Section 2

Discover

 

In this section you will investigate several principles behind one-point perspective drawings. A perspective drawing represents three-dimensional objects in such a way that the objects appear three dimensional rather than being flat on a two-dimensional surface. There are one-point, two-point, and three-point perspective drawings. In this course you will focus only on one-point perspective drawings.

 

First, you must understand an important concept. A horizon line is a horizontal line that represents the viewer’s eye level. If the horizon is above an object, the viewer must be looking down on top of the object.The vanishing point is an area on the horizon where the object moves out of sight. As you approach the vanishing point, objects get smaller and smaller until they disappear. The vanishing point is the farthest point in the perspective drawing.

 

 

Use One-Point Perspective Interactive to investigate the effects on a perspective drawing when you move the vanishing point.

 

Try This 1

 

Use One-Point Perspective Interactive to answer the following questions.

1. What side of the object do you see when the vanishing point is moved to the left side?
   
   
2. What side do you see when the vanishing point is on the right side?
   
   
3. What side of the object do you see when the vanishing point is above the object? Why?
   
   
4. What side do you see when the vanishing point is below the object? Why?

Share 1

 

Share your answers to Try This 1 with a partner or with a group of people. Then discuss the following question:

• How does the view of an object (the side you see) change as the vanishing point moves?

If required, save a copy of your discussion to your course folder.