More on Perspective

Last week I wrote about how, with linear perspective, an object appears to diminish in size as the distance from the viewer increases. Linear perspective is a way to create an illusion of spatial depth in your artwork. It enables you to replicate a 3-D object on a 2-D canvas or drawing surface.

There are three types of linear perspective drawing: one-point perspective, two-point perspective, and three-point perspective.

One-Point Perspective

One-point perspective is a type of drawing created on a 2D plane that uses one point in the distance (the vanishing point) from which everything in the drawing is set out.

One of the best illustrations of single-point perspective is to imagine that you’re looking at a straight road. All of the elements of the composition—particularly the road itself—will converge at a single point on the horizon line.

Single-point perspective can be at any point along the horizon line; the only stipulation is that all lines lead to the solitary point.

 “Art happens-no hovel is safe from it, no prince can depend on it, the vastest intelligence cannot bring it about.”

-James Abbott McNeil Whistler