Perspective DrawingsPerspective Drawings

By: Dan Lunney

Sackville High School

Perspective Drawings – Perspective Drawings – DefinitionsDefinitions

Horizontal lineVertical lineConverging line (Orthagonals)Vanishing pointHorizon

Horizontal LineHorizontal Line

Lines that run across the page always parallel to the bottom of the page

Vertical LineVertical Line

Lines that run from top to bottom of the page always parallel to the side of the page

Converging Line / OrthagonalConverging Line / Orthagonal

Lines that converge at the vanishing point. These are any lines that are moving away

from the viewer at an angle parallel to the direction that the viewer is looking.

In the case of a highway these lines would be the edges of the highway as they move away from you forward into the distance.

Vanishing PointVanishing Point

The point to which all lines which are parallel to the viewer recede.

Think of the last time you were looking down a long stretch of straight highway. The edges of that highway appear to move at an angle upward until they meet the horizon.

In one point perspective all verticals and horizontals stay the same and only lines that are moving away from or toward the viewer seem to recede on the horizon at the vanishing point.

HorizonHorizon

Horizon - is always at eye level. Picture yourself at the seashore and looking out at the ocean you notice that the water meets the sky at your eye level. This never changes.

You may be in an airplane 1000 feet up or you may be lying down on the beach and the ocean level drops with you.

Think of it as an invisible plane that cuts through everything, that always exists at eye level.

Perspective DrawingsPerspective Drawings

One-pointTwo-pointInternal External

One-PointOne-Point

All converging lines vanish to one point

Horizontal and vertical lines do not change

Two-PointTwo-Point

All converging lines vanish to 2 points on the horizon

Always start with drawing a vertical edge

There are no horizontal lines in 2-point perspective

Internal – One PointInternal – One Point

Internal – Two PointInternal – Two Point

External – One PointExternal – One Point

External – Two PointExternal – Two Point

SourcesSources

Larmann, Ralph M. Art Studio Chalkboard. [Online] January 31, 2006. http://studiochalkboard.evansville.edu/