Two Point Perspective Grids

Assignment #1 Part 4

One & Two Point Grids

For Part 4 of this assignment, on an 11" x 17" sheet of paper turned horizontally, I want you to draw a two point perspective room using a grid on each of the surfaces.

Place the horizon line across the center of the page then draw the corner of the room in the middle. Make the corner line 6" high and have the horizon line at the 3" level (half way up).

Place the vanishing points about 6" off the page on either side (on the horizon line). You can tape some paper strips on either side of the drawing paper so you can extend the horizon line out and draw the vanishing points on. Don't just guess where they are.

Along the corner line, make a mark every 1" from the top.

Starting from the left vanishing point, line up your ruler (you should be using at least an 18" ruler for this) to each of the 1" points on the corner line. Draw each of the lines radiating out from the corner line. There's no reason to draw the lines all the way back to the vanishing point as you'll just have to erase them later on.

Next, switch over to the right vanishing point and repeat the same step for the opposite side.

Now we'll draw the grid on the right wall surface first. Starting by placing your ruler parallel to the center line so that the left edge of the ruler is right on the line itself. Slide the ruler to the right slowly and look at the shape of the squares being created. Once they look like they are a square, stop and pencil in the line (you might want to do this very lightly at first, just in case you want to make some adjustments as you go along). Be sure each of the squares look like squares and not rectangles. Use your eyes to guage the size and distances required. Be sure to also keep the lines parallel to the vertical corner line.

Do the exact same thing for the left wall.

You can cheat on this one by folding the paper in half along the corner line and simply trace off the vertical lines. You can only do this on this one because the vanishing points ar equal distance from the corner line. It creates a sort of "mirror image" of the two walls.

Just be sure the radiating corner lines are also lined up otherwise the squares will be skewed.

Move on to the ceiling and floor.

All you need to do is "connect the dots" from this point on. Start from the left vanishing point and line your ruler up through each of the intersecting lines along the top left wall/ceiling corner line.

You need to be really accurate from this point on. Even if you're off by just a slight amount on the intersection point, it will cause the grid to become distorted as it moves away from the corner. The further you go from the corner the bigger the distortion will become.

As a guide, you can draw a line extending up and down from the vertical center corner (the first line we drew).

This is where your lines that come from the right vanishing point will need to intersect the lines you've just done in order for it to look right.

Again, you need to use your eyes to guage the shape of each of the squares and make subtle adjustments to the lines in order for them to look correct. Remember the base line rule for drawing is: "It doesn't matter how you get it done, just so long as it looks good at the end."

Make any adjustments that are necessary to make it look good.

		Two Point Perspective Grids
Assignment #1 Part 4 One & Two Point Grids For Part 4 of this assignment, on an 11" x 17" sheet of paper turned horizontally, I want you to draw a two point perspective room using a grid on each of the surfaces. Place the horizon line across the center of the page then draw the corner of the room in the middle. Make the corner line 6" high and have the horizon line at the 3" level (half way up). Place the vanishing points about 6" off the page on either side (on the horizon line). You can tape some paper strips on either side of the drawing paper so you can extend the horizon line out and draw the vanishing points on. Don't just guess where they are.
Along the corner line, make a mark every 1" from the top.
Starting from the left vanishing point, line up your ruler (you should be using at least an 18" ruler for this) to each of the 1" points on the corner line. Draw each of the lines radiating out from the corner line. There's no reason to draw the lines all the way back to the vanishing point as you'll just have to erase them later on.
Next, switch over to the right vanishing point and repeat the same step for the opposite side.
Now we'll draw the grid on the right wall surface first. Starting by placing your ruler parallel to the center line so that the left edge of the ruler is right on the line itself. Slide the ruler to the right slowly and look at the shape of the squares being created. Once they look like they are a square, stop and pencil in the line (you might want to do this very lightly at first, just in case you want to make some adjustments as you go along). Be sure each of the squares look like squares and not rectangles. Use your eyes to guage the size and distances required. Be sure to also keep the lines parallel to the vertical corner line.
Do the exact same thing for the left wall. You can cheat on this one by folding the paper in half along the corner line and simply trace off the vertical lines. You can only do this on this one because the vanishing points ar equal distance from the corner line. It creates a sort of "mirror image" of the two walls. Just be sure the radiating corner lines are also lined up otherwise the squares will be skewed.
Move on to the ceiling and floor. All you need to do is "connect the dots" from this point on. Start from the left vanishing point and line your ruler up through each of the intersecting lines along the top left wall/ceiling corner line. You need to be really accurate from this point on. Even if you're off by just a slight amount on the intersection point, it will cause the grid to become distorted as it moves away from the corner. The further you go from the corner the bigger the distortion will become. As a guide, you can draw a line extending up and down from the vertical center corner (the first line we drew). This is where your lines that come from the right vanishing point will need to intersect the lines you've just done in order for it to look right.
Again, you need to use your eyes to guage the shape of each of the squares and make subtle adjustments to the lines in order for them to look correct. Remember the base line rule for drawing is: "It doesn't matter how you get it done, just so long as it looks good at the end." Make any adjustments that are necessary to make it look good.