Section 2

Explore

In Discover you learned that moving the vanishing point in a one-point perspective drawing changes what side of the object you view. Artists use this type of perspective drawing to show the front of the object face on.

In a one-point perspective drawing, the lines drawn are vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. The diagonal lines are called orthogonal lines. All the orthogonal lines meet on the horizon at a single point called the vanishing point. Lines in a One-Point Perspective reviews all of the different lines in a one-point perspective drawing.

Practise this new terminology in the following Self-Check.

Self-Check 1

1. The horizontal red line in the photograph is at the observer's eye level. What is the line called? Answer
   
   
2. The road converges to the dot (point) located on the red line. What is that point called? Answer
   
   
3. Assuming the trees are all approximately the same height, why do some trees appear to be so much smaller than others? Answer
   
   
4. The sides of the road are perpendicular to the horizontal and vertical lines in the photograph. What are these lines called, including the lines along the tops of trees? Answer
   
   
5. Through what point do all lines described in question 4 pass? Answer
   
   
6. This photograph is an example of one-point perspective. Define one-point perspective. Answer

Example: Drawing a Bedroom in One-Point Perspective

You now have the terminology needed to sketch a one-point perspective drawing. The following Drawing a Bedroom in One-Point Perspective example describes the steps required to create a drawing in one-point perspective. You may find it beneficial to draw each step on your own sheet of paper—pause the animation when necessary.