CHAPTERS IN
ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING
hand sketching in a digital world
Introductory Level ♦ Sketching Exercises ♦ Video Instruction
Hand sketching and digital tools for client presentations
Steven H. McNeill AIA, LEED AP Daniel John Stine CSI, CDT
INSIDE:
SDC
PUBLICATIONS
MultiMedia DVD
Schroff Development Corporation
www.schroff.com Includes Supplemental
Files and Video
Better Textbooks. Lower Prices. Instruction
,C H A P T E R S I N A R C H I T E C T U R A L D R A W I N G
Chapter
8
The Perspective: Two-Point I
At this point you should have a comfort level with your pen
sufficient to begin exploring the fundamentals of the perspective
drawing. This is an exciting step in learning to draw because you
can see the drawings begin to “come to life”!
A perspetive drawing is a two-dimensional drawing which represents a
three-dimensional object or scene and takes into account the phenomenon
that things appear to get smaller the further they are from the viewer.
There’s a bit more to it than that (which you will cover in this chapter), but this is
a working definition we will start with. Additionally, a perspective drawing looks
very much like what we perceive when looking at the world.
Below are the three primary types of perspective created by Architectural
Designers: [from left to right] one-point, two-point and three-point perspectives.
Vertical and Horizontal line work:
Notice how the one-point perspective has both
horizontal and vertical lines, the two-point only
has vertical lines and the three-point has neither.
8-1
, C H A P T E R S I N A R C H I T E C T U R A L D R A W I N G
The Horizon Line
One of the first things you need to understand when it comes to perspective
drawing is the Horizon Line – what it is and how it relates to the drawing. In the
simplest of terms, the Horizon Line is the edge of the earth; at least the edge as it is
perceived from the eye. As the earth curves away from any one person’s view,
they see a distinct line between the earth and the sky. Even though the earth is
round, it is so large that it appears to be flat. When drawing a perspective drawing
this important reference line is assumed to be flat (i.e., horizontal).
In most perspectives, renderings and photographs you don’t usually see the
Horizon Line because it is obscured by trees, hills, buildings, etc. However, there
are some cases in which you do see it, such as when you have the ocean or a vast
field as a backdrop to your building.
The photo below helps to understand the Horizon Line by providing a real-world
example. This example is of a building pictured with a large body of water behind
it (this is not an ocean, but it is the largest freshwater lake in the world – by
surface area – Lake Superior). Notice the Horizon Line labeled in the picture.
Horizon
Line
Understanding the Horizon Line
8-2
ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING
hand sketching in a digital world
Introductory Level ♦ Sketching Exercises ♦ Video Instruction
Hand sketching and digital tools for client presentations
Steven H. McNeill AIA, LEED AP Daniel John Stine CSI, CDT
INSIDE:
SDC
PUBLICATIONS
MultiMedia DVD
Schroff Development Corporation
www.schroff.com Includes Supplemental
Files and Video
Better Textbooks. Lower Prices. Instruction
,C H A P T E R S I N A R C H I T E C T U R A L D R A W I N G
Chapter
8
The Perspective: Two-Point I
At this point you should have a comfort level with your pen
sufficient to begin exploring the fundamentals of the perspective
drawing. This is an exciting step in learning to draw because you
can see the drawings begin to “come to life”!
A perspetive drawing is a two-dimensional drawing which represents a
three-dimensional object or scene and takes into account the phenomenon
that things appear to get smaller the further they are from the viewer.
There’s a bit more to it than that (which you will cover in this chapter), but this is
a working definition we will start with. Additionally, a perspective drawing looks
very much like what we perceive when looking at the world.
Below are the three primary types of perspective created by Architectural
Designers: [from left to right] one-point, two-point and three-point perspectives.
Vertical and Horizontal line work:
Notice how the one-point perspective has both
horizontal and vertical lines, the two-point only
has vertical lines and the three-point has neither.
8-1
, C H A P T E R S I N A R C H I T E C T U R A L D R A W I N G
The Horizon Line
One of the first things you need to understand when it comes to perspective
drawing is the Horizon Line – what it is and how it relates to the drawing. In the
simplest of terms, the Horizon Line is the edge of the earth; at least the edge as it is
perceived from the eye. As the earth curves away from any one person’s view,
they see a distinct line between the earth and the sky. Even though the earth is
round, it is so large that it appears to be flat. When drawing a perspective drawing
this important reference line is assumed to be flat (i.e., horizontal).
In most perspectives, renderings and photographs you don’t usually see the
Horizon Line because it is obscured by trees, hills, buildings, etc. However, there
are some cases in which you do see it, such as when you have the ocean or a vast
field as a backdrop to your building.
The photo below helps to understand the Horizon Line by providing a real-world
example. This example is of a building pictured with a large body of water behind
it (this is not an ocean, but it is the largest freshwater lake in the world – by
surface area – Lake Superior). Notice the Horizon Line labeled in the picture.
Horizon
Line
Understanding the Horizon Line
8-2
