Topic outline

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  Understanding Perspective
  

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• 1
  
  
  Introduction to Perspective
  
  Try this activity and see for yourself that drawing in perspective really does produce a 'camera's eye view' of the world - indeed the use of a Camera Obscura to create perspective drawings has been known about for centuries and is thought to have been used by some famous artists.
  

  • Seeing is Believing! Lesson

  
  
• 2
  
  
  Exploring Single Point Perspective
  
  This is a form of Parallel or Oblique Perspective. It is the perspective view when looking directly at the face of something. It is very useful for representing room interiors.
  

  • Single Point Perspective Lesson

  
  
• 3
  
  
  Exploring 2 Point Perspective
  
  This is a form of Angular Perspective, it is the perspective view when looking at something at an angle to you. It is very useful for representing the outside of buildings and 3D products.
  

  • Two Point Perspective Lesson

  
  
• 4
  
  
  Slopes and Angles in Perspective
  
  In reality, many lines are either vertical or horizontal and so, in perspective all sloping lines have to be constructed.
  

  • Slopes and Angles Lesson

  
  
• 5
  
  
  Circles and Curves in Perspective
  
  In most drawing methods, including perspective, circles and curves have to be constructed by plotting points using straight lines then sketching through them.
  

  • Circles and Curves Lesson

  
  
• 6
  
  
  Reflections in Perspective
  
  Reflections, of a building in water for example, can be constructed in perspective using the same Vanishing Points.
  

  • Reflections in Perspective Lesson

  
  
• 7
  
  
  Shadows in Perspective
  
  Shadows cast either by the sun or by an artificial light source, can be constructed using perspective techniques.
  

  • Shadows in Perspective Lesson

  
  
• 8
  
  
  . . . . . and there's more!
  
  Did you know there is also 3 Point Perspective? . . . . . very good for viewing tall buildings! Also what effects can you create with unusual positioning of the Eye Line?
  

  • 3 Point Perspective Lesson

  
  
• 9
  
  
  Test your knowledge of terms used in perspective
  
  If you get an answer wrong you can either try again or choose another question from the list - but remember, each time to guess a wrong answer you may get a penalty mark subtracted from your score!

  • Perspective Quiz