1. T h e A r t o f Perspective Drawing
Perspective drawing is most commonly illustrated in two ways:
Objects get smaller as they get further away
Linear objects will meet at a point on the horizon (the viewer’s eye level)
You can have anywhere from one to FIVE-point perspective, depending on your angle.

2. T h e D a y s B e f o r e Perspective Drawing
Painters started to catch on to the idea of depth and form to objects back in the 1300s, but there was no SCIENCE to it…
They used what we now call ‘Intuitive Perspective’… That means they just GUESSED at the angles of the objects!
Ambrogio Lorenzetti. Allegory of Good Government. Detail Fresco. Siena, Italy.

3. Very detailed and beautiful piece, but none of the lines match up!
Jan Van Eyck Giovanni Arnolfini & His Bride
1434.
Very detailed and beautiful piece, but none of the lines match up!

4. Robert Campin, Merode Altarpiece(open),1425
… Many artists also used an unnatural technique that we call ‘Steep Perspective’ – which is slightly higher-than-usual point of view (with the tables turned up just a little) so the viewer can clearly see what was going on.
Robert Campin, Merode Altarpiece(open),1425

5. The Early Italian Renaissance Painters were the first to create a mathematical basis for creating the illusion of perspective. In this case, the persepctive lines meet at the base of Christ’s cross.
Masaccio, Holy Trinity, EARLY ITALIAN RENAISSANCE
When looking at the wall, the vanishing point is right about at the average eye level, which gives a nice illusion!

6. Masaccio, Holy Trinity, 1427. EARLY ITALIAN RENAISSANCE

7. The HORIZON LINE The Horizon Line is where the sky and ground meet
The HORIZON LINE The Horizon Line is where the sky and ground meet. It also shows where the eye level of the viewer is located. The higher the horizon line, the higher the viewer!
WORM’S EYE VIEW
BIRD’S EYE VIEW

8. Vanishing Points don’t have to be dead center… Check out this one!

9. In a ONE-point perspective drawing, ONE side of an object will face you, but other sides will go to the vanishing point…

14. In a TWO-point perspective drawing, the CORNER of an object will face you, and both sides will go to the vanishing points…