Basic Perspective Rules

Key Concepts

• One-Point Perspective
• Two-Point Perspective
• Vanishing Point

One-Point Perspective

One-point perspective is a drawing technique that uses a single vanishing point to create the illusion of depth. In this method, all parallel lines converge to a single point on the horizon. This technique is often used to draw streets, hallways, or rooms where the sides of the objects are parallel to the viewer.

Example: Imagine drawing a long, straight road. The edges of the road would converge to a single point on the horizon, creating the illusion that the road extends far into the distance.

Two-Point Perspective

Two-point perspective uses two vanishing points to create depth. This technique is used when drawing objects that are not parallel to the viewer, such as buildings. Each set of parallel lines in the drawing will converge to one of the two vanishing points on the horizon.

Example: Think of drawing a house. The vertical lines of the house remain straight, but the horizontal lines for the walls and roof converge to two different points on the horizon, making the house look three-dimensional.

Vanishing Point

The vanishing point is the point on the horizon where parallel lines appear to meet. In one-point perspective, there is only one vanishing point, while in two-point perspective, there are two. The vanishing point helps create the illusion of depth and distance in a drawing.

Example: In a cityscape drawing, the streets and buildings might have multiple vanishing points. The streets converging to one point and the sides of the buildings converging to another, creating a realistic and immersive scene.

Practical Tips

When using perspective, start by drawing the horizon line and marking the vanishing points. Then, draw the main shapes of your objects, making sure their edges converge to the appropriate vanishing points. Practice with simple shapes like boxes and buildings to get a feel for how perspective works.

Example: Draw a simple box in two-point perspective. Start with the horizon line and mark two vanishing points. Draw the vertical lines of the box first, then connect the top and bottom edges to the vanishing points, creating the illusion of depth.