Topic 2 : Perspectives of line drawing
Perspectives of line drawing
Perspective is very important in line drawing or drawing landscapes, still life, portrait, and others. It creates dimensions, near-far distance in the picture. The drawing principle is that object close to the eyes is large, and the further, the smaller.
The 3 principles in perspective drawing are
1. One point perspective
This is a drawing with a single point of view (VP). The image drawn will be a view in depth, the image is seen getting smaller towards the vanishing point.
Image shows a one point perspective drawing.
The steps of a one point perspective drawing are
1. Draw the line at the eye level (Eye level) or called horizontal line (Horizontal Line) on a piece of paper, 1/3 from the top and set a vanishing point.
Image shows the vanishing point on an eye level line.
2. Draw perpendicular lines (A) in the shape of the drawn object below a vanishing point, the number of lines depending upon the nature of object.
Image shows the perpendicular lines below the vanishing point to shape the object drawn following a one point perspective drawing
3. Draw horizontal lines (B) to intersect with the perpendicular lines (A) in the same area, the numbers depending on the shape of the object. Draw dashed lines from each intersection of perpendicular and vertical lines to the vanishing point.
Image shows the drawing of each dashed line from the intersection of vertical and perpendicular lines to the vanishing point
4. Complete with decoration lines from the structure below the vanishing point.
Image shows the decoration lines from the structure below the vanishing point to make it perfect and accurate according to a one point perspective drawing.
2. Two point perspective
This is a drawing with two vanishing points (VP), seeing lines of the image drawn at the front and both sides. The image is seen getting smaller towards both vanishing points.
The steps of drawing a two point perspective are
1. Begin by slightly drawing a horizontal line on a piece of paper, ½ from the top and set 2 vanishing points on the eye level line, both left and right, as illustrated.
Image shows the beginning of drawing a two point perspective by drawing a horizontal line
and 2 vanishing points on both left and right sides.
2. Draw a perpendicular line to determine the angles of the drawn shape, as illustrated.
Image shows a perpendicular line on an eye level line to determine
the angles of the drawn shape.
3. Draw lines from both vanishing points, left and right, from above and below to intersect with a perpendicular line to determine the angle lines of the shape, as illustrated.
Image shows the determination of the highest and lowest lines of the drawn shape by drawing lines from both sides of the vanishing points to intersect with the angle lines to create the desired shape
4. Draw more perpendicular lines as the shape of the drawn image, then complete the structure with the decoration lines as seen. The final image is accurate according to the perspective, as illustrated below.
Image shows details of more perpendicular lines of the drawn image and decorate with more lines to make perfect.
3. Three point perspective
This is a drawing with three vanishing points. Seeing the lines of the figure drawn 3 sides; left, right and top, so the image seen will be like a bird’s eye view, from top to bottom.
The steps of drawing a three point perspective are
1. Slightly draw a horizontal line on a piece of paper, 1/3 from the top and set two vanishing points on the line, both left and right, and the third one below the line, as illustrated.
Image shows three vanishing points for three-point perspective drawing
2. Draw a perpendicular line in the middle area of the three vanishing points to set the angle lines of the shape, as illustrated below.
Image shows perpendicular line, the first angle line to begin the three-point perspective drawing
3. From every vanishing point, draw lines to the created shape of object from left, right or above, below of the image, and draw sharp lines in the directions that connect the lines from the 3 vanishing points. Doing this will get the image created from a 3 point perspective, as illustrated below.
Image shows the L shape box (L) drawn with a three point perspective.
Summary
The 3 principles in drawing perspective are
1. One point perspective The image is formed at the eye level line and a vanishing point on it. The image drawn will be occurred on or above the eye-level or below the vanishing point, by drawing lines from the intersection of a perpendicular line and a horizontal line to the vanishing point. This will form the drawn image.
2. Two point perspective is a drawing with 2 vanishing points, seeing lines of the image drawn at the front and both sides. The image is seen getting smaller towards both vanishing points.
3. Three point perspective is a drawing with 3 vanishing points, seeing 3 sides of the image; left, right and above sides. The image is seen as a bird’s eye view, man’s eye view or ant’s eye view.
Lines and basic of line drawing
Lines expressed in drawing are very important, can directly sense the viewers in terms of strength, stability, sweetness, calmness, or powerfulness. In line drawing, the drawers can freely draw the lines, in the same direction or multi-directions which express the drawer’s individuality and skill.
The lines in drawing will express whether the drawers are skillful or professional. Certain types of line such as cross-hatching lines are not suitable in drawing children or women portraits because they have no sense of sweetness or delicacy, but hardness. The drawing will look good, beautiful and perfect depending on other art elements as well as lines, dots, density of light and shadow, distance, space, texture, etc. in relation with each other.
Different types of lines in drawing
1. 45 degrees diagonal line (right)
45 degrees diagonal line (left)
2. horizontal line
3. woven hatching line
4. perpendicular woven hatching line
5. cross hatching line
6. rubbed line
7. vertical line
8. discontinuous line
9. circular (scribbled) line
10. curved line
Practice in drawing lines
The use of lines in drawing is extremely important. Those interested in training themselves in drawing should go through practice processes and try using several types of lines in order to create skills in using lines, form relationship between body and senses, that is between fingers, hand, wrist, eyesight and sensory nerves perceived by the brain in unity.
Practice drawing in the early stages should practice drawing a lot of lines, especially straight, diagonal, curve and circle. No other tools to assist in drawing, only fingers, pencil and paper to practice developing skills among hands, eyes and brain.
Image shows the practice of 45 degrees diagonal lines (right)
Image shows the practice of cross hatching lines
Image shows the practice of horizontal lines
Image shows the practice of woven hatching lines
Image shows the practice of circular (scribbled) lines
Image shows the practice of discontinuous lines
Image shows the practice of curved lines
Image shows the practice of vertical lines
Image shows the practice of 45 degree diagonal lines (left)
Lining in the darker density area
Lining in the area that needs intense weight to express the darkest shadow area, the drawer should confidently line, that is apply intense weight. If done with no confidence or repeatedly in the same spot or area, the paper will be ruined, the drawing is flawed, not beautiful. To solve this problem is to frequently practice with darker weight, not many repetitions.
The left image shows the darkest weight in the darker shade by drawing non-repeatedly at the same point which makes the drawing clean.
The image on the right shows the darkest weight by repeatedly drawing lines makes the paper ruined.
Practice drawing lines with light and dark weight
Those interested in drawing need to practice drawing lines gradually from light to dark weight layers, which can use in shading light and shadow density in an image. There are 2 methods of practicing.
1. Practice drawing from lighter to darker lines
2. Practice drawing from lighter to darker lines in 9 grids
Image shows practice drawing from lighter to darker lines in 9 grids from lightest to darkest shade
Image shows the practice of using lines shading from lighter to darker in 9 grids starting from lightest to darkest.
Summary
Different types of lines are 45 degree diagonal left-right lines, horizontal lines, woven lines, perpendicular woven lines, cross-hatching lines, rubbed lines, vertical lines, discontinuous lines, circular (scribbled) lines and curved lines. Practices drawing lines create skills, in relationship between body and senses which are hand, wrist and brain perception. Apart from practicing lines, shading lines in the dark area must be done with confidence, no repetition at the same spot, which makes the paper ruined. In addition, practice shading from lightest to darkest in 9 grids is included.