is added.