Characteristics of a Good Perspective

Characteristics of a Good Perspective

The least distortion will be directly in front of the viewer or sight point. This will be the focus of your perspective.

It is usually best to have at least one vanishing point off of the paper. If both vanishing points are on the paper you will have more distortion.


Move your sight point (viewer) far enough back from the focus to see most of the interior space.


Your sight point (viewer) must be inside the space. The viewer cannot be on the other side of a wall or at a horizon level that would be impossible to attain within the illustrated space. If this done, it gives the client a false impression of the interior space. In most cases, it makes the space seem much larger than it is.


The common interior horizon line is 5’ but you could have a higher horizon line if you were in a balcony looking down into the space. Or, you could have a lower horizon if you wanted to portray the room as seen at a lower vantage point, such as from a wheel chair.


Your perspective is much more appealing if you include 3 walls or some sort of an indication of a third wall. This could be a piece of furniture that is placed perpendicular to one of the walls or possibly a plant.


The perspective should include most of the furnishings relating to the purpose of the room. For example, a perspective of a living room must include most, if not all, of the furniture in the conversation area.


Perspectives are always more meaningful if they include people. You can trace people from entourage books, but they must look like they belong in the space.

• place the eyes of all adult figures on the 5’ horizon line

• children would, of course, be below the horizon line

• male figures are 7 heads high• a 6’ tall male would have his

chin on the horizon line• female figures are often drawn

shorter with their eyes on the horizon line



A good perspective includes accessories to make the space appear realistic.


Draw an indication of the exterior as seen through windows to enhance realism.


This drawing is a selling tool. It must give the client as much information about the space as possible. Drawing one table with one chair in a restaurant and then telling the client to imagine 20 tables with 80 chairs just like the one you drew will not sell the design.


Include background, middle-ground, and foreground. Overlap furniture for depth.


Consider the design of the space above the horizon line. Extend furnishings, accessories, plants, etc. above 3’-5’ level.


Lockard: Direct Perspective Method

• partially revealed spaces & overlapping creates spatial interest

• profile lines used to accentuate the overlap of furniture & spaces

Spatial Interest

Principles of Perspective



1-point perspective assumes the viewer’s line of sight is level and axially aligned with the space or object

being drawn.


2-point perspective assumes the viewer’s line of sight is held level but free to turn at any angular relationship to the space or

object being drawn.


3-point perspective assumes the viewer’s line of sight is tipped upward or downward, resulting in a third vanishing point above

or below eyelevel


• direct perspective method employs two vertical planes to measure the width and depth of the space or object

• it requires the approximate dimensions and the self-confidence to guess an initial 10’ square

Direct Perspective Method

diagonals can be used geometrically to extend or subdivide any rectangular unit

Direct Perspective Method: diagonals

• 2 ways of using diagonals for extension– 1: finding a VP for diagonals on the vanishing line (VL)

for the plane in which they lie


• 2 ways of using diagonals for extension:– 2: by using diagonals through the bisectors of

successive 10’ squares.• best done in 5’ increments so that all the spatial units remain square and all the

diagonals are 45˚


• the width plane is a vertical plane across the space—back wall• usually the most interesting wall of an interior space

Direct Perspective Method: width plane

• measuring is done by first guessing a 10’ square standing in the plane and then extending and subdividing the space along the width plane using diagonals

• widths needed in front of or behind the width plane must also be measured off on the width plane and then pulled forward from, or pushed backward toward the near VP

Direct Perspective Method: width plane

• the depth plane is a vertical plane placed along the side of a space as a way of measuring the depth and heights

• the plane should be placed along the most distant side wall to allow for a more accurate measurement of depth

Direct Perspective Method: depth plane

• measuring is done by first guessing a 10’ square in the plane, and then extending and subdividing the space along the depth plane using diagonals

• depth needed at other places in the perspective must all be measured off along the depth plane and then pulled out into the space from the far VP

Direct Perspective Method: depth plane

• draw a Horizon Line (HL) at 5’• choose the most interesting wall - back wall• choose the next most interesting wall - side wall• place the corner so the back wall will extend across the back of the

drawing• this corner will be called the Wide Side Limit (WSL)

Laying Out the Direct Perspective

• extend the line for the WSL equal distance above and below the HL—10’ high• extend 2 lines from the WSL toward the Far Vanishing Point which is located

off the paper (FVP)• divide this plane into 5’ increments by diagonal division—this is called the

Width Plane• place a Near Vanishing Point (NVP) within the first 10’ square from the WSL• the opposite corner is called the Hinge


• guess a 10’ square in the plane coming out from the Hinge • divide this plane into 5’ increments by diagonal division• this plane is called the Depth Plane• floor grid can be made by pulling depth lines across the floor and

extending to the FVP


footprints of furniture and architectural elements can then be placed


• corners of the various footprints are pulled up vertically• vertical dimensions can be easily determined because it is always 5’

from any point on the floor to the HL and that distance is easily subdivided or extended to the height needed


the HL or ceiling line can be changed by moving the floor or ceiling line to the desired height on the grid


Step 1

• draw Horizon Line (HL) at 5’• extend a line equal distance above the HL—this line is now 10’ high

and the Wide Side Limit (WSL)• extend lines from the top and bottom of the WSL to a selected Far

Vanishing Point (FVP) off of your paper• these lines should be almost parallel—converging slightly to the FVP


• this is the width plane• guess a 10’ square on the width plane (back wall )from the WSL• use diagonal division to extend the wall to or passed the desired

width of the back wall

Step 2


• place a line at the far corner of the back wall—this is the hinge• place the Near Vanishing Point (NVP) within the first 10’ square, no

more than 5’ from the WSL

Step 3


• create the side wall (depth plane) by extending lines from the NVP through the top and bottom of the hinge

• guess a 10’ square in the depth plane extending from the hinge• use diagonal division to extend the wall to or passed the desired length

Step 4


• establish the third wall by extending lines from the NVP through the top and bottom of the WSL

Step 5


• divide the back wall (width plane) and side wall (depth plane) into 1’ increments—extend lines from floor to ceiling on back and side wall

• extend the 1’ increment lines across the floor to meet the third wall—these lines go to the FVP

• extend these lines up the third wall

Step 6


• divide the WSL line into 1’ increments—extend these lines to the hinge through the FVP

• to complete the grid on the floor and walls, extend lines from the NVP to the points where the 1’ increment lines touch the floor and corner lines

• ceiling grid can be constructed the same as the floor grid

Step 7


44

ASSIGNMENT #7A

IN CLASS:•create a grid for a direct perspective drawing of the living room in your SketchUp model—use this model as your guide

HOMEWORK:•if necessary, collect magazine images of all the items used in the space—furniture & accessories—and bring them with you to class next week •these images or the fleshed out SketchUp model are CRUCIAL to helping you to visualize what is happening in the space while you learn how to build a direct perspective drawing


• find the footprints of furniture and architectural features

• corners of the various footprints are pulled up vertically

• vertical dimensions can be easily determined because it is always 5’ from any point on the floor to the HL and that distance is easily subdivided or extended to the height needed

Step 8


• draw cubes for all furniture as done in the previous method• draw furniture within the cubes• refine drawing

Step 8


Sources

• Lockard, William Kirby, Design Drawing Experiences, Pepper Publishing,Tucson, Arizona, 1987.

Documents

Characteristics of a Good Perspective