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A Room with a View
A Room with a View
Areas of focus: perspective, contrast, figure/ground
Areas of focus: perspective, contrast, figure/ground
Goal: Using 1 or 2 point perspective you will create a convincing interior space that includes a door or a window that lets in light. How light and contrast are at play in a setting during different times of day is your primary focus of this pieces. It is NOT focusing on the exterior space or even in a major way the interior space, these are supporting ideas for your main subject of light. The light, contrast, and correct perspective are your highest concerns in this piece.
Process:
1. WHAT room will you draw? Choose a part of a room with a window or doorway that has light coming through it and is interesting to you. Choose carefully! Where do you have access to that is unique or you could present in a new and compelling way? How can you make the ordinary interesting?
DO NOT FOCUS ON THE SCENE THROUGH THE WINDOW LIKE THIS!
2. WHERE you stand in the room when you take your photo will determine whether it’s in 1 or 2 point perspective. This is helpful to keep in mind as some people have an easier time drawing different perspectives. DO NOT take the photo of just the window with very little of the room showing, like this example on the right: This photo is focused on the scene outside, not the light being cast inside the room.
Also, avoid symmetrical compositions. They’re BORING! Use the rule of thirds to help you design a pleasing asymmetrical composition. For more information about successful composition, click here. For example, stand to the side of the window, not right in front of it. Get down low to the floor or stand on something and get up close to the ceiling. Stand back far enough from the window or door that you can see the wall meeting the ceiling or floor or both. You must show the light coming from the window or door as it falls on the wall or floor in the room. *Remember, you CANNOT just print out a picture from the internet and copy it; this is visual plagiarism! YOU must take your own photo! This is way better anyway because it allows you to be in control of your subject and be more creative!
3. WHEN you take the photo is very important! Remember, the light is the star of the show in this piece so the time of day that you take the photo will determine how the light enters the room. The light will be very different at different times of the day. Plan to take your photos during “golden hours”, the first hour after sunrise and the last hour before sunset each day. If you cannot take them during this time aim for times when the sun is lower in the sky as it will cast the best shadows and light. Keep in mind the direction that your room faces as well.
4. After you take a photo of the space you’ve chosen, print both a black and white and a color copy. You may use a cell phone camera to take your photos but you MUST print it out. This will allow you to use your images to help with figuring out any tricky perspective lines.
5. HOW can you figure out the type of perspective you are using? The easiest way to decide is to line up several rulers along the horizontal receding lines on your black and white print. Look at the edges where the wall, ceiling, or floors meet. If they all line up with one point that seems to go through your paper, then it’s 1-point perspective. Or if they seem to be going in different directions (which may be way off the edge of the paper), then it’s probably 2-point. BE SURE YOU KNOW WHICH YOU’RE DEALING WITH before you start your drawing! Locate and mark in red pen your horizon line on your black and white print. If you are working with 1-point perspective, locate the vanishing point on your paper. If you’re drawing in 2-point it is often best if your vanishing points are FAR away from each other, even off the edges of your paper. Feel free to add additional strips of paper to your horizon line to extend your vanishing points out farther. Be sure to use a yardstick to make your horizon line precise.
*Beware* open doors and various objects in the room may have their own vanishing points such as the combination example below. Most natural interior spaces settings have at least one element within them that will use a different vanishing point then everything else!
At this time if you would like to crop in on a smaller area of your photo to focus your drawing do so now. Take a few minute to identify how the major forms of your room are working in space and draw in only additional major lines to your vanishing points using your red pen on your black and white print.
1 Point Perspective 2 Point Perspective
Combination of 1 and 2 Point Perspective
6. Sketch your drawing onto your final paper (The minimum is 8"x10" and the maximum is 18"x14".) using the vanishing points you discovered in your investigation on the last step. Start by drawing out all the walls and objects of your space, then work on capturing the lines that create the contrast of the light for this piece. Use the photos below to help break down how light and shadow react to a space in perspective. Be sure to use at a reasonable and workable size for the final media you will be using too small and you will not be able to capture the details needed, too large and you will struggle to complete it in time!
The images below are to help you with some of the trickier perspective concepts you may encounter.
How to make things like columns, windows, or tile get smaller in perspective!
1 Point Perspective 2 Point Perspective
How to draw stairs in perspective.
1 Point perspective 2 Point Perspective
How to draw shadows in perspective.
7. Once you’re certain that the room has been accurately sketched on your final paper you will add color using a monochromatic color scheme (OR if you have the option of a limited palette of no more than 3 colors). Limiting your color scheme will give your piece more unity (too many colors can look disjointed and crazy). Obviously, you’ll need a wide variety of values of your color for the monochromatic option. If you’re using a limited palette you’re not limited to just 3 pencils. You’ll need light, medium and dark versions each of your colors. You may use any color media that you already are familiar with but I’d recommend that you use one that lends itself to precise work using a ruler. For that reason, pastel may not be a good choice.
Advanced Option A: Include people in the room. However, be sure that the focus of the piece remains on the LIGHT.
Advanced Option B: Include a staircase in your composition for added challenge in your perspective drawing. However, be sure that the focus remains on the light.
Helpful Perspective Links Reference Images:
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