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Lesson One continued ...

Vanishing point.  This is a special "spot" where all parallel lines converge (meet).  All horizontal lines meet at a specific point somewhere on the eye level line.  The vanishing point is ALWAYS on the eye level line.  Always.

The vanishing points offer the artist a precise method of determining the angle of each receding horizontal line. 

You've seen buildings.  When you look at the building straight on, standing in the front, all walls appear to be square.  They are square!

However, if you turn this building at an angle and then try to draw it in perspective, the horizontal lines are seen at an angle.  This confuses the novice and is difficult to comprehend until linear perspective is learned and digested. 

Today's lesson will explain and illustrate the process of turning those buildings at an angle and drawing in perfect perspective.

Linear perspective applies to horizontal lines (not vertical lines) unless you are working in aerial perspective. 

There are three kinds of linear perspective. 

Parallel Perspective

This is called one point perspective.

There is only one "spot" or vanishing point where all lines converge.  It is found in the center of the arch. 

It does not have to be in the center.  This simply means that you are standing almost directly in front of the arch when the picture was taken. 

See the line where the sea meets the sky?   Look through the arch.  That spot was at the same height that my eyes were when I took this photograph.  That is my eye level.

My view of the inner sides of the arch will be DIRECTLY affected by the place where I am standing (my viewpoint).

If I move to the left...

    then I would see more of the RIGHT side of the arch. 

If I move to the right ...

    then I would see more of the LEFT side of the arch. 

I am speaking of the INSIDE of the arch. 

When the viewpoint changes, EVERYTHING changes. 

Oblique Perspective (two point perspective)

    There are two "spots" (vanishing points) where the lines converge.  Below is an example of two point perspective.

It is important to note that the front corner, the closest to the viewer, is the corner that divides the right and left vanishing points.  Each section of the structure must be evaluated this way.  In other words, the chimney has its own front corner.  The porch has its own front corner.  The frame building has its own front corner.

All lines extending to the right of this front corner will connect with the right vanishing point on the horizon line.

All lines extending to the left of this front corner will connect with the left vanishing point on the horizon line.

Aerial Perspective (three point perspective)

 There are three "spots" where all lines converge.  This kind of linear perspective involves both horizontal and vertical lines.  That study is more advanced and will not be covered in this lesson.

An example, however, would be standing on the ground looking up at a 65 story building.   As the vertical lines rise to the top of the building, they seem to converge at the top. 

Lesson One continued ...  click here

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